Chapter 4

Soren and Daisy came to the funeral.

I hurled their flowers away. "Get out! Get the hell out of here!"

Daisy put on a sorrowful face. "Vivian, we're here to pay our respects."

"We don't want your sympathy!" I raised my hand and slapped her hard across the face.

"Daisy, you spread the lie that I was the homewrecker just to infuriate my mother. She's dead because of you. And now you come here with your crocodile tears? Do you want her to have no peace even in death?"

I lunged at her again, but Soren grabbed me and flung me aside.

I lost my balance and cracked my head against Mom's headstone. Blood spread across the stone.

"Vivian, calm down! This isn't Daisy's fault! Everything she did was for you..."

"Soren!" Daisy cut him off. "Vivian has every right to be angry with me. I don't blame her."

Then she looked at me. "Vivian, you're my only maid of honor. Please don't miss my wedding."

I collapsed to the ground and clung to Mom's headstone, wailing.

In just two days, I had lost Soren, my baby, and my mother, the only parent who had raised me.

I glared at their backs as they walked away side by side, my eyes burning.

Fine. You wanted me at the wedding.

I would go, and I would bring you a gift you'd never forget.

On the day of the wedding, I arrived at the dressing room early and watched Daisy in her wedding gown, her makeup flawless, smiling at Soren.

But Soren's eyes kept drifting to me. That tormented look said he had a thousand things to tell me, but one glance from Daisy made him wrench his gaze away.

I stood quietly in the corner, trying to disappear, but the sight of Soren in a suit and bow tie still sent my pulse skittering.

This was the scene I had dreamed of.

I had even imagined the children we would have. Son or daughter, we would raise our child to inherit both families.

Every casino my father planned to hand down to me and every narcotics route Soren controlled would one day belong to our child.

Then the two of us could retire, live the quiet country life I'd always longed for, far from the bloodshed.

But now, all of that had turned to dust.

Daisy's mother stiffened when she saw me. "You actually came? A shameless mistress, and you still have the nerve to stand beside my daughter!"

Soren cut in at once. "Mrs. Williams, watch your tone."

"Please. You're marrying my daughter. Why are you defending another woman?"

Soren glanced at me and answered solemnly, "Vivian has never been an outsider."

His tender devotion made my stomach turn. He was betraying me, marrying another woman, and yet he still acted as though he were devoted to me.

I would never forget the sight of him and Daisy, arm in arm, announcing their engagement.

Whatever love I'd had for him was gone. All that remained was raw, bottomless hatred.

Daisy's wedding was planned down to the last heartwarming detail. I stood behind her with my head bowed, but people still recognized me.

"Isn't that the Wellman heiress? And she's the homewrecker?"

"Exactly. The Don's son is marrying the housekeeper's daughter? Shouldn't he be marrying the Wellman heiress?"

The guests' whispers made Daisy's expression tighten. She turned to me. "Vivian, I put together a video of our love story. Would you play it for everyone?"

Soren frowned. "We don't even have..."

"Sure." I smiled faintly, picked up the flash drive from the table, and while no one was looking, swapped it with one of my own.

To ease the tension, Daisy took the microphone and addressed the crowd. "Up next is the story of how Soren and I fell in love. Please, everyone, turn your attention to the big screen!"

I clicked the mouse, and the video began to play.

Every person in the room gasped.

The moment Daisy saw what was playing, every trace of color drained from her face.