The Ugly Half Sister
“Oh my god! The prince sent an invitation for the upcoming royal ball!” Eleanor exclaimed, her voice trembling with excitement as she waved the golden-sealed letter in her hand.
“The royal ball!?” Anna and Cindy squealed, nearly toppling over their chair in delight.
“Shh! We don’t want Ella to hear about this,” Eleanor hissed, glancing nervously over her shoulder.
And there she was, Ella, standing by the doorway with her eyes gleaming, ready to pounce on anyone in sight.
“Did someone say balls?” Ella grinned widely, her smile wide enough to make her mother and sister flinch.
“No, no—it’s a royal ball, a ball. It’s where people… dance,” Eleanor stammered, her voice faltering.
“Well, then,” Ella said, her grin stretching further, “there’s going to be a lot of balls there.”
And with that, Ella darted to her room, already rummaging through her drawers.
Ella wasn’t just dreaming of going to the royal ball— she dreams of every ball.
In a kingdom obsessed with beauty and perfection, Ella, long ridiculed as the “ugly half-sister,” has spent her life in the shadows of her graceful and adored sisters.
However, Ella never allowed mockery to pierce her strange, unbothered world. She focused on the hobby that kept growing—collecting balls and other round-shaped items.
When the royal family announced the grand ball to find a bride for their prince, Eleanor’s heart sank. She feared Ella’s oddities might bring embarrassment to their family.
Desperate to uphold their name, Eleanor resolved to turn her awkward daughter into a refined young lady, no matter how severe the training.
“Posture, Ella! You’re not a hunchbacked scarecrow!”
“Smile softly, not like you’re about to eat someone!”
But despite Eleanor’s strict lessons, Ella’s wild grin never faded. It only sharpened.
When the night of the royal ball finally arrived, the palace glimmered under crystal chandeliers. The prince stood poised, the very image of perfection, until the grand doors opened.
Ella entered, her gown shimmering with hundreds of tiny glass spheres sewn into the fabric, catching every flicker of light. The room fell silent as a faint, musical clinking echoed with each step she took.
The prince turned, his flawless gaze locking with hers.
Ella smiled, leaning close enough for only him to hear. “I’ve always loved balls,” she whispered.
The prince’s lips parted slightly, his polished smile faltering as if he wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at. Ella tilted her head, her grin fierce and unrestrained.
Then, the grand doors opened again.
Gasps rippled through the crowd like a wave breaking on marble.
With that, a mysterious woman in a simpler dress entered.