Chapter 3

Three days later, Edward finally woke up.

The trauma to his head had put pressure on his optic nerves, and it left him blind for the time being.

Even so, the first person Edward thought of when he woke was Daisy.

He had an oxygen mask over his face and bandages wound around his head, and his hands went searching through the air while he got the words out. "Daisy, why can't I see anything? Where is Daisy..."

Victoria grabbed his hand and cried while she soothed him. "Edward, don't be scared. The blindness is only temporary. Daisy is fine, she's resting in the room next door..

Then she turned around and gave me the order under her breath. "Stella, the doctor said his brain is extremely fragile and he cannot handle any shock. Go put on Daisy's perfume and pretend to be her. Sit with Edward for a while."

I pulled my hand back and kept my voice flat. "My name is Stella Vincent. I am not anyone's stand-in, and I am certainly not Daisy's shadow."

Victoria stared at me. "You used to beg Edward for one look in your direction, and now you're acting above it all?

"Oh, I see what this is. You're a broke waitress living on tips, so you figure this is your chance to squeeze money out of me."

She folded her arms and looked down at me. "Fine. Keep Edward calm and I'll give you three thousand dollars."

I laughed at her. "Take that money and buy Edward a decent coffin."

"You!" Victoria went ballistic, her face flushing with fury.

"You trashy, low-class piece of nothing. How dare you put a curse like that on your own husband? If Edward gets worse because of you, can you live with that?"

"Whatever," I replied, ice-cold.

I shot back, "He only ever cared about Daisy. He never gave a damn about me anyway!"

Suddenly, the heart monitor on Edward's bed started blaring a sharp alarm.

Edward clawed at his oxygen mask, blind and frantic. "What are you two shouting about? Where is my Daisy? Somebody take me to her! Stella came out of a filthy diner. She isn't fit to stand in for Daisy."

I said, "Good, because I want nothing to do with you either."

I took the divorce papers out of my bag and dropped them on the table. "Sign them. As of right now we are officially divorced, and I am finished with the Morgans for good."

Victoria froze for a second and then burst out laughing. "Stella, have you lost it? Walk away from the Morgans and you'll be washing dishes in some diner for the rest of your life."

Edward ground his teeth and spat it out. "Then let's get divorced. Daisy is the only woman I have ever loved. I never once called a waitress my wife."

With that, he fumbled for the divorce papers and signed his name.

I put the papers away, finally feeling at ease.

Just then, a familiar, light laugh came in from the hallway.

Victoria went still. "Did either of you hear that? That was Daisy's voice."

She ran out and called down the corridor. "Daisy! Is that you?"

A few minutes later, she came back in with the life gone out of her face.

Victoria rubbed her eyes and talked to herself. "There's nobody out there. I miss her so much that I'm hearing things."

I just frowned and stayed silent.

The truth was that the laugh had sounded like Daisy to me, too.

But none of it had anything to do with me anymore.

I picked up the signed divorce papers, turned around, and walked out.