บททั้งหมดของ UGLY? No More!: บทที่ 31 - บทที่ 40

Leonard turned away from her, chest rising and falling, eyes burning holes into the darkness outside.“She was a virgin that night.”Lila stilled.His voice was raw now. “There was blood. She never said a word. And I never asked.”Lila took a step back. “Leonard, that was years ago...”“And it might’ve been the last time I touched someone I felt...”Silence.And in that silence, the world turned.The shame he’d buried was now clawing its way up from the grave.And Julian, fucking perfect Julian, was right there, stepping in, smiling with the child, looking like the golden father Leonard never had the spine to be.Lila slammed her purse on the coffee table, her movements sharp and calculated.“You’re not even sure,” she snapped, pacing behind the sofa. “You had one night with her, Leonard. One night where you were drunk and disgusting. You said so yourself... ‘It was a mistake.’”Leonard didn’t turn from the window.“You said she was nothing. A wallflower. You laughed when your friends

Lila’s heart dropped. “Say it,” she whispered. “Say what you were about to say.”He didn’t.Which made it worse.“Leonard,” she said, stepping closer, desperate now. “Please, don’t let a video cloud everything. You and I, our families, we’ve worked so hard to keep everything in line. It was one mistake.”“No,” he said, stepping back from her. “What you did wasn’t a mistake. It was who you are.”She gasped softly, reeling like he’d hit her.His voice was like ice now. “You parade around like the queen of society, but the moment someone doesn’t fit your aesthetic, you tear them down. You’ve been doing it for years. I was just too blind to call it out.”“And Elara?” she spat, tears of rage rising to the surface. “You think she’s perfect? You think she hasn’t manipulated this moment to her advantage? You think that billionaire at her side isn’t part of some grand show?”“I don’t care,” he said.She turned away, furious tears streaking her cheeks. “So what? You’re going to leave me for a w

He stepped into the room, closing the distance between them until he was only a few feet away. “I won’t regret it.” His tone carried a weight that wasn’t about sleeping arrangements.For a moment, she forgot what she was about to say. His gaze held hers, steady and unreadable, but the undercurrent of something unspoken was there, a promise, maybe, or a warning.She cleared her throat and gestured to the wardrobe. “There should be extra blankets in there, if you get cold. The heating sometimes acts up at night.”Julian’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I’ll manage. I’m not that fragile.”Elara, trying not to let the moment stretch too far, moved toward the door. “Well… goodnight, Julian.”He caught her before she stepped out, not physically, but with his voice, deep, steady. “Elara.”She paused, hand on the doorframe, and turned slightly.“Thank you,” he said simply, but the way he looked at her made it clear he wasn’t only talking about the room.Her lips softened into a small smile

Leonard laughed, but there was no humor in it. “Fix it? You don’t fix a bullet wound with a band aid, Lila. You either shut up and let the bleeding stop or you call in someone who knows what the hell they’re doing. You? You just twisted the knife deeper.”Her nails dug into the rug beneath her as he turned away, pacing now like he was the one who couldn’t contain his frustration.“This mess isn’t just yours anymore,” he said finally. “It’s mine, too. And if you think I’m going to let you drag my name down with yours...”He stopped short, his gaze snapping back to her. “You’d better pray you have a plan. Because I’m not cleaning up after you this time.”With that, he strode toward the door, the tension he left behind pressing against her chest like a weight she couldn’t push off.When it clicked shut behind him, Lila’s hands trembled so badly she nearly dropped her phone.She had no plan. No one to call. And now, not even Leonard to lean on.The door had barely clicked shut before the

After breakfast, the table was cleared with easy chatter.Julian had offered to help with the dishes, but Lydia waved him off with a look that brooked no argument.“You two,” she said, nodding toward Elara and Julian, “take Mira out. It’s a good day for some fresh air.”Julian glanced at Elara, almost as if seeking her approval. “Playgrounds, huh? Haven’t been to one of those in about… twenty five years.”“Then you’re overdue,” Elara replied, unable to stop the small quirk of her lips.Mira lit up at the suggestion. “Can we? Can we go now?”Lydia chuckled, standing to stretch. “Of course, sweetheart. I’ll help you get ready.”Elara followed them to Mira’s room, leaning against the doorway as Lydia rummaged through the wardrobe. “We’ll need something comfortable. And warm enough, it’s breezy today.”Mira twirled in place, her hair flying around her face. “I want to wear my yellow dress! The one with the pockets!”Lydia pulled it out with a knowing smile. “And we’ll put leggings underne