Naomi nodded. âIâm head in then. Drive safe.âJackie watched her walk in before driving away. Naomi walked into the living room. Mrs. Irving had prepared dinner and smiled when she saw her. âItâs time for dinner, maâam.ââIâm not hungry. You go ahead.â Naomi walked up the stairs without looking back.Mrs. Irving put the food on the table and looked at her worriedly. After Anthony arrived home, Mrs. Irving told him about what had happened because she was worried.Anthony took off his coat and handed it to her. âIâll go take a look.âHe went to Naomiâs room, knocked on the door, opened the door, and saw Naomi sitting in front of her desk, going through a photo album. âNaomi, why arenât you having dinner?âNaomi shook her head. âIâm not hungry yet, don't feel like eating.âSeeing how sad his daughter was, he could guess what had happened. He walked to her, sat down, and said, âNelly, all that I have done is for your own good.âNaomi was surprised. Anthony looked down. âI kno
Maisie was in deep thought for a long time. âYes, but I could feel his love for me, so I wouldnât have let it become a regret.ââHmm.â Naomi looked down and gave a sad smile.When people who loved each other couldnât be together, it was just because they didnât love each other enough. Why would two people who loved each other a lot let it turn into regret?She liked Francisco, but did he feel the same?Since he had given up so easily, maybe he just wasnât that into herâŚThe week after that, Naomi and Lucy worked at the store, and she slowly recovered. Naom sat in her new office and was doing some design work when a colleague appeared outside her door. âNaomi, a handsome man is asking for you outside.âNaomiâs heart skipped a beat. She stood up and walked out to the corridor. When she got there and saw the person waiting for her, there was Jackie, disappointment flashed across her eyes, but she recovered quickly. She felt pathetic for her own naivety as she walked toward him.
Maisie frowned. âSo you picked her?âThe server brought over a cup of coffee, and Jackie moved it next to his hand. âHer father wanted to match-make us, so it would be normal for me to pick her.âMaisie rubbed her temples. âSo, youâre not really interested in her?ââShe isnât interested in me either. I donât like to make people do things.âShe smiled. âOh, you didnât make anyone do anything at the hotel.âJackie was rendered speechless. Maisie put her hand under her chin. âI feel better hearing you say that. I need your help with something too.ââŚThe news about Naomi and Jackie dating spread quickly, and it got to Anthony too. Even he was shocked.Naomi was having dinner at the table when he rushed home and looked up. âYouâre back.ââI just finished work.â Anthony put down his briefcase, pulled up a chair at the table, and suddenly asked, âNelly, how did you and Mr. CliffordâŚâNaomi smiled. âDidnât you wish that I would end up with him?â Even though she was just pretending
Francisco didnât answer.She lowered her head, still unable to be as calm as he was. âIf you have nothing more to say, Iâll be on my way.âShe was going to turn around when Francisco pulled her arm. âI have a question.âNaomi took a deep breath but didnât turn around. âWhat?ââDo you love Jackie?âNaomi beamed and didnât say anything. After a moment, she pulled her hand away. âIt doesnât matter.âFrancisco turned to look at her. âDo you have any feelings for him?âNaomi didnât understand why Francisco was asking her about that, so she turned around and looked into his eyes. âWhat does this have to do with you? You donât like me, but I canât be with someone else?âShe regretted saying that because she saw how sad his eyes were, and it made her think that he was the one who was hurt.After a long pause, he turned his body away. âI guess Mr. Topaz was right. The feelings you had for me werenât real. When you met someone better, you easily fell for him.âNaomi froze. âWhat⌠What
Francisco trembled, and he hugged her even tighter. It looked like he was using all his strength, but a sense of powerlessness rose from the depths of his heart. A surge of emotion raged in his eyes as he said, âNaomi. I don't know how to express my feelings. You're different from those women I wooed before, so I can't treat you like I treated them.âHe tightened his grip on her shoulders. âIf I had known this day would come, I would have stayed away from you in the first place.âNaomiâs eyelashes trembled. She stayed in his arms and did not say anything.Francisco stroked her cheek with his hand and wiped the tears off her face. âI donât deserve a good woman like you.âHe slowly pulled away from Naomi after he finished speaking. Just when he turned around, Naomi hugged him from behind.He was stunned, and his chest rose up and down heavily. âNaomiâŚââJust let me hug you for a while.â Naomi closed her eyes. She pressed her cheek against his back, feeling the warmth of his body se
âMaybe thatâs the problem.â Maisie looked at Barbara. âMr. Topaz isnât satisfied with Francisco because of his scandalous past. You try and think about it. A playboy who wants to settle down in a relationship. Who can guarantee that he won't go around and tease other women after getting married?âMr. Topaz has only one daughter. She has never fallen in love with any men before, and she's as pure as a blank sheet of paper, so do you think he'll hand his daughter over to Francisco?âBarbara was stumped. âArenât they all saying a prodigal who returns is more precious than gold?âMaisie chuckled. âYeah, but even Francisco doesnât have confidence in himself that he can give Naomi happiness. He should be serious about his relationship with Naomi. A man with a long love history meets a woman who has never fallen in love with any man before. He wants to cherish the relationship, but he's afraid he doesn't deserve her purity, so he can only let it go.âAfter hearing what Maisie said, Barbar
âWhat if she knows about it?â Jackie asked, stunning Francisco.He looked at Francisco and chuckled. âGo ahead and tell her about it. I donât really care.âAfter he finished speaking, he patted Franciscoâs shoulder and continued. âAfter all, she did it out of her own free will. I didn't force her.âFrancisco's gaze was cold, and he clenched his fists tightly. "I won't let you get away with it."He turned around, went back into his car, and drove away. Jackie watched the car that had gotten further away in his vision and clicked his tongue.It seemed to him that Francisco couldnât hold himself anymore.âGuess I still need to give him one last push.ââŚThe next afternoon, Naomi came to the restaurant. Jackie had already booked the entire restaurant and was waiting for her.She walked to the seat opposite him and sat down. Then, she said, âYou donât have to spend so much money, Mr. Clifford.ââItâs fine. I donât like getting disturbed,â Jackie said as he poured a glass of wine.
Naomi opened the door, and when she saw the man standing in front of her, she was stunned, and her brain went blank.When Francisco saw her wrapped in a bathrobe and remembered who she was calling just now, his face turned dark.At that moment, Naomi finally came around to her senses. âMr. Boucher, what are youââBefore she could finish her sentence, Francisco pushed her into the room. He closed the door, and when he saw the rose petals on the bed, a cold glint crossed his eyes as he smiled coldly. âAre you waiting for Jackie?ââWhat?â asked Naomi.âThis is a honeymoon suite, and you even took a shower,â said Francisco, his face grim with anger. âAre you going to offer yourself to him?ââThis is a honeymoon suite!?âNaomi was stunned. Before she could come around to her senses, Francisco pinned her to the wall and kissed her.Naomi's eyelashes fluttered. His kiss was fueled with desire, and his action was more vigorous than the last time he kissed her. She put her hands on his
âDaisie.â Leah and Morrison walked up to her with wine glasses. âYou look so pretty today.ââThank you,â Daisie said with a smile.Leah lifted her wine glass. âI propose a toast. Morrison and I wish you a happy marriage.âDaisie clinked glasses with her. âSame goes for you and Morrison.âAfter the toast, Cameron walked up to Daisie with Waylon. Behind them were Freyja, Colton, Maisie, and Nolan.Maisie raised her hand and caressed her on the cheek. âYou were great earlier today.âShe giggled. âReally?âNolan added, âYouâll forever be our dazzling pride, so yes.âDaisie grinned as if she was still the little princess of the family.Nollace came over. âDad, Mom, a toast to the both of you. Thank you for letting me have Daisieâs hand.ââConsider yourself lucky.â Nolan snorted softly, picked up his wine glass, and clinked glasses with him. âYouâd better treat my daughter well from now on.âNollace glanced at Daisie. âDonât worry. Sheâll forever be my one and only.âMaisie chuck
In order to make way for the wedding carriage, other vehicles had been forbidden from accessing the route from the palace to the cathedral.Daisie looked out of the carriageâthe streets were crowded with citizens, and they were all there to witness this grand scene.Nollace, sitting on the side, was wearing a double-breasted dark blue military jacket. He looked tall and broad, and there were two St. Patrickâs Stars on his epaulets, one on each side, a full set of medals on his chest, and other complicated decorations.He held the back of Daisieâs hand and smiled suddenly. âYou have sweaty palms.âDaisie looked back at him and responded with a trembling voice, âIâm nervous.âHe lifted her hand and kissed the back of her hand. âIâm here, so donât be nervous. Just take it easy.âDaisieâs gaze landed on his wedding jacket. âYou look nice in this uniform.âNollace chuckled. âAnd my bride looks stunning too.âArriving at the cathedral, Nollace was separated from Daisie. Accompanied b
âBy the way, whereâs Cameron?â asked Morrison.Waylon replied, âSheâs accompanying her father on a stroll. Iâm going to go meet them already, so Iâll leave you to yourselves for now. You can do whatever you want with your free time.âAfter saying that, he got up and left the couple.Morrison shook his head. âHeâs changed now that he has a wife.ââYouâre speaking as if you havenât changed.â Leah got up instantly and left the restaurant.Morrison put his cup down and caught up to her immediately. âHey, why would you leave me behind? Wait for me.âMaisie and Saydie came out of the private room and ran into Nolan and Quincy in the corridor.Quincy nodded. âMrs. Goldmann.âMaisie stopped in front of Nolan, and Nolan grabbed her by her hand. âHave you finished catching up?ââOf course. Didnât you want to go to the Hathawaysâ villa with Dad in the afternoon?âNolan smiled. âI was waiting for you. Weâre just going over to have a meal together.âQuincy walked up to Saydieâs side and
Daisie grinned from ear to ear. âThen Iâll wear this crown on my wedding day, which can be considered an endorsement for my momâs jewelry company and design.âNollace hugged her from behind. âYou can do anything as long as you like it.ââŚThe members of the Goldmanns arrived in Yaramoor two days before the wedding and stayed in the hotel arranged by Nollace. The royal family had reserved the entire hotel for receiving distinguished guests from Zlokova who came to attend the wedding.Members from the Bouchers and the Lucases showed up, and Sunny was also present.There were also some familiar faces from the Zlokovian entertainment industry. Hannah, Amy, James, and Charlie, who were close friends with Daisie, all came.Leah and Morrison were also on the invitation list.When Maisie came to the restaurant, the waiter led her into a private room.As soon as she saw the man sitting inside, she smiled and exclaimed, âGodfather!âStrix slowly turned around.She had not seen him for
The rest of the people laughed.The night came, and the entire city was shrouded in a mist of neon light. Daisie and Nollace returned to Taylorton after having their dinner.Her hair was wet as she got out of the shower. Nollace took over her towel and helped her to dry her hair.She sat in front of her dresser and looked at the person behind her through the mirror. There was a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she said, âNolly, Iâm really looking forward to our wedding.ââReally?â Nollace gently dried the soft tips of her hair. âIâm looking forward to it too.ââI can say that my life is perfect now, right? Since I can marry and walk down the aisle with the man I love the most.âHe laughed out loud and leaned down to her ear. âYou know what? All the wishes in my life have come true as well.âDaisie turned her head around. âWhat are your wishes?ââMarry you, give you a wedding, and have our own kids.âShe was stunned. Slowly, her face turned red due to her embarrassme
âYeah, itâs true,â replied Zephir.âIt seems like youâve finally become more mature after coming back from your vacation.â Naomi patted his shoulder. âI wish you all the best in your future endeavors.â He smiled at her but did not say anything.âŚSoon, it was the end of the month. Their vacation had come to an end, and they returned to Bassburgh.Maisie and Nolan were waiting for them in the courtyard. After getting out of the car, Daisie ran up to them. âMommy! Daddy!âShe hugged both of them.Nolan petted her head and smiled helplessly. âYouâre an adult now. You should stop acting like a kid.âShe smiled back at them and said, âBut I know Iâll always be your kid in your eyes.âMaisie chuckled and looked at the other people. âIt seems like you guys had a lot of fun. Anyway, come in first. We should eat together tonight.âFreyja and Cameron went to look for their kids after they went into the house. Charm and her two cousins were staying in the same room. All of them were sl
Nollace looked at them. âWhat a coincidence.ââMorrison and I were here earlier than you guys,â said Leah. âWe only found out that you guys were here when Daisie posted a photo on her Facebook page.âDaisie pulled Leah to the seat and said, âThen you should stay a few more days with us.âAfter Morrison took his seat, Waylon introduced him to Freyja and Daisie. âSheâs my sister-in-law, Freyja, and sheâs my sister. Her name is Daisie.ââIâve seen them before at your wedding,â said Morrison. âYour sister is my wifeâs classmate. She has told me before.ââSince when did I become your wife? Thereâs a chance I may not marry you in the future,â said Leah.âWeâre already engaged. If you donât want to marry me, who else are you going to marry?â Morrison frowned, causing the crowd to break out in a burst of laughter, save for Daisie.She looked at Leah in disbelief and asked, âEngaged? When did you get engaged, Leah?â Leah cleared her throat and replied, âWell, I forgot to inform you abo
The stall owner said, â$10 for three chances.ââ$10 for three chances only? Thatâs expensive,â commented Freyja.The stall owner raised his head and said, âIâm the cheapest around here. Other stalls offer $15 for three chances.â Daisie tugged at Freyja and said, âLet's just give him the money. It isn't easy for them to set up a stall here anyway, so let's have some fun.âAfter that, she gave $20 to the stall owner and said, âPlease give us six hoops.âThe stall owner gave her six hoops. She had her eyes set on a bracelet. Although she knew it was fake, it was rather beautiful. She held a hoop and threw it toward the bracelet.However, she did not get it.She threw another two hoops at the bracelet, but her attempts failed, much to her chagrin. She had only three hoops left.Seeing that Daisie was prepared to give up, Cameron took over the rest of the hoops in her hand and said, âLeave it to me.âShe squinted and aimed at the bracelet. After that, she threw the hoop at it an
The night of the old town was silent. The air was filled with nothing but the humming of insects. There was a lamp hanging outside of the tent on the grass. The atmosphere was quiet. Daisie was tossing and turning in the sleeping bag as sleep just wouldn't come to her. Suddenly, an arm appeared across her waist as she was brought into a chest. âWhatâs the matter? You canât sleep?ââYeahâŚâ She buried her head in his chest and said, âI want to go to take a leak, but Iâm a little bit scared.âNollace kissed her forehead and said, âIâll go with you then.âBoth of them came out of the tent. Nollace took a flashlight and led Daisie to a row of trees in the distance. Daisie turned her head and said, âYou wait for me here.âNollace nodded. âJust shout my name if you need anything.âShe walked into the forest and stopped in front of a tree not far away from Nollace.After she had done her business, she hastily got out of the forest and held tightly to Nollaceâs arm. âAlright, letâs go