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

Daisy said, “June, think about it. You may get married more

“I have made up my mind.”

I replied

had convinced myself.

and turned to look at me. “Really?”

“Really, really! I really want to marry

booked a wedding party.

He was very kind to me. How could I

gloves and put

and smiled unwillingly. I said, “he’s very kind to me, and you know that.”

“But you are not happy. It’s better not to marry for a lifetime than to marry someone you don’t love.” Daisy took me. “Who said women must get married? Now you have the ability to make money and buy houses, cars and clothes.

“Men don’t

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

faith I had already instilled

her and my mood was complicated. I couldn’t even laugh.

time I

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

Daisy grabbed me by the shoulder. Her words

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

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

seemed to have made up his mind.

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

I looked at

She said it with

But I couldn’t do that.

I stared at

I didn’t even say a word.

we finished the housework together, Daisy pointed to the second bedroom and said, “there are

know what she meant.

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

knew what was

It was a painting I drew for Sean when I was at The Best Home.

At this moment, I didn’t even have the courage to

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

months after