Leena looked up in surprise, trapped in his words. No second chance? She planned to stall for time, but maybe she should re-think it.
The afternoon sunshine streamed in through fluttering leaves and touched Kevin's face. He looked even more dazzling in the radiant sunlight. He leaned back against the tree in silence, his cold eyes fastened on Leena's tightly furrowed little face. He waited for her final answer.
"OK. If I don't show up that day, that means my answer is no. But If I do show up, we can be married, and I get all the freedom you promised." Leena wasn't like other girls, who wanted a blissful married life. Instead what she wanted was what most people wouldn't care about or even disdained: freedom.
"You have my word on that." Kevin had no idea if she would come or not, but he granted her request without hesitation. These two clinched a deal about their marriage in such a short time. Daisy would never have guessed it but when she saw them after work, she could sense there was something odd between them.
"What happened between you two?" Daisy asked as soon as they got into the car. She wasn't the gossiping type and just asked this out of concern. The looks on their faces were too weird.
"Oh… nothing. Sis, whose car is this?" Leena tried to change the subject. She didn't mean to hide anything. She just didn't know how to explain this. And if sis knew it, Edward was going to find out. Soon after that Mr. Cold would get wind of this and then she would be so busted.
"My car. What's wrong?" Daisy had her car sent here by her driver this morning. It was inappropriate for a soldier to drive a luxury car to the army base. There would be lots of gossip about this over time.
"Nothing. Edward's cars are usually world famed. This car took me by surprise, that's all." Leena said. She didn't know too much about Daisy's past.
"Why? Don't you think this car suits me better?" Daisy said, mocking herself. She'd had a taste of the full extent of Edward's luxury life. His garage was filled with fancy cars but none of them suited her.
"Um! Sis, you are so discreet. Why don't you use a military vehicle?" Leena said with a puzzled look. Shouldn't the army provide a car to a Colonel?
"Army vehicles are for work. I use my own car when I'm off." Daisy was good at being discreet and not attracting attention. She'd lived quietly for years.
"I adore you, Sis!" exclaimed Leena. It was a novel experience for Leena to meet someone so modest. She'd been hanging with people in high society. Most of these socialites were about comparing and bragging their belongs. Naturally Daisy's humility instantly impressed her.
Daisy just smiled at Leena's enthusiasm. Her position decided that she couldn't do whatever she wanted. Risk came with the position. Everyone was climbing in rank, using others as stepping stones. She knew clearly about the risk and was clever enough to avoid it.
The car glided smoothly forward. Leena went quiet again, and silence fell. Both of them had things to think about. The river of time rushed forward insistently, throwing them into the stream of the city's heavy traffic.
Leena was thinking about Kevin's proposal. As a fashion designer who always stayed on the top of latest trends, Leena was supposed to be open-minded and outgoing, but deep down she had some conservative views. She had dreamed her first time would be with her husband. This marriage would fix that. Then she wouldn't feel so guilty.
Leena smoothed down her silky hair. A touch of sadness covered her lovely face. It seemed that the best option was marring Kevin. He wasn't a bad man, all things considered, even if you took the freedom aspect out of it. If everything went right, she would probably accept his proposal.
Daisy had been busy and hadn't had much time to think. Now that she had a moment to herself, these thoughts rush to her mind and clang to her lika a shadow.
What is Love? It is a feeling. She had spent the best years of her life loving Edward. Of course, there were moment that she felt disoriented and wanted to walk away, but in the end the craving from the deepest cor of her heart got the best of her.
Every time she watched him wandering among all kinds of lovely women, throwing them his captivating smile, hugging them passionately, her heart was torn apart and her pride was stripped from her layr by layer.
He was her husband, but she had never received a tender look from him, let alone a fond embrace. She tried to ignore the reports on his playboy lifestyle, even denying she loved him. But she cast her resolution to the winds when she saw Justin, who resembled his father so much.
Finally, she was by his side and caught his attention. She thought everything would be different. But she forgot about Jessica, a woman so stunning even Daisy couldn't take her eyes off her. Jessica stayed by his side for years. Did Daisy even stand a chance?
She pretended to know nothing, hoping he would tell her about Jessica of his own accord. She overestimated her place in Edward's heart. She panicked, and it came out during their loveplay. She kissed him hopelessly like it was the only way to prove that he was hers, indulging her every desire for him, making love all night as if only death could tear them apart.