Lahat ng Kabanata ng UGLY? No More!: Kabanata 81 - Kabanata 90

The man’s tone darkened. “You’re asking for something dangerous, Diana. You know whose name will be tied to this if it goes wrong? Julian Cross isn’t just some billionaire. He’s untouchable. Even whispers can sink reputations, and you’re talking about creating one out of thin air.”Diana’s nails tapped against the desk, sharp and impatient. “I don’t need whispers. I need proof. Birth records, travel documents, photos tying him to me over the last two years. I want it all airtight. If anyone asks, this boy came from me, from one reckless night I’ve already tied to Julian. He’s been paying for my silence, hasn’t he? So let them believe this is what he was silencing.”The man didn’t answer immediately. She could almost hear the cogs turning on his end, weighing risk against reward.Finally, he said, “It won’t be cheap. And it won’t be quick. Boys that age aren’t just plucked from thin air. Everything about this has to line up. School records, doctors, even staged photos of you with him f

The boy nodded again, his brows knitted. His real name wasn’t Milo, and the woman he was about to meet wasn’t his mother. But the fixer had been drilling these lines into him for days, rewarding him with treats when he got them right, scolding him when he slipped.“Last thing.” The fixer leaned in closer, lowering his tone. “When she asks what you want, what do you say?”The boy hesitated, then whispered, “I want to live with my father.”A thin smile curved the man’s lips. “Good boy. Remember that. It’ll make her very happy.”He straightened, checked the envelope of papers on the table one last time, forged birth certificates, fabricated school reports, a doctored passport, then handed the boy a small stuffed bear. “Here. Keep this with you on the plane. Makes it look real.”The boy hugged the toy tightly, his eyes wide as the man opened the door to where a driver was waiting.By the time night fell, he’d be on a private flight to Diana.And by the time the sun rose over Julian’s pent

The penthouse door opened with a hush of automation, lights spilling across polished marble floors.The boy’s wide eyes darted everywhere, the chandelier glittering like a thousand tiny suns, the endless walls of glass revealing the skyline below, the gleaming staircase winding upward.He hesitated at the threshold, as if afraid his shoes would dirty the floor. Diana smirked, nudging him forward with the tip of her hand.“Don’t stand there like a stray,” she said lightly, though her tone carried weight. “This is your home now.”He shuffled in, clutching the straps of his small backpack, the last remnant of his old life.She led him upstairs, heels clicking, stopping before a room prepared in pristine shades of navy and silver.The bed was already dressed in silk sheets, toys arranged neatly on the shelves, clothes folded in the drawers. A perfect boy’s room, staged, not lived in.His mouth parted. “This is… mine?”“For now,” Diana corrected, her eyes narrowing. “But soon you’ll have m

The morning sun streamed through the penthouse windows, scattering soft light across the living room. Mira’s voice carried with excitement as she packed her little bag, stuffed bunny, sketchbook, and an entire box of crayons she refused to leave behind.“Grandma Lydia says I can paint with her!” Mira announced proudly, skipping around Julian and Elara as they stood by the door. “She has a whole room just for it!”Julian crouched down, zipping her bag with an indulgent smile. “Then make sure you fill that room with your best work. We’ll come back for you later.”Elara kissed her daughter’s cheek, smoothing down the wild strands of hair that Mira always refused to tame. “Behave, okay? No climbing shelves this time.”“I won’t,” Mira promised with a mischievous grin that said otherwise.The drive to the Hayes’s estate was filled with Mira’s endless chatter. She told them about a dream where she’d been the queen of a candy kingdom, her laughter filling the car.Elara listened with a soft s

Behind him, Elara stood alone at the table, staring at the pencil lines of her newest design, but not really seeing them. The atelier around her buzzed with quiet industry, assistants moving, fabric samples being shuffled, soft conversations rising and fading.But to her, it was all a blur.Her chest ached with the kind of quiet devastation she remembered too well. The same one she’d carried years ago when Leonard had discarded her like she was nothing. Different man, different love, but the same ache.Her lips pressed together tightly as she blinked fast, forcing back the sting in her eyes.Why does it always feel like I’m the one left in the dark? Like no matter how much I give, there’s always a secret waiting to ruin it all?She placed her hand lightly against the table, grounding herself. For Mira, she reminded herself. For the life she wanted to build. But deep inside, an old, familiar voice whispered, Maybe you were never meant to be lucky with men.And as Julian’s office door