Chapter 308: Chapter 307: Daisy Ginger, come back to the United States with me
Daisy Ginger sat wearily against the sofa, turning her head to look out the window: "Edward Stephens, my issues have nothing to do with you."
Her tone was calm and indifferent, as if stating an insignificant fact.
The man seemed to chuckle softly, and with a hint of ease in his voice, he said to Daisy, "Daisy, I didn’t realize you have the ability to be a heartbreaker."
"Your whole family ganged up on me, and yet I’m the heartbreaker?"
"If our family really wanted to go against you, would you still be sitting here just fine?"
"So because you didn’t kill me, the deceit doesn’t count as deceit?"
Edward looked at her, seemingly smiling again.
There was a chill to that smile.
"So what do you think should happen?" Edward said slowly, "Divorce, I go back to the United States, you stay in Banyan City, and we never interact again in our lives. Do you think the gates of the Stephens family are so easy for you to enter and leave at will?"
Daisy couldn’t help but lift her chin at his words, pressing her lips together and looking at him, her eyes slightly red: "Edward, how can you be like this?"
She looked fragile and pitiful now.
The man’s tone softened as well, he got up, walked over to Daisy, and gently embraced her frail body.
"I’ll be good to you as well." He lowered his gaze to her slightly reddened eyes, speaking gently, "Daisy, can’t you just look at me as well? You can’t be this selfish, going to great lengths to please me and then just walking away."
Daisy’s eyes trembled as they lowered, clutching the urn tighter in her arms. The warmth from another’s body was something she clung to, for her heart was so cold that even knowing this warmth was false, she couldn’t help but want to reach out and grasp it.
"Edward." She closed her eyes and said softly, "I’m so cold."
Somewhere in his heart, it felt like a soft paw lightly clawed, a touch of pain, but mostly a gentle sensation.
Edward held her frail body gently, thinking to himself that no matter what happened in the future, he must protect her.
*
Ethan Pond and Zoe Hilker arrived around noon.
They had just received the news.
Edward went to the door to let them in.
Seeing him, neither of them had a particularly big reaction, he understood that Daisy hadn’t told Ethan and Zoe about the situation.
In the living room, Daisy sat leaned against the sofa, her legs curled up, sipping a cup of coffee Edward had just made for her.
Her skin was very fair, and the blue veins were visible on her exposed ankles and feet. A white cashmere coat was draped over her shoulders, wrapping her up.
"Daisy!"
Zoe cried immediately upon seeing her, ran over with red eyes, and hugged her.
"Why didn’t you tell me?" she couldn’t help but say, "Ethan and I only found out now, Daisy, you went too far."
Ethan stood by, looking at the small urn on the coffee table, his face also a bit grim.
Daisy’s actions were quite inconsiderate; she handled such an important matter alone without notifying them, not treating them as friends.
Edward walked over, casually coming to Daisy’s defense: "I also just found out. Don’t blame her, it was her mother, and she wanted to see her off quietly."
Zoe and Ethan were both orphans and never knew what "mother" meant. To them, they were family, relying on each other, and if something happened to one, they would definitely inform Daisy.
But since Daisy hadn’t even informed Edward, it seemed understandable to them.
Zoe wiped her eyes, her voice still hoarse: "Daisy, are you okay? Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"
Ethan gave her a slight tug, annoyed: "Edward is here; why would you stay?"
"He’s no good alone, Daisy needs me now!"
"Don’t trouble Daisy."
Seeing them about to argue, Daisy, who had been silent, finally spoke up: "Zoe, you don’t need to stay with me."
Zoe’s lashes were wet with tears, looking at her eagerly.
"Daisy..."
"I’m not too upset." Daisy said softly, "Actually, when she went insane, I already knew I had lost her."
"..."
"She didn’t stay for me, and I was mentally prepared for this." Her gaze fell on the urn, she said gently, "In the future, it’ll just be a different way of visiting her."
There was no longer any communication between them.
The deceased Alice and the insane Alice, wasn’t there any difference?
In this world, the things worth staying for seemed to be leaving her one by one.
This spring felt colder than any she had experienced before.
Yesterday’s joy seemed just within reach, but that feeling from that moment was impossible to grasp now.
Zoe and Ethan stayed with her until nightfall, then Edward sent them off.
Daisy got up from the sofa, holding the urn, and told Edward, "I’m going to rest in bed and won’t eat dinner."
The man answered briefly, watching her back, as Charlotte Smith came out from the kitchen, noticing Edward’s gaze towards Daisy.
Momentarily stunned.
That gaze was deep, as if filled with something indescribable, without light or shadow.
Daisy didn’t wake up in the evening.
Edward came with milk to call her, but she didn’t respond much.
If not for her even breathing, it seemed like she had passed out.
In the deep of night, the man returned from smoking on the balcony, looking at the woman lying in bed.
Her hair flowed loose, her features calm, looking devoid of the day’s distance and sharpness, stirring a warm softness in his heart.
He walked over, gently caressing her soft cheek.
"Daisy, would you come back to the United States with me?"
Anyway.
There’s nothing here worth lingering over for you anymore.
He leaned down to gently kiss her forehead, his eyes deepening a bit.
*
Lady Stephens called, discreetly asking Edward where Daisy intended to bury Alice.
She seemed a bit afraid of Daisy now; since the truth came out, she didn’t dare to see her, only cautiously trying to find out Alice’s grave to secretly pay respects without Daisy knowing.
Back when she was in Banyan City, the two families were close, and she was good friends with Alice, but over eight years of no contact, the friendship had waned.
But Alice’s death brought back memories of their time together; she felt a deep guilt for deceiving her friend’s daughter for her personal interests.
However, Edward told her that Daisy didn’t seem intent on placing Alice’s ashes in a grave soon, as she hadn’t contacted anyone at the cemetery.
Those days, she was absent from the company, not answering Oliver Rubio’s calls; she either slept or sat on the sofa holding Alice’s urn in a daze. She didn’t reject his closeness, even relying on his embrace, but there was no communication between them.