บททั้งหมดของ Ugly Duckling Becomes National Beauty: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 10

Ms. Fairchild replied almost instantaneously. "Got it. By the way, you have a lovely name!"I responded politely, "Thank you. My grandma picked it out for me." Mom and Dad had only given me the nickname "Blob", claiming a crude name would make me easier to raise. Then, like the trash my nickname implied, they had dumped me at Grandma's house right after I was born. When I was five, I was about to start elementary school. I needed a legal name for my official records—a full name with a last name, the name I'd be known by for the rest of my life. Grandma called Mom and Dad several times. Their answer was always the same. "Yeah, yeah, we're thinking about it. We're super busy auditioning for roles and going on nationwide tours. It's literally just a name. Why are you in such a hurry?"Months flew by, and before long, the first day of school was right around the corner. Afraid that I would miss enrollment and end up starting school a year later than the other children my age, Gra

Even as they watched me get compared to a piece of trash by the fiance they had chosen, Mom and Dad didn't defend me. In fact, they turned to Sylvan, flushed with shame. "When we made that arrangement before she was born, we had no idea what kind of child we were going to have. Don't worry, Sylvan. Our families go way back; of course, we'll marry off our most outstanding and beautiful daughter to you. "As for this ugly thing, we'd rather keep her at home for the rest of her life than let her ruin someone's life!"My hands balled into fists, but I kept my mouth shut, as I couldn't be bothered to defend myself. After all, I didn't want such a harsh and cruel fiance either.Sylvan, however, had no intention of letting me off the hook. He closed in on me and pressed even harder, "You're being too hard on yourselves, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling. To be honest, with the two of you as her parents, I'm sure your daughter can't be all that bad. So, I'm quite curious to see what she looks like.

Mom and Dad both wore looks of surprise and embarrassment. Mr. Montgomery, however, acted as if he didn't notice a thing. "I'm sure you know that I've been preparing this film for years. The reason I've kept putting off production is because I'm waiting for the female lead I've had my heart set on to show up."Under Vivian's teary gaze, Dad bit the bullet and asked, "Mr. Montgomery, if you don't mind me asking… which starlet do you have in mind?" Mr. Montgomery shook his head, a wistful look surfacing in his eyes. "She's not part of the entertainment industry. She's just an ordinary girl, and I don't even know where she is. However, the moment I first laid eyes on her, I knew she was my female lead. "She's the only one who can play the role!"Right after saying that, he unlocked his phone. The photo was visibly dated and pixelated, yet he had kept it as his screensaver. "Once you see her, you'll understand what I mean."Mom and Dad accepted his phone, and with just a glance,

Ms. Fairchild was thrilled for me. "Which agency do you want to sign with, Aria?" she chirped.I shook my head. "None of them. I'm not interested." Ms. Fairchild chuckled awkwardly when she heard that. "Aria, could you please go out there just this once, for my sake? The dean just called me. If you don't go, neither of us are going to be able to explain ourselves."I had no choice but to go out and deal with them in my slippers. When I showed up in my pajamas and slippers, without any makeup on, dozens of people instantly poured out of the waiting vans. "Good heavens, she's even more gorgeous in person than in the video!" "Aria, you were born for the spotlight! Choose our company, and we'll definitely make you a mega-star!" I was overwhelmed by the crowd when a familiar figure squeezed through. "I'm here on behalf of Grayson Entertainment, Aria. If you're willing to sign with us, I'll offer you the best contract and benefits we have!"Sylvan finally looked me in the eye, b

Vivian shot me a triumphant look. "Blob, who in their right mind installs surveillance cameras inside their own home? If it weren't for your sticky fingers, we never would've dreamed in a million years that we'd have a thief under our own roof!" Vivian was smugly slandering me when the housekeeper suddenly slapped her forehead. "Hold on, we do have surveillance cameras! Mrs. Sterling had us install them a short while ago because she was afraid that her eldest daughter from the countryside might try anything funny. She had us install pinhole cameras in the hallways and at the staircases. "We were told to throw her out immediately if we noticed anything suspicious."Mom had secretly had the cameras installed to keep an eye on me. Irony of ironies, they ended up clearing my name instead. Vivian blanched. "Perhaps we shouldn't check the footage, after all. My necklace has been found, and since we're family, we should spare Blob the embarrassment."I turned to the police officer.