Chapter 3

A few days later, the private investigator called me, and I headed to the hotel. It was Lara Grant's birthday. She was also Daisy's mother. Keith had used a business trip as an excuse to gather Daisy's family and friends for the celebration. I watched as Keith moved through the preparations like he was part of the family, calm and in control. Daisy, in a layered gown full of frills and tiers, walked up to him daintily and linked her arm with his. Her family and friends cheered and laughed at the sight. "Keith, my daughter's in your hands now. Take good care of her, okay?" "You helped raise her, and now she's all yours." I watched as Keith, swept up in the crowd, treated Daisy's parents as if they were his own. It was absurd. He was only ten years younger than them! Halfway through dinner, Daisy got drunk, and Keith guided her to the restroom. In the hallway, they pressed close together. Daisy stood on her tiptoes and hooked her finger under Keith's chin. "Call me Mistress." There were people around, and Keith looked embarrassed as he coaxed her. "Let's wait until we get home, okay?" Daisy refused to back down. Finally, Keith surrendered. He held her as he called her "Mistress" over and over again. Experiencing it in person was nothing like reading about it. I thought I had accepted the reality, but my mind reeled all over again at the sight of them. I held onto the wall as I struggled for a long while to keep the bile down. I suddenly recalled the first time we visited his hometown. His parents were dissatisfied with my education and openly criticized me. Keith immediately took my hand and left. As the sun set, the tears in his eyes sowed a quiet hope deep in my heart. "Ann, no one in this world can ever treat you badly. Not even me." I also remembered our first meeting with Daisy. She wore brand-new clothes that must have been stored for years. With a handful of wildflowers she picked in her hands, she smiled at us sincerely. "Keith, Ann, I hope the two of you will stay happy forever," she said. Why did people who loved so deeply always get betrayed? I had done something good, so how did it end up this way? A chill ran through me as I trembled and slowly sank to the floor. I could hear Daisy's petulant voice from not far away. "When are you finally going to divorce that old hag?" In her pink Mary Janes, she stepped on Keith's black leather shoes and looped her arms around his neck. "Keith, I know you feel guilty. Sometimes I feel bad for her too since she's been so kind to me," Daisy said. "But from the moment I fell in love with you, I swore I would never give up, no matter how hard it got. "It's also fine if you don't divorce her. Don't worry. The day you get tired of me, I'll leave and never bother you again." Keith, who had been silent, suddenly looked a little anxious. "I won't let you leave me." My heart plummeted. Yet, it felt as if I was finally released from my suffering after endless torment. After collecting all the evidence and printing out every bank statement, I gathered it all together and sent it to my lawyer. Finally, I called Keith. On the tenth try, he finally answered. "Ann, what is it?" Before I could speak, he said impatiently, "We can talk later. I'm in a meeting—" I interrupted him calmly, "Keith, we need to talk." Thanks to my childhood, I had always been extremely sensitive and quick to overthink. Keith knew that about me very well. In the past, I found a stray hair that wasn't mine on his jacket. It was enough to trace it to the business partner in a red dress who tried to seduce Keith. I had pretended not to notice for the sake of the deal. But Keith took the initiative to cancel the contract and find a new partner. His gaze then was filled with determination. He said, "Ann, I know you're sensitive, so I would never give you a reason to feel insecure." Now, I spoke slowly, each word deliberate. "Keith, if our ten-plus years together still mean anything to you, come home now."