Chapter 3
Daisy didn't pull away. Instead, she leaned in closer to him, a coy, bashful smile on her face.
I saw Stuart was there, too.
As our former class president, he was up on stage with a mic, working the crowd.
He looked over at the guy in the white suit with a look of eager flattery.
It turned out he wasn't the star of the show either.
He was the host, an accomplice.
My heart turned completely cold.
This whole party, this so-called "brand launch," was nothing but a setup from beginning to end.
A humiliating setup made for me.
What did they want to do?
Announce their relationship in public?
Force me to divorce?
Balancing the tray in my hands, I walked step by step toward the main table.
My steps were steady, and the wine in the tray didn't slosh.
The noise around me seemed to fade into the background.
All I could see was that perfect couple.
Daisy must've said something funny, because the guy in the white suit turned to her and laughed.
He finally turned around.
I got a good look at him.
He wasn't one of our classmates.
He was a total stranger.
He was handsome and classy, with the composure of someone in power.
He leaned down and murmured something in Daisy's ear.
Daisy's face went red right away.
Then, with everyone's eyes on them, the guy took action.
He stood up, holding what appeared to be a small box in his hand.
Sure enough, he was holding a deep blue velvet box.
At that moment, the lights around them dimmed in perfect unison.
Only a single spotlight shone down, perfectly framing him and Daisy.
Stuart, up on stage, called out in an exaggerated, operatic tone, "Guys. Now is the moment we've all been waiting for."
The crowd burst into playful laughter and whistles.
The man's handsome face softened with a smile as he looked at Daisy, his eyes filled with nothing but affection.
He opened the velvet box.
Inside was a huge diamond ring, glinting brilliantly under the spotlight and throwing off blinding flashes.
It was at least ten times the size of the ring I had bought with my entire savings back then.
Daisy's breath seemed to stop altogether.
She covered her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes, filled with stunned joy and disbelief.
That expression was like a punch to the gut.
Then, the man dropped to one knee.
That gesture was the cue everyone had been waiting for.
The whole place fell silent. Everyone held their breath and whipped out their phones, ready to record this "holy" moment.
"Daisy," that man said.
His voice echoed through the microphone, reaching every corner of the banquet hall.
He continued, "From the very first moment I saw you, I knew you were the one I'd been searching for my whole life.
"Your kindness, your innocence, everything about you fascinates me deeply.
"I couldn't care less about your past. All I want is your future, right by my side.
"Will you marry me?"
His passionate confession had the girls in the crowd squealing with envy.
I stood less than three yards away from them.
I could clearly see Daisy's eyelashes trembling as a tear rolled down her cheek.
Those were tears from being moved.
Daisy was so choked up she couldn't say a word and only nodded again and again.
She reached out her left hand.
The wedding ring I once gave her was long gone from her ring finger.
The man's smile grew even brighter as he picked up the diamond ring, about to slip it onto Daisy's finger.
"Marry him!" The crowd started cheering, and the applause thundered through the hall.
I stood in the shadows of the crowd, watching this absurd scene unfold right in front of me.
My wife, in the banquet hall I personally designed, was accepting another man's proposal.
All our classmates and friends were celebrating Daisy, cheering and clapping.
Suddenly, it all struck me as absurdly funny.
So I set down my tray.
I started clapping too.
My applause was clear and loud.
It stood out particularly in the midst of the thunderous noise.
I clapped as I walked toward them, with a bright smile on my face.
I smiled bigger and louder than anyone else, looking more sincere than the whole crowd.
The thunderous applause started to die down.
Everyone looked at me, this "inappropriate" waiter, with puzzled looks.
Daisy turned at the sound, looking over.
Her eyes found me through the crowd, landing right on my face.
Our eyes met.
Time seemed to stand still.