Chapter 1

It took Daisy ten years to transform from a humble street vendor into a star investor in the corporate world.

I stood by her side for every single one of those ten years.

During our darkest year, I threw away every last drop of my self-respect and begged my estranged mother just for twenty dollars to buy us a decent meal.

Looking back into Daisy’s heartbroken, tear-filled eyes, I gave her a soft smile and asked just one thing: "On the day the company finally goes public on Nasdaq, will you bring me with you?"

She held me close and promised she would.

Years later, when her company’s empire was soaring at its absolute peak, I gently brought up my old request once more. She didn't even bother lifting her eyes from her desk.

"I’m way too busy right now. We'll talk about it later."

So, I never brought it up again.

Until one evening, I accidentally stumbled across a viral short video of her company’s grand public listing online.

Daisy, who had told me she was merely away on a routine business trip, was standing right there on the Nasdaq trading floor. However, the man standing proudly beside her wasn't me but my younger half-brother, Jason.

Holding hands, Daisy and Jason struck the ceremonial bell together, ringing in her billion-dollar empire. As fireworks exploded across the digital screen, she pulled Jason into a gentle, tender embrace.

"Thank you for being here to witness the most important moment of my life," her voice echoed through the video. "I’m so happy."

Jason wrapped his arms around her waist, whispering back, "Me too."

I turned off my phone screen and let out a faint, quiet laugh. Then, I went about my day as usual, buying groceries and cooking dinner.

After finishing my meal, I sent Daisy a short, simple text message.

[Got twenty bucks to spare?]

She didn't bother asking me why. She simply transferred twenty thousand dollars straight into my bank account without a second thought.

I kept twenty dollars, and immediately wired back the remaining nineteen thousand nine hundred and eighty.

I sent her a final two-word reply. [Too much.]

Then, I wired that twenty dollars straight to my mother, officially settling a decade-long debt.

Ten years ago, for twenty dollars, I discarded my pride and dignity for Daisy's future. Now, with that same twenty dollars, she brought our relationship to an end.

There was never any room for me in her grand Nasdaq victory, and the quiet life I built from here on out will never have any room for her.

Chapter 1

"Still awake?"

At 10 p.m., the bedroom door swung open.

It was Daisy Duke. She wheeled a light green suitcase behind her, still dressed in the same crisp business suit she’d been wearing in the video.

Instead of jumping up to greet her like I usually would, I stayed curled up on the couch, not even bothering to look up.

"Waiting for you," I said, keeping my voice completely flat.

She walked over, her hands pausing halfway through taking off her necklace.

"What’s there to wait for? We’re basically an old married couple at this point."

"We aren't married yet," I corrected her.

"It’s bound to happen eventually."

When she spoke, a wave of her perfume drifted over. It was a sharp, cool scent of pine, a cologne I never wore.

I let out a soft laugh.

"Daisy, do you actually still want to marry me?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Of course."

Even after telling another man how happy she was with him, she still wanted to marry me. Now, the difference was, I didn't want to anymore.

She slid off her blazer and casually tossed it over the couch. "You should head to bed first. I still need to get over this jet lag."

"Okay." I got up and walked straight into the bedroom while she stared at my back, visibly caught off guard.

I knew what she was thinking. She must be wondering why I was acting so different tonight.

Normally, no matter how late it was, I’d always have a cup of tea waiting for her to settle her stomach and help her unwind. I’d even follow her around like a personal assistant, picking up every piece of clothing she carelessly kicked off, all while blabbering away about how much groceries had gone up this week.

Tonight, though, I didn't do a single thing or say a word.

A few minutes later, she knocked on the bedroom door. "How do you make that tea again?"

"A teaspoon of honey, a squeeze of lemon in a cup of chamomile tea."

In the dark room, she walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to rest her hand against my forehead.

"You don't have a fever. What’s wrong with you today?"

I gently brushed her hand away.

"Daisy, where did you actually go on your trip?"

She paused for a second before saying calmly. "Corholt. Just checking the Nasdaq."

Though she wasn't lying, she wasn't telling the whole truth either. When did she get so effortlessly good at lying to my face?

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

Daisy frowned. She pulled the comforter up over my shoulders and said softly, "Stay in bed. I'll go check."

She turned, stepped out of the bedroom, and opened the front door.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice was a mixture of surprise and delight.

I got out of bed, walked into the hallway, and saw Jason Connor. He was standing right outside, wearing the same arrogant, handsome smile he had back at Nasdaq.

"Daisy, you grabbed my suitcase by mistake."

I glanced over. The color, brand, and style were identical.

Jason caught sight of me and raised an eyebrow, waving with over-the-top enthusiasm.

"Hey, Matt, you're up too! Man, this is totally on me. I really shouldn't be interrupting you and Daisy at a time like this."

I didn't say a word.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Daisy wheeling the other suitcase out of the guest room. She’d already put her blazer back on and was holding her car keys.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm feeling a bit hungry, so I'm gonna walk Jason down and grab a late-night bite with him."

"Are you two—"

Before I could even finish the sentence, she already had her answer ready.

"Don't get the wrong idea. We just happened to be on the same flight back. Besides, isn’t he your brother? I just took a ride in his car from the airport because it was safer."

I looked right at her.

Her face didn't twitch, and her voice didn't waver for a single second. It was so perfectly delivered that I couldn't find a single crack in it.

Chapter 2

I forced a small smile and stepped forward.

"Daisy."

Her footsteps halted, and she turned back to look at me. "What’s up?"

"Where’s my gift?"

"What gift?"

It seemed she had completely forgotten.

"The ring."

She froze, but her very first reaction was to turn her head and look straight at Jason.

I smiled again.

"Elevator's here!" Jason called out.

She offered a quick, distracted response and fled with him in a panic, vanishing from my line of sight a second later.

Five years ago, I asked her when she’d finally be willing to marry me.

She had thrown herself into my arms, her eyes fixed on me with utter certainty as she said, "On the day our company goes public, can you propose to me? I want to be the happiest woman in the world."

She said she’d be the one to prepare the rings. Yet, she never told me the company had gone public. And she never prepared a ring.

I pulled out my phone and dialed a number.

"About that dinner you mentioned... I’m in."

The voice on the other end immediately perked up. "I’ve been begging you to come out of retirement for three years! You’re finally agreeing?"

Then, as if remembering something, the person on the line asked, "Wait, aren't you getting married to Daisy this year?"

I looked around the empty house and shook my head.

"Not anymore."

When I woke up the next morning, Daisy had already gone to work.

She had only been back for a single night, but her mess was scattered everywhere. Her unwashed clothes were dumped in the bathroom. Her half-empty coffee mug was left sitting on the dining table. The vanity was littered with used makeup wipes.

I took one look at it and didn't bother lifting a finger. Instead, I called a maid service.

The housekeeper was incredibly efficient. In less than thirty minutes, she had cleaned up the entire place and even whipped up a quick breakfast for me.

"Sir, you are really so good to your wife."

"She’s not my wife."

"Oh?" She hesitated, testing the waters. "Your girlfriend, then?"

"Yeah. For the next five days, I want you to come at this exact time every morning. I'll pay you for full-day shifts."

The housekeeper couldn't stop grinning. "Oh, wonderful! Thank you so much!"

After she left, I started packing my bags.

Scout trotted over, carrying his dog bowl in his mouth, and dropped it right into my open suitcase. He panted, wagging his tail.

"Woof! Woof!"

I patted his head softly. "Alright, buddy. I'll take you with me."

Scout was six years old. Daisy had given him to me as a gift the year my father passed away. Back then, she said, "Whenever I'm not around, Scout will keep you company."

Scout was my family.

Daisy had told so many lies over the years, but that was the one thing she didn't lie about. Because ever since then, Scout was the only one who stayed by my side and the only thing I wanted to take with me.

At 6 p.m., my phone rang.

It was Daisy.

"Don't bother making dinner for me tonight. I have plans."

I glanced down at the takeout container on the table and answered casually, "Okay."

"Also, today is your mother's birthday. Remember to give her a call."

My jaw stopped mid-chew. "Since when did you two get so close?"

"That doesn't matter. There are no permanent enemies in business. Be good, okay? Just do it for my sake."

Before I could refuse, she hung up. She sounded so completely certain that, because I loved her, I would put aside all the deep-rooted resentment I had toward my mother.

Sure, I loved her back then. But not anymore.

I tossed my phone onto the table, picked up a chicken wing, and went back to eating, completely ignoring her advice.

Ten minutes later, my phone screen lit up again. This time, it was Jason.

He sent over a short video, barely a minute long, of a dinner at the Connors', and Daisy was right there with them.

In the clip, she sat beside Jason, carefully cutting the steak for him. Once the final piece was sliced, she transferred it directly onto his plate.

She looked so gentle and devoted, something she had never once done for me.

My mother’s voice came through the audio, teasing playfully, "Well, looks like our family will be celebrating a big milestone very soon!"

Daisy didn't deny it.

A moment later, Jason sent a quick text message.

[You can't give her happiness.]

I chuckled and typed out my reply with complete composure.

[Yeah. So I'm handing her over to you. You want her?]

[I do.]

Chapter 3

I locked my phone and forced down a few mouthfuls of food, swallowing past the lump in my throat. Though my stomach was full, my heart felt like it had been gouged wide open.

Scout let out two soft barks and curled up at my feet, silently keeping me company.

At 11 p.m., Daisy finally came home, carrying a takeout box in her hand.

Scout trotted over to her feet, only to be nudged away without a second thought. The dog whined softly and scurried back into my arms.

I pulled him close, slowly shifting my eyes toward the takeout box she was holding.

"Late-night snack?"

She set the box down on the dining table. "The food was pretty good, so I specifically brought some back for you."

"I'm not hungry."

She frowned, her tone immediately turning sharp and uncompromising. "I went out of my way to bring this back for you. Come and have some."

She was calling her leftovers a special gesture just for me.

I didn't reply, so she marched over, snatched the phone straight out of my hand, and stood over me, looking down at me.

"Matt, what's your problem? If you have something to say, just say it. I absolutely despise when you act like this."

"Act like what?"

"Sit there with that miserable look on your face, as if the whole world owes you something."

As if she didn't owe me anything?

I didn't feel like arguing with her, though. Getting up, I walked over to the table and flipped the takeout container open to find it filled with garlic butter shrimp, crab legs, and lobster.

I pointed at the spread, my face completely devoid of expression. "Daisy, did you have this packed specifically for me? I’m deathly allergic to shellfish. Did you forget?"

She froze. "I didn't know... Jas—a friend helped me pack it up."

"Jason?"

Her brow furrowed deeper. "Are you tracking me?"

I held up my phone and opened my social media feed. After scrolling just a few times, multiple photos of her posing with my mother popped up.

"It’s pretty hard to miss."

She stared at me intently, turned around to pour herself a drink from the bar, and took a big sip.

"It was your mother's birthday, and you didn't even bother making a simple phone call. You want to throw a childish tantrum, fine, but do you expect me to act as immature as you?"

Her voice was thick with exhaustion.

"If you had just swallowed your pride and made peace with your mother years ago, maybe I wouldn't have had to work so damn hard. Matt, I’m exhausted."

So, she was blaming me for not letting her take an easy shortcut.

"I want to sleep alone tonight." I turned around, walked into the bedroom, and clicked the door shut behind me.

Because of the unresolved fight from the night before, we fell into an unprecedented cold war.

While she was away at work during the day, I started packing up my belongings.

I didn't leave behind any of the caviar, truffles, or vintage wines, and the sourdough starter I made was finally ready. So I scheduled a courier service to ship all of it out immediately.

I even booked a private pet transport service to ship Scout out ahead of time.

At 8 p.m. on Saturday evening, Daisy had barely stepped through the front door and hadn't even taken off her high heels yet when she spoke.

"Jason invited my dad out for dinner tomorrow night. Both families are having dinner together, and you're coming too."

My thumb paused mid-swipe on my phone screen.

"Can I say no?"

She looked straight at me. "Matt, you should know what a dinner between both families signifies. Don't make things difficult for me."

What did it signify? An engagement? A wedding announcement?

And who was the groom supposed to be—me or Jason?

I didn't ask, nodding along and said, "Okay." I had no other reason for agreeing than wanting to see just how far they had actually gone behind my back.

When I arrived the next evening, the private dining room was already packed.

Jason sat right in the middle, surrounded by everyone like a star among the clouds. Whatever he was saying had Daisy’s father, Ben Duke, laughing hysterically.

Catching sight of me, Ben's laughter instantly faded.

"You're late," he said flatly.

My mother, Mary, who had been completely absent from my life, put on the strict matriarch persona for the very first time.

She slammed her glass onto the table with a heavy thud.

"What took you so long? Where are your manners, making us wait for you?"

Before I could even speak, Jason walked over to my side, smiling pleasantly as he tried to smooth things over.

"Don't blame Matt. If I hadn't driven over to pick up Daisy first, he wouldn't have had to take that extra detour."

I nodded. "Yeah. It really is your fault."

Chapter 4

An awkward silence fell over the room.

Daisy threw me a sharp look, then immediately stepped in to bail Jason out.

"There was a last-minute issue at the office, and I needed Jason's help. That’s why I asked him to drive me over. After all, if you’re asking someone for a favor, you have to show proper gratitude!"

The older adults burst into a round of easy laughter. Just like that, they went back to looking like one big, happy family—one that clearly didn't include me.

Over dinner, the conversation shifted to Daisy’s journey as an entrepreneur.

Ben raised his glass toward Mary. "Speaking of which, Mary, I really have to thank you for taking such good care of Daisy."

He toasted her with a respectful nod. "Daisy told me all about it. Back when things were toughest for her company, it was all thanks to your guidance and backing that she pulled through."

My fork stalled mid-air. She had taken every ounce of my sacrifice and effort, repackaged it, and handed the credit over to Mary.

Mary leaned back, positively glowing with self-satisfaction.

"Oh, it was nothing," she said, patting Jason’s hand affectionately. "We should be thanking Daisy, honestly. When Jason was studying abroad in Macondo for three years, he barely knew how to manage on his own. It was a blessing that Daisy flew over so often to check on him.

"Whenever I was too busy to step in, she was the one staying by Jason’s side. I really should be the one offering her a toast."

Ben’s face lit up with an irresistible grin. "Well, as long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters."

Daisy and Jason exchanged a quick look, sharing a subtle, knowing smile. It carried a level of unspoken intimacy I had never seen between them before.

I picked up my glass of water and took a slow sip that tasted like ash.

Over those three years, she had taken seventy-eight business trips, and fifty-one of them were flights directly to Macondo.

I remembered one time, when I was bedridden with a burning fever, I had begged her, "Can’t you skip this trip just once?"

She had merely offered a cold apology, turned on her heel, and boarded a plane straight to Macondo.

Back then, I genuinely believed she was working herself to the bone for her career. It turned out that she was just flying to the other side of the world because Jason was waiting for her.

I set my fork down, dabbed the corners of my mouth with a napkin, and turned to leave. Suddenly, Jason’s voice cut through the air.

"Matt, after all these years, don't you ever feel embarrassed?"

My footsteps halted. "What?"

"I honestly can't watch this anymore. You have a college degree, so why can't you go out and get an actual job? Daisy’s only human, man. She gets tired too."

As he called me out, the raw sympathy in his eyes for Daisy was obvious to everyone at the table. He wasn't even pretending to hide it anymore.

"Is that what Daisy told you?"

"She didn't have to say a word. I can see it with my own eyes."

I turned my gaze toward Daisy. "Are you tired?"

She looked right back at me and finally spoke. "Jason’s right, Matt. It’s time you got a real job of your own."

A job of my own? Before I gave up everything to support Daisy's startup, I was an executive chef at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant.

I was at the absolute top of my field, recognized as one of the elite culinary talents of my generation. But for her, I had walked away from all of it.

Now, in her eyes, I was just a useless parasite living off her dime, an easy target for anyone to look down on.

After a long silence, I finally spoke.

"Okay."

The moment the word left my mouth, I turned and walked straight out the door. Not a single person tried to stop me, as if my departure was long overdue.

Chapter 5

When I got up the next morning, Daisy was sitting at the dining table, waiting for me.

"Matt, my dad was really unhappy with how you acted yesterday."

I poured myself a glass of water and took a few sips. "And?"

"Aren't you going to apologize?"

"Apologize for what?"

"Being late, acting completely antisocial, and the attitude you threw at Jason."

I set my glass down and looked straight at her. "So what?"

She met my gaze, her frustration clearly visible. "Matt, my patience with you has limits. Don't wait until we actually break up to come crawling back, begging me. Because I won't take you back."

I snapped my head up. "I won't beg, and you won't need to take me back."

She let out a harsh, incredulous laugh. "After all these years, you're still as stubborn as ever. You're just convinced I’d never actually end things with you, aren't you?"

I stared into her eyes, trying to look straight into her soul. "So, will you?"

She avoided my gaze, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I don't know."

She didn't know? Or did she just not dare to say it? Either way, I didn't care anymore.

I walked past her and headed straight into the kitchen. "Have you eaten?"

She blinked, caught off guard. "No."

"Then let's have a bite together."

I quickly whipped up a fresh pasta dish, wiping a stray drop of sauce from the rim of the plate before bringing it to the table.

She took a massive bite, letting out a satisfied sigh. "If you had acted like this yesterday, maybe I would've already given you the ring."

I froze, not quite understanding what she meant.

"Last night, I was actually planning on giving you the ring so you could propose to me. I had bought it."

As she spoke, she pushed a small black velvet box across the table toward me.

I opened it gently. Inside rested a ring with a sleek band and intricate, hollowed-out engravings. It was gorgeous.

I picked it up and tried to slip it on, but no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't fit—it wasn't my size.

I let out a bitter laugh, mocking myself for still holding onto that last tiny glimmer of hope. We had been together for ten years, yet the ring she bought for me couldn't even fit my finger.

"Then why didn't you bring it up last night?" I asked.

She set her fork down, her voice cold and indifferent. "Jason was right. You need to be put in your place for a bit so you actually learn your lesson."

I placed the ring back into the box. "Does he know you're planning a proposal?"

"Yeah. He's the one who helped me pick out the ring."

So, the ring was sized for Jason?

I let out a soft laugh and pushed the velvet box right back in front of her. "Take the ring back."

Daisy’s brows furrowed tightly. "Aren't you going to get down on one knee and propose to me?"

I lifted my eyes to look at her. "Do you want me to?"

She snatched the ring box, shoved it into her coat pocket, and turned to leave. "Matt, you're going to regret this. Next time you ask, it won't be this easy."

There won't be a next time, though.

"Daisy," I called out. "Do you actually want to get married right now?"

She shook her head. "You're the one who doesn't want to marry me. I have to work overtime for the next few days, so I won't be coming home."

With that, she walked straight out of the door.

The apartment suddenly fell eerily quiet. Luckily, I was already used to being alone.

At 5.30 p.m., right in the middle of peak rush hour, my rideshare pulled up to a red light at the south intersection.

I stared at the familiar street corner, momentarily dazed. Daisy's company headquarters was located right here.

When I turned my head to look through the window, her figure appeared at the main lobby entrance, looking like she was waiting for someone.

Just then, a sleek luxury car pulled up right in front of her. Jason stepped out, opening his arms to pull her into a tight embrace. In the fading twilight, the ring on his finger glittered viciously.

The driver was a chatty local. Catching sight of the scene outside, he clicked his tongue in admiration.

"Check that out. That's Daisy Duke right there, and the guy next to her is her boyfriend. A few days ago, the video of her bringing him along to ring the Nasdaq bell went totally viral online. Look at that ring on his finger... Man, in a few days, he might just be the new Mr. Duke."

A sudden wave of absurdity washed over me. It turned out that ring was meant for Jason all along, yet she still used her lies to pretend she loved me.

I rolled the window all the way up, my voice barely above a whisper. "Mister, let's go."

The light turned green, and the car sped forward. Soon after, my plane soared high into the clouds.

'Daisy, you have your empire to rule, and I have my own quiet life to live. From now on, I won't be waiting around for you anymore.'