Chapter 15
“My face is ruined,” Daisy said, her voice tinged with embarrassment. “I’m not worthy of your brother.” She paused, then lifted her eyes to meet Gordon’s. With a soft, hesitant breath, she added, “I plan to take revenge on some people, and it could cause trouble for you.”
Emma let out a sigh of relief. “Hey, what’s the big deal? Don’t tell me you’re worried about a burn. Even if your whole face was scarred, you’d still be the woman my brother wants to marry.” She grinned. “And right now, you’re still beautiful, more than enough to match him.”
She patted her chest confidently. “Look, with how far cosmetic medicine has come, what’s there to be afraid of? Don’t worry, I’ll have my brother find the best surgeon for you. You’ll look as good as new.”
Emma’s gaze then shifted, glancing at Gordon before continuing, “As for the revenge part…” She scratched her cheek, not sure what to say.
Gordon’s eyes softened as they lingered on Daisy’s face. After a pause, he spoke quietly, “I’ll help you.”
Daisy felt a flutter in her chest, her breath catching. She could tell Gordon wasn’t one for many words, but his few sentences always seemed to carry weight. In the few days they’d spent together, they’d exchanged fewer than ten sentences, but each felt meaningful. His promise seemed especially sincere, maybe because of his silence.
Despite the confusion swirling in her mind, the warmth of Emma and Gordon’s reassurance started to ease her worries. But still, Daisy hesitated. She wasn’t sure about getting emotionally involved with anyone just yet.
For a long moment, she struggled to find her voice. “Let’s not divorce… not for now.”
The silence between them felt heavy, thick with unspoken thoughts, before Gordon spoke again. “The wedding can wait until you’re ready. I can wait,” he said softly. “We can just spend time together for now. If, in the future, you still want a divorce… well, we’ll go through the formalities.”
His words carried a calm understanding, placing the decision entirely in her hands.
Daisy’s heart melted at his sincerity. She didn’t know how to respond, so she simply nodded.
Emma cheered instantly. “Great! You’re still my sister-in-law! Come on, let’s go meet Dad, Mom, and everyone else.”
Over the past few days, Gordon had kept their parents from visiting, respecting Daisy’s need for space. Now, hearing his sister’s eagerness, he cleared his throat and turned to Daisy.
“Do you want to meet them? If you’d rather not, we can wait.”
Daisy hesitated, but after a moment, she gave a small nod. Gordon had saved her, and they were married. It seemed right to meet his family, even though she couldn’t deny the nervous knot in her stomach.
As they approached the Davis family home, Gordon reached for her hand. His touch was firm yet gentle. “Don’t be nervous,” he murmured.
Her body tensed slightly at the contact, but she didn’t pull away, allowing him to guide her forward. The warmth of his palm chased away some of her unease.
To her surprise, the Davis family greeted her warmly. Their kindness melted away the last of her nerves. Daisy had feared they might mock or look down on her, but her worries quickly dissipated. When Jasmin Thomas, Gordon’s mother, saw her, it was as though she had been waiting for a long-lost daughter.
Jasmin clasped Daisy’s hands, her touch warm and motherly. Then she gently caressed her face. “Oh no, my dear, how did you get hurt like this? Does it still hurt?”
The tenderness in Jasmin’s eyes was so genuine that Daisy’s chest tightened. She felt an ache swell in her heart. On the day of the fire, when her life had nearly slipped away, her biological mother had been preoccupied with her adopted daughter, never sparing a single thought for her.
And now, here was Jasmin, a woman she had just met, offering her affection so freely.
Before Daisy could stop herself, tears spilled down her cheeks. Her emotions unraveled, and she couldn’t contain the storm inside her.
Jasmin’s face softened in panic as she realized her words had upset Daisy. “Sweetheart, I didn’t mean to upset you,” she murmured, quickly wiping away Daisy’s tears. After a moment, she let out a gentle sigh and pulled her into a warm embrace, patting her back soothingly. “It’s okay. Let it all out. Sometimes, a good cry is all you need to feel lighter.”
