Chapter 2

I forced a small smile and stepped forward.

"Daisy."

Her footsteps halted, and she turned back to look at me. "What’s up?"

"Where’s my gift?"

"What gift?"

It seemed she had completely forgotten.

"The ring."

She froze, but her very first reaction was to turn her head and look straight at Jason.

I smiled again.

"Elevator's here!" Jason called out.

She offered a quick, distracted response and fled with him in a panic, vanishing from my line of sight a second later.

Five years ago, I asked her when she’d finally be willing to marry me.

She had thrown herself into my arms, her eyes fixed on me with utter certainty as she said, "On the day our company goes public, can you propose to me? I want to be the happiest woman in the world."

She said she’d be the one to prepare the rings. Yet, she never told me the company had gone public. And she never prepared a ring.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"About that dinner you mentioned... I’m in."

The voice on the other end immediately perked up. "I’ve been begging you to come out of retirement for three years! You’re finally agreeing?"

Then, as if remembering something, the person on the line asked, "Wait, aren't you getting married to Daisy this year?"

I looked around the empty house and shook my head.

"Not anymore."

When I woke up the next morning, Daisy had already gone to work.

She had only been back for a single night, but her mess was scattered everywhere. Her unwashed clothes were dumped in the bathroom. Her half-empty coffee mug was left sitting on the dining table. The vanity was littered with used makeup wipes.

I took one look at it and didn't bother lifting a finger. Instead, I called a maid service.

The housekeeper was incredibly efficient. In less than thirty minutes, she had cleaned up the entire place and even whipped up a quick breakfast for me.

"Sir, you are really so good to your wife."

"She’s not my wife."

"Oh?" She hesitated, testing the waters. "Your girlfriend, then?"

"Yeah. For the next five days, I want you to come at this exact time every morning. I'll pay you for full-day shifts."

The housekeeper couldn't stop grinning. "Oh, wonderful! Thank you so much!"

After she left, I started packing my bags.

Scout trotted over, carrying his dog bowl in his mouth, and dropped it right into my open suitcase. He panted, wagging his tail.

"Woof! Woof!"

I patted his head softly. "Alright, buddy. I'll take you with me."

Scout was six years old. Daisy had given him to me as a gift the year my father passed away. Back then, she said, "Whenever I'm not around, Scout will keep you company."

Scout was my family.

Daisy had told so many lies over the years, but that was the one thing she didn't lie about. Because ever since then, Scout was the only one who stayed by my side and the only thing I wanted to take with me.

At 6 p.m., my phone rang.

It was Daisy.

"Don't bother making dinner for me tonight. I have plans."

I glanced down at the takeout container on the table and answered casually, "Okay."

"Also, today is your mother's birthday. Remember to give her a call."

My jaw stopped mid-chew. "Since when did you two get so close?"

"That doesn't matter. There are no permanent enemies in business. Be good, okay? Just do it for my sake."

Before I could refuse, she hung up. She sounded so completely certain that, because I loved her, I would put aside all the deep-rooted resentment I had toward my mother.

Sure, I loved her back then. But not anymore.

I tossed my phone onto the table, picked up a chicken wing, and went back to eating, completely ignoring her advice.

Ten minutes later, my phone screen lit up again. This time, it was Jason.

He sent over a short video, barely a minute long, of a dinner at the Connors', and Daisy was right there with them.

In the clip, she sat beside Jason, carefully cutting the steak for him. Once the final piece was sliced, she transferred it directly onto his plate.

She looked so gentle and devoted, something she had never once done for me.

My mother’s voice came through the audio, teasing playfully, "Well, looks like our family will be celebrating a big milestone very soon!"

Daisy didn't deny it.

A moment later, Jason sent a quick text message.

[You can't give her happiness.]

I chuckled and typed out my reply with complete composure.

[Yeah. So I'm handing her over to you. You want her?]

[I do.]