Chapter 2
When I opened my eyes, Simon and Daisy were standing by my bed.
Daisy was holding onto Simon's arm, tilting her head at me with a smile on her lips.
Simon held out a glass of water and handed me the medicine.
"Take your medicine," he said.
His tone was gentle, just like when he used to comfort me into taking my medicine.
I slapped his hand away.
The glass hit the floor and shattered.
Daisy was startled and stepped back.
Simon instinctively shielded her.
His voice turned cold as he gripped my chin, forcing me to look up.
"Why are you throwing a tantrum? Haven't you figured out the reality yet?" Simon said.
I couldn't help but laugh.
I laughed at myself for being a fool and being so blind for so many years.
"So, you were just pretending all along?" I asked.
Simon paused, saying nothing.
Daisy let out a cold laugh and answered for him.
"Obviously! Whenever you lost it, you were totally clueless, believing whatever you were told. If he hadn't acted for you, would you have just gone along and married him?"
The room was so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat.
It kept beating, steady and relentless.
Even though my heart was already shattered, it kept beating.
I stared at Simon.
"Did you ever mean it, even for a moment?" I asked.
He parted his lips, but no words came out.
Daisy's cold laugh echoed from behind him.
"Mean it? Daphne, are you still dreaming?" Daisy sneered.
I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face.
"What you're doing is illegal. I'm calling the police!" I shouted.
Simon grabbed my arm, his grip so tight it felt like he was trying to crush me.
"You're wrong, Daphne. Our marriage isn't legally binding. Even if you call the cops, it won't make a difference," he said.
His voice was gentle, like he was soothing a naive kid.
"Besides, with Daisy, who is a lawyer, right here, you don't stand a chance," Simon said.
Daisy sprawled out on the sofa, legs crossed, flashing me a mocking smile.
Simon was the one who chose her major for her.
He said, "Being a lawyer is tough. Let Daisy do it. You can just enjoy yourself at home."
All these years, Simon had been backing Daisy, helping her become the legal director.
I ended up as the housewife he despised.
Together, they set up an inescapable net, tightening it around me step by step.
They pinned me in their web, not even leaving me the strength to fight back.
"You've won. Can you let me go now?" I asked.
Simon let go of me, and I stumbled back.
"Of course not. Daisy is pregnant. You're staying here to wait on her," he said.
I couldn't believe what I just heard.
"What did you say?" I asked.
I stared at his face.
I used to believe this was the kindest face in the world.
Now, all I saw was a painted mask, rotten and crawling with filth underneath.
"You've been a housewife for three years. Taking care of people is what you do best, isn't it? Make sure you serve her with the same dedication you had for me," Simon said.
He moved to the doorway, cutting off my escape, his eyes cold and merciless.
"This is your debt to her," he said.
Back in my sophomore year, Daisy and I ran into a bunch of thugs.
She planted herself right in front of me, refusing to budge, and yelled at me to go get help.
I ran out, tears streaming down my face, called the cops, but I couldn't wait for them. I grabbed a stick and charged right back in.
By the time I got back, panting and out of breath, the place was empty.
I searched every alley nearby, my throat raw from screaming, my knees bleeding and bruised, but nobody responded.
The next day, Daisy called me out in front of everyone.
"Why didn't you come? Do you even realize what I went through?" Daisy demanded.
Her eyes were swollen, and her lips were cracked and crusted with dried blood.
"None of this would've happened if it wasn't for you!" she shouted.
Everyone stared at me, their gaze sharp as blades.
They thought I was a deserter and a coward.
I wanted to say that I came back and looked for her all night.
But seeing her tears and those wounds, every word caught in my throat.
It was all my fault.
If only I hadn't run away first. If only I'd been braver. If only I'd run faster.
Guilt completely overwhelmed me, and from then on, I went above and beyond for her.
I let her have all my scholarships, gave up my guaranteed spot for grad school, and said yes to everything she wanted.
I even got my dad to take her in as his goddaughter, and let her have ten percent of the company shares.
She told me it was all over, and that we were still good friends.
I actually believed her.
I'd been making it up to her for seven years. That should be enough.
Simon's expression didn't change at all.
"Those things were hers to begin with. What you gave her and what you owe her are not the same thing at all," he said.
I never knew he could be this shameless.
"So when does this end?" I asked.
"When she finally thinks you've paid enough," Simon replied.
Tears streamed down my face again.
I wiped them with the back of my hand, but no matter how many times I tried, they just kept coming.
Just then, Daisy spoke up.
"If you don't want to serve me, just pay back all the money my husband spent on you all these years. 1.5 million dollars isn't too much to ask, right?" Daisy said.
Simon frowned, saying nothing.
I knew she was just making things hard for me.
The house was his, and so were all the cards.
Simon never handed me money unless I asked for it.
He always said, "Whenever you come to me for money, it makes me feel needed."
I thought he just needed reassurance.
So even though it felt humiliating to always have to ask, I still played along.
It turned out that he was just stingy with me.
I glanced at the sapphire necklace around Daisy's neck, its fiery sparkle making my chest tighten.
"I don't have any money," I said.
Simon arched his eyebrow, a mocking grin slowly curling on his lips.
"Then go make some," he sneered.
"Though honestly, I doubt anyone would even hire you," he added.
My fingers twisted the hem of my shirt, knuckles white with anxiety.
"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice trembling.
He gently played with my hair with his fingers, the gesture soft but laced with mockery.
"Do you remember, back then when you were looking for work, why you never lasted more than three months at any job?" he asked.
My heart sank. Of course I remembered.
I always thought it was because I just wasn't good enough.
"Every time you started at a new company, Daisy and I would send your manager those videos of your breakdowns," Simon said.
Simon's tone was so nonchalant, as if he was talking about the weather.
"They didn't even blame us. In fact, they were grateful we warned them ahead of time," he added.
My head buzzed, everything spinning.
"Are you trying to ruin me for good?" I asked.
Daisy lounged on the sofa, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
She sneered, "Finally figured it out, huh?
"Daphne, it was never about you not being good enough. We made sure you never even had a chance."
My legs went weak, and I had to grab the wall to keep from collapsing.
"Every time you went off to work, all excited, we'd just watch from the sidelines, waiting," Daisy said.
Her voice was calm and unhurried.
She said, "We'd wait until you'd been there a month, until you thought you could finally stand tall again.
"Then we'd send out those videos, and you'd come back with your tail between your legs, totally crushed."
Her words were like a blade, slicing into me, one cut at a time.
"Then we'd tell you we'd keep you around, like you were some charity case.
"We ruined you, crippled you, until you believed you were nothing but worthless.
"Do you even know what this process is called?"
She leaned in close to my ear.
She spoke each word slowly and clearly.
"It's called the making of a parasite."