Mom, I’m Pretty Now, Will You Love Me"

My parents separated, and my mother developed a nearly obsessive fervor for cosmetic surgery. She would constantly tell my sister and me that a woman's most important asset was never knowledge from books, but a beautiful face.

Unfortunately, this asset seemed to belong only to my sister, Clara; she was born with delicate features. As for me, the dark birthmark on my right cheek became an eternal source of pain. Because of her outstanding appearance, Clara became a well-known child model, praised wherever she went. I, however, was deprived of the right to go to school by my mother, who claimed my "appearance was disgraceful," and was forced to live in a dark, damp basement.

"It's already a bargain for you to be Clara's nanny. Uglies should stay where they can't be seen," my mother's words pierced my heart like needles. Merely because of a physical flaw, my life plunged completely into a sunless abyss.

On my eighteenth birthday, clutching years of saved spare change, I walked into an unmarked private clinic. "All my money is here. Please help me fix my face, make me look like a normal person," I mumbled, my voice trembling with a tremor I didn't even notice myself.

Before leaving, I counted again the money Id saved over the years by collecting bottles. No more, no less, exactly five thousand dollars. For someone with no allowance, this was a huge sum. But Mom always said that to be beautiful, no amount of money was too much. Every time she slapped me because of my birthmark, she would cry and scold me:

"It's all because you're so ugly that your father divorced me! That he abandoned us!"

So, if I became beautiful, Mom would be happy, right? I clutched the money in my pocket, walking towards that cosmetic clinic with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Mom had taken Clara out for a photoshoot today, which was how I managed to sneak out. After all, Mom usually didn't let me leave the house. She said I was too ugly, and I would scare people. So, I could only go out at night to collect bottles, never daring to let anyone see my face.

It took me so long to save these five thousand dollars. But I didn't regret it. If it could make Mom love me, I'd do anything.

The streets were dark at night. I walked, hiding and sneaking, for a long time before reaching that small clinic. The light on the sign was flickering, spelling out "Everglowing Aesthetics." I pushed open the creaking door without hesitation and stepped inside.

A man in a white lab coat was sitting at the counter, playing on his phone. Hearing the noise, he looked up at me:

"What procedure are you here for?"

I nodded, handing him the money, already damp with sweat:

"I want to get rid of the birthmark on my face, and I want to become beautiful. Is this enough money?"

The man counted the stack of bills, a smile I couldn't quite decipher on his face:

"It's enough."

He led me into a dimly lit operating room. The operating table was a bit dirty. I hesitated, then lay down, swallowing hard:

"Will one surgery be enough to make me beautiful?"

The man casually replied:

"Of course. Just lie still; it'll be quick."

My heart lightened, and a smile touched my lips. Mom had so many cosmetic surgeries, yet she always said she wasn't beautiful enough. I was worried that if I also needed so many surgeries, how long would I have to save money? Good, good, five thousand dollars to become beautifulthis clinic is truly ethical! I obediently placed my hands on my chest:

"That's wonderful! Thank you, Doctor!"

The man let out a laugh, a hint of mockery in his tone. Then, something pierced my arm. It hurt a lot. But Mom always said, how can becoming beautiful not hurt? To be beautiful, any amount of pain is worth it! The glaring light above me blurred, and I gradually lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, I felt incredibly light. The operating room was empty. I ran to the restroom alone, staring blankly at myself in the mirror. I was truly beautiful! The doctor hadn't lied to me. I was no longer that ugly duckling. In the mirror, the birthmark that had made me an outcast for eighteen years was gone. Although my face was a bit pale, I was overjoyed. I immediately turned and ran out of the clinic, wanting to tell Mom the good news as soon as possible.

For some reason, the walk home felt much easier than the walk there. I quickly reached our doorstep. Lights were on inside, and Mom's voice drifted out:

"Where did that brat run off to now? Didn't even prepare dinner!"

"Didn't even clean Clara's room like I told her to. Lazy, good-for-nothing parasite!"

My steps faltered. But then I relaxed. If Mom knew I was beautiful, she definitely wouldn't be angry anymore!

Clara and I had dropped out of school a long time ago because Mom said studying was useless. "I graduated from a top university, but your father still looked down on me!" "That pretty spa worker just waved her hand, and he abandoned us three women!" "Only your face is important! If I were prettier, how could that hussy have stolen my husband?"

Every time she brought this up, Mom would go crazy, smashing things. Shed grab whatever was nearby and throw it at my face, cursing as she did: "It's all your fault! Who told you to be so ugly!"

Now I was beautiful. Would Mom treat me like she treated Clara? I mustered my courage and stepped into the house, softly calling out:

"Mom!"

But Mom didn't seem to hear, still shouting into the room: "Penelope Miller! Get out here!"

I felt a little lost: "Mom, I'm home Look! I'm beautiful now!"

Mom kicked over the trash can: "That brat, daring to sneak out in the middle of the night! I'll break her legs!"

I quickly ran to her side, shouting louder: "Mom, my birthmark is gone! I'm beautiful now, will you please look at me?"

She still ignored me. Clara, on the sofa, spoke softly:

"Forget it, sis probably snuck out to collect bottles again."

"Mom, I'm tired and want to rest."

As soon as Clara spoke, Mom immediately put on a smiling face: "Alright, alright, sweetie, let's go to bed! You have a photoshoot tomorrow. Come on, put on a face mask before you sleep!"

A moment later, the living room was empty. Only I stood there, bewildered. It was like this again ignoring me again! Before, because I was ugly, Mom couldn't even be bothered to answer me. She often said:

"Who told you to be ugly? If you were a great beauty, you'd easily attract attention no matter what you did."

"If you were as beautiful as your sister, how could anyone treat you like air?"

But why, even now that I was beautiful, were they still ignoring me? I looked at the mirror on the table, which reflected my clean, beautiful face. I sat alone on the sofa, thinking for a very long time. Finally, I understood.

Perhaps because I was beautiful, they didn't recognize me! As long as I told them tomorrow that I was Penelope, they wouldn't treat me like air anymore, right? I could also go out during the day like Clara, and go to work to earn money, right?

My mom used to not be like this. She would go out to work, she smiled a lot, and she loved to hold me and tell me I was her most precious baby. Back then, the birthmark on my face wasn't an unforgivable flaw. I was only five when my dad cheated. Before I was five, I was as happy as any ordinary child. But from the day Dad left, everything changed.

After Mom gave birth to Clara, she became obsessed with plastic surgery. High cranial vault, elf ears, an A4 waist one procedure after another. Mom poured all her savings into it, but couldn't even afford formula for Clara. I could only cook rice porridge to feed Clara.

I watched Mom become prettier each day, but also more frantic. "Why? Why won't he come back?!" "I'm already so beautiful! Why can't I compare to that mistress?"

It wasn't until Clara grew older, her features gradually developing. One day, Mom suddenly stared at Clara's face for a long, long time. Then, she smiled: "Why didn't I notice before, our Clara is so beautiful? Penelope, don't you think?" I timidly nodded.

As soon as Clara could walk, Mom took her out to be a child model. They were famous online as the "Beauty Mother-Daughter Duo," while I was the blemish Mom desperately tried to hide. Mom's gaze gradually stopped falling on me, but I didn't care. As long as Mom was happy, I didn't mind anything.

But that day, an accident happened. Mom's plastic surgery failed. Her face became distorted, her cheeks sunken, her mouth crooked, and her eyes askew. That day, she slapped Clara and me many times, our faces red and swollen. I clutched her clothes, pleading:

"Mom, don't hit her anymore! You can hit me, but don't hit Clara!"

"Clara is the prettiest! Don't you love her the most?!"

Looking at Clara's face, Mom froze and stopped hitting. After that day, Mom quit her job and focused entirely on taking Clara to various photoshoots. Clara's schedule was packed every day; sometimes she had two or three shoots in a single day. I was left at home, caring for their daily needs like a servant.

Mom still often lost control. But when she lost her temper, she no longer hit Clara, only slapped me again and again. The most terrifying time, she came at me with scissors. She said with a smile: "Cut this ugly thing off, and everything will be better!" Clara rushed over and hugged her leg, allowing me to escape.

Every time I was hit, Clara would put medicine on my wounds. She would also look into my eyes and say: "Sister, don't listen to Mom. Appearance isn't the most important thing." I didn't believe her. But she was so kind to me that I didn't argue. I just thought, I can only say those words when I'm as beautiful as you.

I sat alone on the sofa until dawn. It was strange; I wasn't sleepy at all. Mom came out of the room, not even glancing at me on the sofa, just muttering: "She really didn't come back" Clara walked out, rubbing her eyes, and I noticed they were a little swollen. After glancing at the living room, she worriedly tugged at Mom's clothes:

"Mom, sis"

Mom immediately frowned: "Don't even mention that jinx! I'll deal with her when she gets back!"

"You hurry up and get ready! We'll be late!"

They left the house, and I quickly followed. All the way, I tried to tell Mom and Clara. I was Penelope Miller, a beautiful Penelope Miller! I was no longer that ugly girl; I wouldn't be an embarrassment to the family anymore! But they didn't even look at me. Mom kept urgently rushing Clara:

"Clara, hurry up! This ad is very important today!"

But Clara suddenly stopped: "Mom, can we not shoot today? I'm so tired."

Mom froze. Then, a heavy slap landed on Clara's face: "What did you say?!" Clara staggered from the blow and fell to the ground. I rushed forward, trying to stop Mom: "Mom! Don't hit Clara! Hit me instead!"

But Mom ignored me, slapping Clara again: "I feed you, clothe you, give you the best skincare products, and this is how you repay me?" "You won't even shoot an ad? Are you going to fly away like your sister next?"

Clara covered her face, tears streaming down: "But I'm really so tired I've been shooting for seven consecutive days" Mom's voice was sharp and piercing: "Tired? What's tired? Do you know how many people want to shoot but can't? Do you know how much money you make in a day?"

Clara suddenly looked up at her: "Mom, do you even love me?"

Mom's raised hand paused.

"Do you love me, or do you love this face of mine?"

Mom's distorted face grew even more grotesque: "How dare you say such a thing?!" Clara sneered, continuing: "You don't love us at all! You only love beauty. You want to be beautiful, and you want me to be beautiful."

"Sister is also your daughter, but you treated her that way just because she had a birthmark on her face!"

"You don't love anyone at all! You're a monster!"

"Shut up!"

Mom covered her face in distress, screaming loudly. Clara sat on the ground, crying: "Mom, sis didn't come back last night. Did you look for her? Were you worried about her?"

Mom shrieked in rebuttal: "Of course I was worried about her! She's also a part of me, how could I"

Just then, the large screen by the roadside suddenly switched images.

"Breaking news update."

"Last night, police raided an unlicensed cosmetic black clinic, rescuing dozens of women who had undergone failed plastic surgeries."

"One fatality was found at the scene, due to respiratory arrest caused by anesthetic overdose."

"The deceased has been identified as a woman named Miller, aged eighteen"