Pretended Ugly, Married the Heiress

To cancel the arranged marriage, I begged my mother to replace my photo with one covered in acne scars.

All because Angel Williams, the heiress of a wealthy family, was an extreme looks-obsessed person. Anyone ugly who came within three meters of her would be thrown out by her bodyguards.

I hid my handsome, refined face and pretended to be ugly every day, until Diana appeared.

On the day she proposed to me, she held my hand and promised:

"Julian, I don't care about your appearance. No matter what you look like, I will always love you."

I believed her. Despite my mother's objections, I insisted on getting engaged to her.

But on our wedding day, during the ring exchange, she looked lovingly at her first love's plastic surgery face, shook off my hand, and fled the wedding on the spot.

The guests erupted in an uproar, casting sympathetic glances my way. But I just smiled.

So it was this simple to see a woman's true colors.

Perfect. Now I could become the Williams family heir with peace of mind.

The wedding march came to an abrupt halt.

The undisguised mockery and contempt from the guests nearly swallowed me whole.

"How humiliating! He can't even keep his own woman!"

"I told you so. How could Diana, the heir to the Peters family, actually marry such an ugly freak!"

"I bet Miss Diana regretted it. I mean, with that face, you'd have nightmares just looking at it at night!"

My knuckles turned white as I gripped the bouquet. In my line of sight, Diana was staring intently at her phone screen.

On it was a shocking crimson photo of slashed wrists.

She looked up, her face full of anxiety, her eyes showing a hint of guilt and pleading as she looked at me.

"Julian, Manuel slit his wrists. He's in the hospital being resuscitated right now!"

"I have to go. Wait for me to come back, and I'll definitely give you an explanation!"

I looked at her coldly, my voice not loud, yet it carried clearly throughout the silent chapel.

"Diana, if you walk out that door today, we're completely finished."

The moment my words fell, Diana's footsteps suddenly froze.

She turned around, her face full of struggle.

"Julian..."

But the next second, from her bridesmaids behind her, one of her childhood friends loudly chimed in:

"Diana, just go! Julian loves you so much, he's not going anywhere, right?"

"Besides, with Julian looking like that, who would dare to steal him away!"

Sharp laughter instantly filled the entire banquet hall.

I ignored those voices, just quietly watched Diana, and said word by word:

"If you dare to leave today, I dare to marry someone else."

She froze for a moment, then a smile I'd never seen before appeared at the corners of her mouth.

"Julian, stop making a fuss. Besides me, who else would want you?"

"Wait for me to come back, I'll definitely make it up to you!"

With that, she turned around without hesitation and rushed out of the wedding hall resolutely.

The moment the door closed, what surfaced in my mind was three years ago, the day I first met Diana.

I was being surrounded and humiliated for being ugly, and she descended like a god, draping her coat over me.

She gently wiped the dirt from my face with a handkerchief, her voice as tender as spring water:

"Don't listen to them. You're good-looking."

Back then, her eyes were clean and sincere.

But now...

A mocking smile curved at my lips.

She was certain I was ugly, certain I couldn't leave her, so she dared to trample my dignity so brazenly.

Under all those sympathetic yet contemptuous gazes, I calmly pulled off my tie and threw it on the ground.

I turned around and walked toward the dressing room without looking back.

Sitting in front of the vanity mirror, I picked up a wet wipe and slowly wiped my cheeks.

The dense acne marks were wiped away, revealing a handsome, striking face.

The door opened, and my mother walked in. Looking at me, she sighed heavily.

"Julian, the Williams family sent someone. They're asking about the arranged marriage again..."

Before she could finish, my phone vibrated with a buzz.

It was a message from Diana on SnapChat:

[Julian, Manuel's been resuscitated. He's very scared. I need to stay with him tonight. Let's postpone the wedding, okay?]

Immediately after, there was a new notification on Insit was Manuel's post.

A photo of Diana peeling an apple for him at his bedside, her profile gentle and focused.

The caption read: [As long as you abandon everything for me, that's enough.]

A mocking arc formed at the corner of my mouth. Just as I was about to block and delete both of them, Diana's call came through.

"Julian, issue a statement saying you suddenly fell ill, that's why we canceled the wedding."

"Manuel can't handle stress... and besides, you don't like seeing people anyway."

Don't like seeing people?

Ha! Just because I'm ugly, my emotions don't matter to her?

I couldn't be bothered to deal with Diana anymore and hung up directly.

Then, facing the mirror, I used makeup remover to wipe away the makeup on my face bit by bit.

A stunningly handsome face appeared in the mirror, striking enough to shock anyone.

My mother looked at my restored face, her expression complicated as she sighed:

"Child, if it was going to be like this, why did you pretend to be ugly in the first place?"

My eyes swept across my reflection in the mirror.

The person in the mirror had eyes like cold stars, a high nose bridge, and sharp features, looking exactly like my father in his youth.

Father married my mother through an arranged marriage, abandoning his first love.

Before he died, he clutched my hand and said:

"Julian, you must marry someone you truly love in the future. Only then will you be happy."

That's why when I learned I was to have an arranged marriage with that pampered princess from the Williams family, I deliberately made myself ugly.

I didn't want an arranged marriage. I didn't want to become someone like my father.

But Diana used three years of tenderness to trick me into giving her my heart.

In the end, she was just like everyone else.

Since sincerity was worthless, I might as well trade it for tremendous wealth.

I turned my head and looked at my mother, who was shocked speechless, my thin lips parting slightly.

"Mom, tell the Williams familythis marriage, I accept."

As soon as news of my acceptance of the arranged marriage reached the Williams family, the family's matriarch Jennifer insisted on meeting me in person.

That evening, at the Williams family villa.

Jennifer's gaze fell on my face, with unconcealed amazement.

In the past, I would have felt uncomfortable with such a gaze and would even instinctively lower my head.

But now, I simply straightened my back, met her gaze, and wore a perfectly appropriate smile at the corners of my lips.

Jennifer nodded repeatedly, praising me endlessly:

"Angel is so fortunate. This Julian from the Franklin familyhis looks, his bearing, even better looking than the male models in magazines!"

Her eyes full of affection, she gave me a ring.

"This is the Williams family's heirloom sapphire ring. From now on, you'll be the Williams family heir!"

After settling the arranged marriage, as I was leaving, Jennifer suddenly lowered her voice:

"Julian, you should continue pretending to be ugly before the wedding. That way you can give everyone a surprise."

I touched the ring on my hand and thought of the rumored looks-obsessed capital city heiress.

Angel, the Williams family's only heir.

A few years ago, to avoid her running away from marriage, I pretended to be ugly and met Diana.

She and I had never met, but to avoid any complications, I still followed Jennifer's advice.

The next morning, I was packing my luggage, preparing to move out of this wedding house I had personally decorated over three years.

The door lock suddenly turned. Diana came in carrying seafood sandwiches, her face wearing an ingratiating smile:

"Julian, still mad? Look what I bought you?"

I looked at the sandwich in her hand, a mocking smile forming at the corner of my mouth.

On the day we started dating, I had already told Diana I was allergic to seafood.

The next second, I expressionlessly picked up the sandwich from the table and threw it in the trash.

Diana froze:

"Julian, I waited in line for an hour to buy this. How could you..."

Suddenly, seeing my direct stare, she slapped her forehead in chagrin:

"I'm sorry, Julian. I forgot you're allergic to seafood."

"No need to apologize, since we won't have any relationship in the future anyway."

I directly threw all her personal belongings that I'd packed overnight, along with the ring we hadn't exchanged, at her feet.

I watched as Diana's face turned pale inch by inch.

Watched as she crouched down, picked up the ring, her fingertips trembling slightly.

"Julian, don't be like this... I know I was wrong. We can have the wedding again..."

Before she could finish, I impatiently interrupted her:

"No need! Now, take your things and get out of my house. From today on, our engagement is dissolved!"

She stared at me intently, her eyes actually reddening: "Julian, why?"

I looked at her reddened eyes and suddenly found it somewhat amusing.

"Why? Because I'm marrying another woman, of course. My fiance doesn't want to see me entangled with another man anymore!"

Diana's pupils contracted sharply, shock and panic surging in her eyes.

"Who? Julian, are you doing this because of what my friends said yesterday? Are you trying to spite me?"

A trace of mocking smile spread from my eyes. I looked at her calmly:

"What's there to be spiteful about? Diana, you think too highly of yourself!"

After a long ten seconds, Diana looked at my expression and finally said through gritted teeth:

"Fine. If you really want to marry someone else, then tell me who you're marrying!"

"I don't believe that besides me, there's anyone else..."

She didn't finish, just looked at me.

I was about to say Angel's name when a timid cough suddenly came from outside the door.

Manuel stood at the doorway, his face pale, looking pitiful.

He walked in, his gaze greedily surveying this luxurious penthouse duplex.

Finally, it landed on the suit hanging on the wallone I'd spent a year sewing by hand, stitch by stitch.

"Diana, this house is so beautiful. I really like that suit too."

"Too bad I'll never have the chance to wear such a handsome suit in my lifetime..."

I looked at the undisguised triumph and provocation in Manuel's eyes, the smile at the corner of my mouth deepening.

Sure enough, the next second, Diana immediately hugged him protectively and turned to look at me, her eyes full of pleading.

"Julian..."

Looking at her face, I couldn't help but laugh lightly:

"Diana, you don't want me to let him live in this house and give him this suit, do you?"

Diana opened her mouth, about to speak, but her pupils suddenly contracted sharply.

Because the next second, I had already grabbed the scissors from the table

and viciously cut that suit in half!

As the suit fragments floated lightly to the ground, I said word by word:

"My thingsI'd rather destroy them than let trash touch them!"

Manuel screamed and hid behind Diana.

"Psycho! Diana! He's crazy!"

Diana looked at the cut-up suit on the ground, then at me, her eyes full of disbelief.

"Julian! It's just a suit!"

"Even if you didn't want to give it away, you didn't have to destroy it. What will you wear at the wedding?"

The smile at my lips deepened:

"That's none of your concern. The Williams family will naturally prepare a new one for me."

Diana's whole body shook.

"The Williams family? You don't mean the heiress Angel, do you?"

Shock flashed in her eyes, then she sneered with disdain:

"Julian, everyone knows Angel hates the most..."

She looked at me strangely and didn't continue, but I knew what she was going to say.

In the past, I hid my appearance to find a sincere heart untainted by superficiality.

Thinking of this, I was too lazy to continue entangling with Diana.

I directly took out makeup remover wipes, about to wipe off the disguise on my face to make this woman, whose eyes were full of disbelief, shut up and leave.

But the next second, seeing me silent, Diana reached out her hand, about to grab me.

"Enough, what are you doing with that? No matter how much you wipe, your face can't change into..."

Before she could finish, my phone suddenly rang.

The Williams family's old butler's respectful voice rang out in the quiet room, each word clear:

"Mr. Julian, Lady Jennifer has instructed that the wedding date is set for three days from now."

Dead silence in the room.

The color drained completely from Diana's face.

"Impossible! How could the Williams family..."

She reflexively objected, the panic in her eyes nearly overflowing.

"Diana, he must be lying to you!"

"How could the Williams family possibly... He's just mad you ran away from the wedding. He's deliberately getting someone to put on an act to scare you!"

Manuel insisted I was lying. Diana's gaze lingered on my face for a moment.

The wavering in her eyes immediately disappeared.

"Julian, stop it. I know you're mad I left you for Manuel, but you can't joke about your lifelong happiness."

"Angel..."

She swept her gaze across my disguised face and said through gritted teeth: "She's an extreme looks-obsessed person. How could she possibly marry you? As long as you apologize to me now and say this is all fake, I can..."

"Can what?"

I interrupted her, my voice calm and unwavering:

"Continue keeping me as a backup, and when you're tired of your first love, you'll come back to me?"

"Diana, do you think I, Julian, am that cheap, that unable to leave you?"

She was left speechless by my question, her face turning green then white.

Seeing this, Manuel immediately leaned over weakly, his voice carrying a sob:

"Diana, let's just go. Don't make Julian angrier here."

"Julian is obviously confused with anger. When he thinks it through, he'll naturally know who really treats him well."

As he spoke, he didn't forget to shoot me a provocative look.

With Manuel's persuasion, Diana seemed to find a way out.

She took a deep breath and looked at me:

"Julian, I'll give you time to calm down. When you've thought it through, call me anytime."

With that, she helped Manuel and left without looking back.

Ironically, the doorbell rang right after she left.

The Williams family butler, along with two assistants, respectfully delivered a huge gift box.

When the lid opened, inside was a suit custom-made by a top international designer.

Diamonds adorned it, shimmering brilliantly.

Over the next two days, Manuel kept sending me intimate photos of himself with Diana.

The backgrounds ranged from hospital rooms to high-end restaurants to the passenger seat of Diana's sports car.

In every photo, Diana looked at him tenderly.

I read them all without replying and blocked them directly.

Until the night before the wedding, I received a message from Diana's best friend:

[Julian, Diana is just being stubborn. The person she loves most in her heart is still you.]

[Come to SKY Hotel tomorrow. She'll definitely propose to you on the spot and give you a makeup wedding!]

I looked at the screen, sneered, and tapped lightly.

[Sure, I'll definitely be there!]

How could I not go?

My engagement ceremony with Angel was also at SKY Hotel.

As if the provocation wasn't enough, Manuel soon sent me a video.

In the video, Diana's friends laughed mockingly, loudly jeering.

"Diana, your fianc is so ungrateful. Looking so ugly but daring to throw a tantrum at you?"

"Exactly! He's not even half as handsome and considerate as Manuel!"

The camera shook and finally focused on Diana's face.

She held a wine glass, her face showing some drunkenness, smiling contemptuously:

"Before, I indulged him because he was obedient. Now that he's not obedient, he needs to be taught a lesson."

"Well said! Diana really knows how to manage her husband!"

Everyone laughed loudly, egging Diana and Manuel on to drink a toast.

I didn't continue watching. I just calmly blocked Manuel's contact.

The next day, in the VIP dressing room on the top floor of SKY Hotel, I sat by the floor-to-ceiling window.

The makeup artist used makeup remover to wipe away the spots and dullness on my face bit by bit.

When the last bit of disguise faded, a stunningly handsome, refined face appeared in the mirror.

I changed into the haute couture suit the Williams family had sent, inlaid with 999 small diamonds.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of SKY Hotel.

Diana had arranged the proposal scene like a dream, with roses covering the entire hall.

Although it was under the guise of proposing to Manuel, she kept looking toward the entrance, her eyes showing undisguised anxiety.

Manuel held her arm, saying sweetly:

"Diana, don't worry. He'll definitely come!"

But after a full hour, I still hadn't appeared.

The anticipation in Diana's eyes gradually turned to irritation.

Just as she was about to lose her temper, the hotel manager suddenly ran in, sweating profusely.

"Miss Diana! Please wrap this up quickly!"

"Today the top floor is hosting the heiress of the Williams family's wedding of the century. All the big shots from the capital are here. If we disturb the distinguished guests, we're all dead!"

Manuel froze for a moment, then took Diana's arm and said quietly:

"Should we go up and see? Just in case it really is like Julian said, we should go congratulate Julian, right?"

Diana snorted coldly:

"How is that possible? Let's go up and see!"

She led Manuel and a group of friends to the top floor banquet hall.

As she walked, she took out her phone, clicked on my profile picture, and sent a voice message:

"Stop this, Julian. The Williams family princess is having her engagement party today. I already know you were lying."

"Get to me within ten minutes, and I'll pretend all your nonsense before never happened."

Just as her voice message was successfully sent.

The priceless rosewood door in front of her slowly pushed open to both sides.

Thousands of spotlights suddenly shone down. I walked out in that brilliant suit, step by step, in full view of everyone.

That devastatingly handsome face was completely exposed to everyone's sight without reservation.

Outside the door, Diana was instantly thunderstruck.

She stared fixedly at that face of mine, then at my all-too-familiar figure.

Her brain completely crashed, and she murmured in disbelief:

"Ju... Julian? Impossible... This is absolutely impossible!"

She wanted to rush over like a madwoman.

But before she could get within three meters of me, several bodyguards in black instantly pressed her firmly to the ground.

A crisp, proud, and extremely oppressive female voice rang out from behind me:

"What trash dares to block my husband's way?"