Chapter 1
My husband, George Gordon, had fallen for my yoga teacher, Daisy Maples.
He confessed to me, "She is young and innocent. Not her fault. Let's get a divorce. Name your price."
With shock, I gazed at him and murmured, "We have been together for years..."
George responded, "I will give you the project in the Upper East Side as compensation."
Frowning, I said, "Given our past..."
"I will let you pick another three projects. Pearl Smith, don't push your luck," he cut me off.
With tears in my eyes, I, Pearl Smith, had to yield.
I asked George to sign all the business contracts before we got divorced.
George didn't know that I was more anxious to get a divorce than he was.
Recently, my toy boy, Martin Lane, had been throwing a tantrum over public acknowledgment of our relationship after he and I had been caught on camera by the paparazzi.
*****
At the critical moment, Daisy was the trouble.
She shed tears right before me and said, "I am sorry, Pearl. I honestly have no idea when that old guy became interested in me. I messed things up. I am so sorry. I just wanted some personal finance lessons to make money.
"Pearl, I will leave. I will leave this city and not disturb you two anymore."
I shot a glance at George, who stood not far away and sadly lowered his head.
George was old, but he managed to keep a good shape through regular workouts. With broad shoulders and a narrow waist, he was more than six feet tall.
He looked genteel and was born with an artistic temperament.
Many young women had been bewitched by him.
To his surprise, Daisy wasn't one of them.
"Pearl, you will never forgive me, will you?" Daisy couldn't help but sob helplessly since I had kept my mouth shut for a long time.
I calmly said, "Don't cry. Tears can't solve the problem. Come with me."
I led her towards my walk-in closet.
In the spacious room were all my jewelry and clothes, with more than one hundred evening gowns included.
I separated my clothes, which I had worn, from those I hadn't yet worn, and most of them were red or black.
Besides, there was a lot of jewelry that dazzlingly shone under the light.
Stunned, Daisy stopped at the doorway and couldn't move another inch.
I lowered my head and sent George a message, [Give me one more project, and I will convince Daisy to be your lover.]
George: [Deal.]
After a flicker of a smile crossed my face, I led Daisy into my closet, hand in hand.
"Don't you like this kind of life?" I asked.
Daisy blinked and then honestly nodded. "I do, but I don't deserve it."
Her reactions amused me. I sincerely said, "I don't think so. Stay since George is interested in you. Cling to him till he is tired of you.
"Even if he has a new target, given his personality, you will receive generous compensation. As for me... I am fine with you two being together."
In an instant, Daisy's eyes at me became wide open. There was unmistakable shock and confusion in them.
"A trap?" Daisy asked.
Then, her eyes swept over the luxuries in my closet. She swallowed and then asked, "Do you mind if I ask how much all these things are worth?"
I casually handed her a bag. "It is custom-made. There are only ten throughout the country. I spent about one million dollars on it. Its current value must be more than that."
Stunned, Daisy quickly gave the bag back to me with shaking hands. "Sorry. I didn't know that."
I tilted my head and persuaded, "So, why don't you give a thought of George? If you marry him, he can give you all these things."
Daisy agreed to give it a try after she was convinced that she would have my heartfelt blessing.
Her flexibility was satisfactory to me.
That was why I had chosen her to be my yoga teacher.
She was greedy, and she never bothered to hide that.
I sent the good news to George. Then, he asked me out.
He and I were in the same circle. After the divorce, he was still my business partner, so I had no reason to refuse to see him.
"You deliberately brought Daisy into our lives," George blandly said soon after I sat down.
How perceptive he was!
There was a moment I felt guilty, but I soon looked him in the eyes.
"You like her, don't you?" I asked.
His expression changed, and a bitter smile then followed.
With a tacit understanding, he and I raised our goblets and clinked.
Instantly, I knew that I already had his forgiveness for my little trick.
He was right. I had deliberately brought Daisy into our lives.
Daisy was really one of a kind, whom neither George nor I had ever met.