what is the story of the ugly duckling

A sudden car accident transforms Marcel Randall, the top billionaire of the Oplacor nation, into a vegetative patient. His girlfriend Lauryn Logan, unaware of his true identity, remains unwaveringly committed. Enduring contempt and mockery, she works desperately to earn money, with her sole aim being to keep Marcel alive. After six years, Marcel awakens and witnesses the woman who struggled relentlessly in dire circumstances for his survival. Overwhelmed with emotion, Marcel vows to never let anyone who has ever insulted Lauryn go unpunished, determining that all the world's honor shall ultimately belong to her.

When Evelyn was five, her mother died tragically, leaving her alone in a distant village. Many years passed, and now she finds herself back in the city, poised to marry Athoria's wealthiest man, Graham Britton, as a replacement for another. While Graham is rumored to have a cold-blooded nature and fiery temper, Evelyn is taken aback by the handsome figure he cuts as she stands before him. When Graham assumes Evelyn is playing hard to get, she swiftly proves him wrong, and when he belittles her as just a village girl, she reveals herself as a skilled practitioner of medicine, design, piano, and technology. It's only then that Graham realizes he's married a true gem.

Jack Schulz was the biological son of Jennifer Lynn, a respected surgeon. Due to a misunderstanding with his father, Jennifer resented Jack but favored her adopted son, Matthew Zane—the child of her former lover. After Matthew hit Jack with a car, Jack suffered internal bleeding and was rushed to the hospital. Doctors repeatedly called Jennifer for consent to operate, but she refused to believe the situation.Losing hope, Jack gave up on survival. Matthew found Jack's kidney donation form and secretly changed it to authorize full organ donation. Meanwhile, Jennifer was desperately seeking a heart for Matthew. Unaware of the truth, she ended up dissecting her own son and transplanting his organs into Matthew. Though the body looked familiar, she believed Matthew—until a DNA report confirmed the donor was her real son. Only then did she realize the devastating truth.

Yana Joy, born with congenital heart disease, was coerced by her parents into marrying Yale Joss on her wedding day, but Zach Hall intervened, disrupting the ceremony. It was revealed that Zach was the CEO of Hall Group. His former girlfriend, Zoey Tate, had tragically passed away in a car accident, and her heart had been transplanted into Yana's body. After Zoey's death, Zach conducted a thorough investigation to find Yana and mistook her for his late girlfriend, leading him to develop feelings for her. Yana, upon discovering that Zoey was Zach's unforgettable first love, struggled to accept that his affection for her stemmed from this misunderstanding. However, they eventually clarified the confusion between them. Yana chose to start anew with Zach, motivated by her desire to provide their child with a complete family.

Pamela Hogan and Stellan Burgess have a one-night stand, which leads to the birth of three sons and the adoption of another child. Six years later, Stellan uncovers the truth and marries Pamela to gain custody of the children. At the wedding, Maris Burgess and Elara McGregor create chaos, but Stellan steps in to protect Pamela and reveals Elara’s true identity. He then discovers that all three sons are his biological children and that Pamela is the true heiress of the McGregor family.

Regina took over her father's group, aiming to expand and restore its glory. Unexpectedly, her mother was injured, and her brother faced humiliation on the way to the hospital by a reckless luxury car owner. Enraged, Regina confronted the offenders, only to discover a connection to internal group members.

Estella Graham, who was pure and kind, was discovered not to be the biological daughter of the Graham family. All of a sudden, Estella became a fake daughter who everyone shouted for. Not only did his childhood sweetheart, fiancé Hanrick Scott, get involved with the real daughter Marina Graham, but he was also drugged by Hanrick and had a one night stand with Elijah Scott, the chief executive of the Scott family. After waking up, Estella Graham knew everything and resolutely left the Graham family to seek refuge with his best friend. What she didn't know was that Elijah could only relieve his mania on Estella, so he kept investigating her who had a one night stand with him at that time...

Three years ago, Mabel witnessed her father being killed in a car accident by Sharlene, the heiress of the Quinn family. Her mother was brutally beaten to death, leaving the family in torment. Three years later, Sharlene became engaged to the wealthy Frost family but sought true love with a punk. Seizing the opportunity, Mabel took on Sharlene's identity, marrying into the Frost family. Using her new status as the Quinn family's heiress, she planned to exact revenge and make the Quinn family pay for their blood debt.

In a quiet, peaceful town, Carmine Dunham lives a simple yet heartwarming life with her grandmother. Every inch of this place, every breath of air, is filled with their shared laughter and warm memories. However, the wheels of fate begin to turn, and unavoidable circumstances force Carmine to leave the beloved town where she grew up and start anew in an unfamiliar environment. At this critical turning point in her life, her grandmother’s advice becomes her guiding light. Following her grandmother’s wishes, Carmine quickly marries Cain Quigley, the grandson of her grandmother’s best friend. This should have been a time filled with sweetness and anticipation, but as soon as they receive their marriage certificate, Cain is called overseas for work, leaving Carmine to navigate newlywed life alone. The joy of marriage has barely bloomed in Carmine’s heart before it is overshadowed by loneliness and uncertainty. With no time to plan a future together, Carmine is left to face the ups and downs of life on her own. Without her husband’s support and companionship, she must be stronger and braver. Yet, Carmine is not defeated by her circumstances. With a glimmer of hope for the future, she strives to adapt to the sudden changes and courageously faces each challenge life throws her way. Although the road ahead is filled with uncertainty, she believes that as long as she holds on to the warmth and hope within her heart, a brighter tomorrow will eventually come.

Mandy's son and daughter-in-law, eager to make money from a bride price, pressured and threatened her—a widow for many years—into marrying Seth, a man in a vegetative state due to a car accident. With no way to refuse, Mandy went through with the marriage, feeling scared and reluctant. However, she was surprised to be warmly welcomed and treated kindly by Seth's daughter, Kira. At first, Mandy resisted the idea of staying, but over time, she grew more willing to remain by Seth's side. What she didn't realize was that Seth was slowly regaining awareness, deeply touched by her presence and care...

Sophie was treated as a blood donor for her brother since birth. Later, her brother sells her to a pervert. In a moment of crisis, she meets Reid Graham, who is allergic to women. They accidentally become intimate, resulting in Sophie becoming pregnant with triplets. The two begin a journey of mutual redemption.

Felix, betrayed by his former wife Quincy and suffering from dementia, witnessed his daughter Nancy being taken away by Quincy and her lover. After the ancestral tablet was destroyed, an ancestor manifested and restored Felix's spiritual wisdom, granting him power. In order to rescue his daughter, Felix accidentally encountered female CEO Yancey and demonstrated his abilities to save his daughter. However, to completely heal his daughter, Felix needed a Viridblood Plant. Yancey, in order to get rid of Dario's pursuit, gave Felix the herb for the condition that Felix save someone and then they created chaos at an auction. Later, Felix went alone to Yancey's ancestral ceremony, even offering three incense sticks to Yancey's ancestors, embarrassing everyone present. This, however, aroused jealousy from Dario's family, who kidnapped Felix's daughter and set up traps for Felix, all of which he managed to overcome. Eventually, Felix married Yancey, and the two lived happily ever after.

On the day of Valeria Castle's engagement, her mother, Marilyn Castle, arrives at the banquet disguised as a cleaner, only to face humiliation from the Hardy family. A wealthy woman fights her over a parking spot, her future mother-in-law enforces strict household rules, and her fiancé demands an outrageous betrothal gift. But Marilyn soon reveals her true identity. Wayne Cuddy, Aaron Shaw, and Basil Brady step in with a billion-dollar dowry, instantly turning the tide. From that moment on, she proves her strength time and again, expertly resolving the crisis at Price Corp. In the end, as foreign capital threatens their empire, she takes Valeria abroad—ready for the next battle.

Seven years ago, Haskell fatally struck someone while driving. Unbelievably, Zachariah's own fiancée Sherian, mother, and father forced him to take the blame for his brother's crime. When authorities arrived, Sherian immediately accused Zachariah, condemning him to prison despite his innocence. During his incarceration, Zachariah developed groundbreaking nuclear fusion technology, earning recognition from the scientific community and securing employment upon his release. Returning to the family that betrayed him, Zachariah discovered nothing had changed—they still harbored no love for him. After weathering countless fresh betrayals, he finally severed all ties and walked away, leaving his past behind forever.

Five years ago, Alice Turner was the eldest daughter of the Turners, but she was falsely accused and had to leave. Now, five years later, she returns with her son to the place that broke her heart to get back her daughter that has gone missing. However, her son ends up hacking into the vault belonging to Liam Gray, the CEO of Gray Corporation, breaching the firewall and leaking their IP address. Forced to flee with her son, Alice becomes the target of the CEO’s relentless pursuit…

Myra suffered from a decade of emotional torment due to her toxic family, until she met Zayden Parker. At first, she used Zayden to escape her family's grasp, but as she realized his unwavering loyalty and trust in her, she slowly began to fall for him. In time, she found healing and redemption in their bond. What started as a connection based on physical attraction evolved into something deeper—an all-consuming love rooted in mutual admiration for each other's talents and souls.

By chance, Tessa, an emergency room nurse, saved Victor, a dangerous and charming gang boss, but was strongly targeted by him. He was closing in on her, and she was running for her life—until fate tore away her last hope. Her brother was dying, and the sky-high medical bills were crushing her. Victor narrowed his cold eyes and said, "Be my woman, and I'll save him." She was forced to sign a marriage contract. She resisted his world but indulged in his protection and tenderness. When she found out that the mysterious man who saved her on the rainy night five years ago was actually him, the boundary between hate and love completely collapsed...

Alvin Kirkland and Nahla Snider had been inseparable since they were kids. Twenty years of shared memories, inside jokes, and a promise to get engaged on his 25th birthday. But when the day finally came, Alvin walked in on Nahla taking couple-y pics with Jared Whitehead, some underclassman from college. She brushed it off like it was no big deal, kept making excuses for Jared, and expected Alvin to just deal with it. Fed up with her gaslighting, he left a breakup note, packed his bags, and took that overseas job offer without looking back.