Daisy pursed her lips. She fully understood what Belinda was trying to say. They had been friends for years!
"Sis, is that you?" Leena dashed in. She couldn't believe her eyes. As it turned out it really was Daisy.
"Hi, Leena. Are you here by yourself?" Daisy was surprised to meet Leena here. But she liked her because Leena always seemed cheerful and lively as if nothing in the world could upset her.
"No, I came here with a friend. But she left earlier because of some urgent work. I didn't expect to run into you here. Did you come here alone sis?" Leena held Daisy's arm fondly. It was clear that Leena also admired Daisy.
"Oh, I came here with Belinda." Daisy replied. She was looking forward to seeing how Belinda would react when she saw Leena.
"What? My sister-in-law is also here!" Wow! That's great. I will ask her when she'll be free and invite her to my house." Leena smiled snappily. It was a rare opportunity, and she knew she must seize it.
"To your house? Why?" Feeling confused, Daisy raised her eyebrows.
"To meet my father! The daughter-in-law must meet her prospective parents-in-law officially, don't you agree?." Just this morning Leena had mentioned Belinda to her father, and Duke didn't seem to have any issues with this. So that could be counted as an implied consent.
Daisy couldn't help laughing out when she heard Leena's words. It was the first time that she behaved so improper in front of people. It was all because Leena was extremely funny.
"Leena, are you sure Belinda is going to marry your brother? What did Duke say?" Daisy calmed herself and asked while looking at Leena who seemed quite excited now.
"Are you asking about Mr. Cold? What else can he say?" Leena wrinkled her beautiful nose and looked at Daisy with confusion in her eyes.
Fine! Daisy was speechless. Was Duke hoping to ask Belinda out? Or the whole thing was made up by Leena? Daisy wondered.
"Hi! Belinda, my sister-in-law. Nice to meet you again!" As soon as Leena saw Belinda coming out of the changing room, she ran to her before she got any remark from Daisy. She smiled brightly at Belinda and held her arm as if they were close friends. Belinda pursed her lips and raised her eyebrows at Daisy, trying to figure out what was going on.
Daisy shrugged. 'It is exactly what you see here.' Daisy tried to express.
"Well... Leena... You can't randomly call someone your sister-in-law. Are you doing it purposely, so that no man would think about marrying me?" Belinda felt helpless. She wondered what she did wrong to earn this misery. Why was she being grabbed by this dainty girl? She wondered.
"No, that won't happen. My brother will always love you. Rest assured, my brother will definitely marry you." Leena said. She was quite ignorant. No matter what happened, she was convinced that her brother and Belinda would become a couple.
Belinda was worried. She came to realize that Leena was a godsent troublemaker. God resented that her life was too easy and comfortable. That's why he's doing this to her, Belinda thought.
Daisy looked at Belinda's sad face and Leena's innocent smiling face, she thought this whole episode was quite funny.
"Could you please stop linking me to your brother? We are not even friends!" Belinda pleaded with Leena who was much enthused by this topic. She felt annoyed.
"Oh! Really? But he offered to drive you home yesterday, and this is very strange. As far as I know, he has never driven any women home before. He doesn't even take a look at them."
Leena gazed slyly at Belinda's face as if trying to get some clues which would reveal her real feelings.
"How would I know! I'm not your brother. I don't know what he was thinking. You can assume that he was daft yesterday." Belinda said and blushed. She remembered that she felt something when Duke held her hand yesterday night.
"Wow, sister-in-law, you are blushing. Something must have happened between you two last night!" Leena said and smiled slyly. She began to imagine all kinds of scenarios in her mind.
"Leena, I tell you for the last time, you can't call me your sister-in-law. Why are you so stubborn?" Belinda stared at Leena and said in a high pitch. She had been tactful in such cases in the past, but today she felt tongue-tied with this girl.
"Okay, you can stop now. Everyone already knows that you're a loving family." Daisy said to them. It was unlike her to make fun of others. But she couldn't help it today; they were too amusing!
"Daisy, what are you doing? Are you mocking me? I can see Edward's influence on you. You have become as wicked as him!" Belinda stared hard at Daisy who was still smiling lightly. 'What was wrong with Daisy? She didn't help me out; rather she's deliberately trying to stir up the mess.' Belinda wondered.
"Daisy, you have the same idea that we are like a family, that's so wonderful!" Leena said in a delighted tone. Leena sincerely hoped that Belinda would marry her brother and become her sister-in-law. She had lost her mother when she was quite young. She always felt that Belinda's good looks and temperament were a perfect match for Duke's cold demeanor.
She knew her brother wasn't cold and distant from the inside. He acted like this because he needed to protect her from being bullied by others. And gradually, he became as cold as ice in people's eyes. She sympathized with her brother. Because their mother died early and their father had to take care of the business, her brother took up the responsibility of looking after her. But, in doing so, he forgot that he was also a child who needed care and love. So she felt guilty that her brother had become such a cold person.
"Emm... I am not sure if I have said that..." Daisy replied. She has received Belinda's angry stare. She didn't dare to say anything further to agitate Belinda who was like a wildcat and was about to flare up. She'd better play safe.
Belinda sighed with relief and gently smoothed her lovely curly hair. Then she raised her eyebrows at Leena, indicating her to release the grip on her arms. 'Oh, now she will give up.' Belinda thought.
But Lenna would not be herself if she behaved as Belinda had expected. What she said afterward made Belinda and Daisy's jaw drop.
"Sister-in-law, when are you free to meet my father?" Leena took her hands away from Belinda, but she was still gazing firmly at her.