The proposal

DAISY’S POV ~

I can't believe my eyes right now.

But it's real. Very real.

Tears blur my vision as I watch my husband acting lovey-dovey with another woman in front of the world. Right there in the show, they are welcomed and ushered to make themselves comfortable on plush white couch.

They are still holding hands, and now, they are smiling at the camera.

“So tell us, Mr. King, what's it like having the love of your life back?” The host asks with a bright smile.

The question hangs in the air for a while as Sebastian, the man I have loved for years, looks at Vanessa with eyes full of love.

“It feels like I'm finally complete.” he answers softly as he keeps looking at Vanessa like she is the only one for him. Tears flow down my cheeks as I watch Vanessa plant a kiss on their intertwined hands while the host continues smiling dreamily.

“So, Miss Morgan,” she refers to Vanessa, “Everyone wants to know what was it like for you to come back after all this time?”

Vanessa dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief.

“It was so scary for me,” she admits, her voice cracking. “I-I didn't know if I could make it, but I always thought of Sebastian and my love for him gave me the strength and motivation.”

Her love for him? Did she just tell the whole world that she's in love with another woman’s husband?

But of course Sebastian loves her too so who am I to complain? And to further prove that, I watch him as he simply squeezes her hand while Vanessa smiles back at him.

The scene in front of me is ripping my heart apart, but I can't seem to take my eyes away from the TV screen.

“Now, I have to ask the question everyone’s wondering about,” the host pauses, then continues. “Mr. King, you’re still legally married to Daisy Sinclair. What happens now that Miss Morgan is back?”

My breath catches in my throat and the entire restaurant seems to go quiet even though I know people are still talking around me. Sebastian doesn’t even flinch at the question, and in my ears, all I can hear is the thundering of my own heartbeat as I wait for Sebastian’s answer.

What is he going to do?

Right then, he simply reaches for Vanessa’s hand like it’s the most natural thing in the world and he pulls her closer. Still watching them, I see him smile at her before he presses a kiss to her cheek.

On live television.

In front of the entire world.

My stomach lurches violently and for a second, I think I’m going to puke right here in the middle of the restaurant.

“That's an easy answer,” Sebastian says confidently as he pulls back from Vanessa, though he is holding her hand. “The divorce papers have already been drawn up and Daisy just needs to sign them.”

What?! Divorce papers?! And they are already drawn up?!

Someone wake me up from this bad dream.

“Oh wow,” the host remarks, clearly eating this up. “So you’re moving forward quickly then?”

“There’s no reason to wait,” Sebastian shrugs. “Vanessa is the woman I've always loved. She's the woman I should have married three years ago if…” He trails off, his jaw tightening. “If circumstances hadn’t kept us apart.”

Circumstances.

He means me. I’m the circumstance.

Vanessa squeezes his hand, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Sebastian, you don't have to—”

“Yes I do,” he cuts her off gently, turning to face her fully now. The camera zooms in on them, capturing every intimate moment. “I need everyone to know the truth. I need you to know the truth.”

What is he saying?

My hands grip the edge of the table.

“Vanessa,” he continues, his voice dropping to something softer, more tender. “I have wasted three years, three years we could have spent together building the life we always dreamed about, but from now henceforth, I’m not wasting another second.”

“Sebastian…” Vanessa’s voice breaks.

And then, right there on live television, in front of millions of viewers, my husband stands up and gets down on one knee.

Gasps erupt around me. The host’s hand flies to her mouth. Even Vanessa’s eyes widen as tears spill down her cheeks.

And I sit here, frozen, my entire world crumbling to dust.

“Oh my God!” someone shrieks in the restaurant. “He’s proposing! This is so romantic!”

No. No, this isn't romantic. This is a nightmare. A bloody nightmare.

Sebastian reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small velvet box.

When he opens it, even through the television screen, I can see the ring.

It's the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.

A princess-cut diamond that catches the studio lights and throws rainbow sparkles across Vanessa’s tear-stained face. The band looks like platinum, encrusted with smaller diamonds that circle the entire ring.

The same ring I begged him to buy me two years ago when we went shopping in a jewelry store.

I remember acting like a child that day, admiring it and telling him how much I loved it while I also begged him to get it for me, but he looked at me with disdain and bluntly told me that I am not worthy of such a beautiful gift.

And now, here he is, giving that exact same ring to Vanessa.

“Vanessa Kate Morgan,” Sebastian says as the world watches. “You are the love of my life. My soulmate. The only woman I have ever truly loved. I know I've made mistakes, but I swear to you, right here, right now, that I will spend every day for the rest of my life making it up to you.”

“Sebastian….” Vanessa sobs, her hands shaking as they cover her mouth.

“Will you give me the honor of being your husband? Of building the family we've always dreamed of? Of growing old together the way we were always meant to?”

God, what is happening?! He's still married to me and he's proposing to another woman and promising her the same family we’ve always dreamed of?!

My hand instinctively moves to my stomach, where our baby, his baby, is growing.

But he doesn’t want this baby. He wants a family with Vanessa.

“Yes!” Vanessa yells, throwing her arms around his neck. “Yes. A thousand times yes I'll marry you!”

Applause erupts around me. The host is actually crying as Sebastian slides the ring onto Vanessa’s finger and she holds it up to the camera, showing it off as it glitters under the lights.

“Congratulations to the happy couple!” the host announces.

The camera pans out as they kiss, and the audience goes wild.

I can't breathe. I literally cannot draw air into my lungs.

“Oh my God, did you see that?” Someone says happily behind me. “That was the most romantic thing I've ever seen!”

I turn my head slowly and see that a lot of people in the restaurant are also eating this up. They’re staring at the screen with dreamy expressions and wiping tears from their eyes. Some are even recording the show.

“I’m so glad Vanessa is back,” I hear more comments. “They belong together.”

“Poor Sebastian, having to wait all this time. At least he's finally free from that other woman. What was her name? Daisy?”

“Oh yeah, Daisy. Can you imagine being married to someone who's clearly in love with someone else?”

“She probably trapped him into marrying her.”

“I heard she pushed Vanessa off that cliff three years ago out of jealousy.”

“Really? That’s insane!”

“Well, karma’s finally catching up to her. Sebastian is kicking her out and marrying his true love.”

Each and every comment digs a knife into my heart.

I should leave.

I should stand up and walk out of here before anyone recognizes me.

Holding back tears, I grab my purse, ready to leave.

But suddenly, a waitress bumps into my table, spilling wine all over me.

“I’m so sorry,” she apologizes.

“It’s okay,” I say, wiping the stain and lifting my face.

“Wait…” she stares at my face intently. “Aren't you….”

Fuck.

“Oh my God,” someone else gasps. “That’s her! That’s Daisy Sinclair!”

Suddenly, all eyes in the restaurant turn to me and they all start laughing.

“Are you serious?” a young woman sneers, already turning her phone towards me. “Daisy Sinclair is actually here and watching the show?”

“How pathetic,” the woman beside her adds, also recording me now.

More laughter. Cruel, vicious laughter that rings in my ears.

Just stop.

Please just stop!

But they don't stop. They are all laughing and mocking me with their phones out, recording my breakdown for social media, for their friends, for the whole world to see.

“ENOUGH!” The manager of the restaurant yells and walks up to me, his face twisted with anger as he looks at me.

“Ma’am. You need to leave right now. Your presence is causing problems and you're disrupting my business.”

“But I didn't do anything—”

“Just leave!” he yells again as people keep watching, some laughing as they continue recording the scene with their phones.