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

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

have made up my

I replied decisively.

had convinced myself.

answer and turned to look at me. “Really?”

“Really, really! I really want to

I agreed and booked a

was very kind to me. How could I break

She took off her gloves and put her

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

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

“Men don’t just

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

deeply shaken the faith I had already instilled

mood was complicated. I couldn’t even laugh.

After a long time I said,

You have to marry someone you love. If you marry

Daisy grabbed me by the

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!”

Daisy seemed to have

Then she put on her gloves and continued

looked at her and froze.

She said it with ease.

couldn’t do that.

I stared at Daisy and

didn’t even

bedroom and said, “there are things you left in my house before. I

I didn’t know

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

I knew what

drew for Sean

moment, I didn’t even have

took me five years to bury it in the bottom of my

was only a few months after I came back that the wound festered again.