President's Substitute Wife

“Yes.” I replied without hesitation.

It was a little sudden for me, but now that I had agreed, I had to do it.

And I had convinced myself thousands of times.

Now no matter who asked me, I would answer “yes” without hesitation.

Daisy put the chopsticks in her mouth and frowned. She looked at me and said, “but I don’t think you’re happy when you mention it. You lived with Sean that year, but...”

“Stop talking.” I interrupted Daisy decisively, “it’s all over. He married Cindy. Don’t talk about him.”

“But...”

“I’ve got good news.” To stop Daisy, I said to her, “Inez and Marlin are not my biological parents, so my biological parents are others.”

“Really?” Daisy was shocked.

I told her what had happened recently.

Daisy was surprised. “You had an accident but you didn’t tell me! Have you treated me as a friend?”

“I’m fine. Ming has been taking care of me.”

Ming had been taking care of me for two weeks.

He was meticulous and thoughtful.

Sacred Heart Hospital belonged to him and he gave orders. So even if he wasn’t there, the nurse came to see me three times an hour and was afraid that something might happen to me.

When I mentioned Ming, Daisy pouted, “is Ming so good? I think his smile is just his mask.”

“Why?”

When I said that, I felt guilty.

In fact, I didn’t think I really knew Ming. He never really opened up to me.

What he let me see is what he wanted me to see.

But he was really nice to me.

Daisy continued to eat and

After supper she took the initiative to wash the dishes. When I was cleaning up the garbage, Daisy said, “June, think about it. You may get married more than once, but once

have made up my mind.”

replied decisively.

I had convinced myself.

turned to look

“Really, really! I really want to marry him!”

I agreed and booked

was very kind to me. How could

it at last. She took off her gloves and put her hands on

pretended to glance at her and smiled unwillingly. I said, “he’s very kind to me, and

lifetime than to marry someone you don’t love.” Daisy took me. “Who said

“Men don’t just pay.”

you have to marry the one you love. A lifetime is too long. If you live with someone you don’t love, you will be

words had deeply shaken the faith I had already instilled in myself.

at her and my mood was

long time I said, “but...”

have to marry someone you love. If you marry Ming because he is pitiful, he is pitiful indeed!”

Daisy grabbed me by the

could he be pitiful? He will be happy. I...”

won’t he? I’ll tell him for you that you don’t like him

have made up his mind.

Then she put on her gloves and continued to wash the dishes.

I looked at her

said it with ease.

But I couldn’t do that.

stared at Daisy

even

we finished the housework together, Daisy pointed to the second bedroom and said, “there are things you left in my house before. I

I didn’t know

and opened the box. I saw a sketch book lying on the top of the painting tool, and my heart hurt a lot.

I knew what was inside.

a painting I drew for Sean when I was at The Best

this moment, I didn’t even have the courage to open it.

five years to bury it in the bottom of my heart so that the wound would not bleed or hurt.

a few months after I came back that the