The Ugly Wife’s Stunning Comeback (Felicia and Max) novel Chapter 1

Felicia was twenty-five weeks pregnant when she caught her husband cheating at the hospital. Max, tall and striking in his black coat, was shielding a gorgeous, delicate girl in his arms. The girl was wrapped in a white fur coat, with rosy cheeks and a tiny face tucked into a soft wool scarf, her features perfect like a porcelain doll.

Felicia gripped her prenatal test results so tightly her knuckles turned white. The icy wind stung her cheeks, but it was nothing compared to the ache twisting inside her chest.

Max spotted her from across the parking lot. His face was unreadable, without even a flicker of guilt. In fact, he gently held the car door for the girl, his movements so caring it almost didn’t seem real. The cold, untouchable Max could actually be soft and attentive—just not with her.

The girl seemed to notice Felicia staring. She paused, shot Felicia a puzzled look, then turned to Max. “Why is that old lady watching you, Max? Do you know her?”

Felicia couldn’t hear the words, but she recognized the way the girl’s lips formed “old lady.” The sting of it made Felicia want to laugh. She was only twenty-four, but with her rounder frame, tired face, baggy black coat, and wool hat, plus the awkward heaviness of late pregnancy, she probably did look like someone at least a decade older than this dazzling, fresh-faced girl.

Max didn’t even glance her way as he helped the girl into the car. Felicia stood there, frozen, watching them drive off. Her whole body felt numb. Their marriage had never been a fairytale. It was a shotgun wedding, a deal made because she was pregnant. For Max, the golden boy who had everything, their marriage was just a stain. The baby in her belly was proof of the trap she’d set for him. He hated her for it.

But she had been in love with him in secret for eight years. She knew she’d never be good enough. All she could do was work hard, chase after his footsteps, and try to make herself better. Eventually, she’d become his assistant, and for a while, that had been enough—just being near him.

That night, though, had ruined everything. It didn’t just break Max—it destroyed her pride, her dignity, everything she had left when she stood in front of him. She’d never forget the way he looked at her afterward, like she was something filthy he couldn’t get off his skin.

A tear slipped down Felicia’s cheek, hot against the cold wind. A sharp pain shot through her belly, making her gasp. She grabbed her stomach and leaned against a stone pillar, struggling to catch her breath. A nurse noticed and hurried over, guiding her into a consultation room.

The maid muttered under her breath, “She waddles around like a monster. So embarrassing.”

Back in her room, Felicia sat down on the bed and stared at nothing. She felt empty, lost. Neither Max nor his family had ever really accepted her. Miranda had been the one to push for the marriage, but only because Max’s grandfather Brysen was seriously ill and Felicia showed up pregnant at just the right time. Miranda thought a wedding and a baby might cheer Brysen up and help him recover.

Maybe it was just a coincidence, but Brysen did start to get better. After that, Miranda’s attitude softened a little. Still, the rest of the Hawthornes looked down on Felicia, never missing a chance to remind her she didn’t belong.

Her checkup today had been to confirm the baby’s gender. It was a girl.