Lola Young, the notorious rebellious daughter of Lawrence Young and the late Loren Young, Lawrence’s first wife. No one knew much about her childhood, but everyone knew this: Lawrence had an affair during his marriage and fathered another daughter with his mistress, Jasmine.
So, when Loren succumbed to leukemia, Lawrence didn’t hesitate to bring his mistress and their daughter into the house.
That was when everything began.
From what people knew, Lola had changed since then. She’d become rebellious. Her grades plummeted, she started hanging out with the wrong crowd, and when Lawrence sent her to a prestigious university, rumors claimed she got pregnant.
There were countless stories about her, and most weren’t kind. Some said she was more like a witch than a woman, bullying her stepsister out of petty spite. That she blamed Melissa for her mother’s death, and that’s why she often sabotaged her. Others claimed it was jealousy—after all, Melissa was smart, gentle, and beautiful.
Lola, on the other hand, was the ugly duckling of the Young Family—the failure, the witch, the fatty.
But now, as everyone stared at the person standing at the entrance, they could agree on one thing:
Lola wasn’t fat anymore. But she did, indeed, look scarier than a cursed witch.
Lola smiled, her lipstick exaggerated and smeared past the edges of her lips, ridiculously full—almost clown-like. Her eyelids were painted in mismatched black and blue, her eyelashes thick and fanned out like handheld fans. Her eyeliner was drawn as thick as a belt, and her spiky, unruly hair was dyed in a riot of colors like she’d tried to rainbow-fy her scalp. Her clothes were a chaotic mix of painfully bright and painfully dark tones, like it was meant to assault the eyes.
And yet, the most blinding thing couldn’t hide the large pimples dotting her face.
Everyone stared at her in pure horror. Some swore they could smell her from where they sat. Derek nearly choked at the sight, while Melissa—secretly—heaved a sigh of relief.
I heard she lost weight... that she started taking care of herself, Melissa thought, smiling a little more confidently. When I tried to visit her last month, I heard the whispers. They were wrong.
That’s right.
How could Lola become pretty? Her skin had always been terrible and sensitive, breaking out constantly during her teen years. Maybe she lost weight, but the effects of all the things Melissa had once slipped into her skincare products? Permanent.
Pleased, Melissa glanced at her father, visibly upset by the sight of his daughter. The rest of the guests were frowning too. That made her even more satisfied.
Damn! What the—how could I marry something like that?!
Derek clenched his teeth and looked away, disgusted. Calling off the engagement and choosing Melissa had clearly been the right choice. Lola was just... an embarrassment.
But there was one person in the room who didn’t care one bit about her appearance.
Chairman Lancaster.
His eyes lit up with joy. His face brightened at the sight of Lola.
"Lola!" the Chairman called out gleefully. Lola smiled. He waved enthusiastically and said, "Come here!"
Ignoring the stares, Lola strode toward him. She gave a polite bow, and when she straightened her back, her eyes shimmered with affection.
"Come sit beside me," the Chairman said with a sharp glance at Lawrence.
Lawrence flinched, clearing his throat and turning to the maid. "Prepare another seat for Lola," he said, the words almost faltering from embarrassment.
How could Lola show up with such ridiculous makeup!?
A servant quickly placed a seat next to the Chairman. Lola sat obediently. Chairman Lancaster cradled her hand affectionately, studying her face with warmth, completely unbothered by the "horrors" painted across it.
"Oh, Lola," he mused, "so it’s true—you’re really back, hmm?"
Lola pressed her lips into a thin line and smiled. "Grandpa, how have you been?"
"I’m fine—still strong as a cow!" he laughed, while Lola watched him fondly. Not even her exaggerated fake lashes could hide the warmth in her eyes.
Melissa’s breath hitched. Someone else?
Why—why are you looking at me like that? Don’t look at me like that. It’s disturbing!
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