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.

continued to eat and

supper she took the initiative to wash the dishes. When I was cleaning up the garbage, Daisy said, “June, think

“I have made

I replied

I had convinced myself.

and turned to look at me. “Really?”

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

booked a wedding

to me. How could I

Daisy couldn’t stand it at last. She took off her gloves and put her hands on my shoulders and said

“Why don’t you agree with my marriage?” I pretended to glance at her and smiled unwillingly. I said, “he’s very kind to me, and you know that.”

someone you don’t love.” Daisy took me. “Who said women must get married? Now you have

“Men don’t

too long. If you live with someone you don’t love, you will be miserable!”

Daisy’s words had deeply shaken the faith I

I looked at her and my mood was complicated. I

After a long time I said, “but...”

You have to marry someone you love. If you marry Ming because he is

me by the

I was guilty and bowed my head. “How could he be pitiful? He will

later, won’t he? I’ll tell him for you that you don’t like him and don’t marry him!”

have

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

looked at her and froze.

She said it with ease.

couldn’t

I stared at

I didn’t even say a word.

finished the housework together, Daisy pointed to the second bedroom and said, “there are things you left in my house before. I think you’d better go and have a look.”

I didn’t know what she meant.

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

what was inside.

a painting I drew for Sean

this moment, I didn’t even have the

took me five years to bury it in the bottom of my heart so that the wound

after