Chapter 3 Does It Hurt?
Neilson’s expression changed sharply. Unease was plain in his eyes. As if to conceal his nervousness, he raised his voice and shouted, “How stubborn you are! Daisy, show her the picture. It’s evidence!”
Daisy pretended to be hesitant. She looked at Neilson and slowly took out her phone. But deep down, she was ecstatic.
She brought up the topic because she was well-prepared. In front of the evidence, Shirlene wouldn’t be able to deny the affair.
Daisy tapped the picture and handed her phone to Shirlene. Then, she pried, “Someone sent me this photo before long after I left last night. Shirlene, did you really sleep with Nolan?”
Shirlene enlarged the photo on Daisy’s phone. After looking at it, she scoffed.
“That’s not me!”
Shirlene put the phone in front of Neilson and enlarged the picture. Pointing to the woman in the picture, she sneered, “Dad, don’t you recognize your own daughter?”
Shirlene was rebellious and stubborn while Daisy was meek and understanding. So, Neilson believed Daisy, his illegitimate daughter. When Daisy told him about Shirlene’s affair, he bought it immediately and hardly looked at the photo.
Hearing Shirlene’s words, he surveyed the picture and frowned instantly.
It was a man and a woman in disheveled clothes. The angle was terrible, and the light was dim. Still, Neilson could tell the woman wasn’t Shirlene.
Daisy’s heart skipped a beat when she saw the doubt in Neilson’s eyes.
What was the matter?
Her plan should be impeccable.
She had drugged Shirlene’s wine the night before, and she had watched Shirlene drink it before carrying her into the room. The man taking the photo was also hired by Daisy. How could there be a mistake?
“Daisy, what’s going on?” Neilson turned to Daisy and asked sternly.
Daisy hurriedly grabbed her phone and looked at the picture. The woman indeed wasn’t Shirlene.
She was fooled!
No wonder the man she hired stalled before sending the picture to her. It turned out he didn’t take any photos of Shirlene.
Daisy bit her lip awkwardly. “Dad, I was only concerned. I didn’t see the picture clearly. But the red marks on Shirlene’s neck…”
The picture might be fake, but the hickeys on Shirlene’s neck weren’t! Daisy figured Shirlene couldn’t deny it now.
Shirlene raised her brows and sneered, “What? Do I have to have your permission to sleep with my husband?”
“You and Sebastian? How’s it possible?” Daisy blurted out, her face pale.
Shirlene looked at her with a half-smile and called Sebastian.
A few seconds later, Sebastian said coldly, “What is it?”
Shirlene turned on the speaker and smiled, “Honey, where was I last night?”
After a few seconds of silence, Sebastian answered, “Home.”
Seeing Daisy’s nervous expression, Shirlene asked further with a smile, “Was I with you?”
Sebastian answered faintly, “Hmm.” Then, he added, “Get to the point.”
“Nothing serious. Someone questioned our legal sex life. I want her to face the fact.” Shirlene stared at Daisy sarcastically.
Sebastian said, “I’m at a meeting. I’m hanging up.”
Daisy bowed her head. She clenched her fists so tightly her nails stuck into her flesh, but she didn’t seem to notice. Jealousy and hatred filled her heart.
Didn’t Shirlene hate Sebastian? When did they become intimate?
Daisy couldn’t accept it.
“Happy now?” Shirlene took a step toward Daisy with a frightening sneer. “Now, it’s time for me to reckon with you for framing me.”
Daisy bit her lip to stay calm. “Shirlene, I…”
A loud smack sounded. Daisy stopped midsentence.
She covered her face with a hand, her eyelashes fluttering. Her eyes dripped with resentment.
“Does it hurt?” Shirlene’s wrist had gone numb from the impact. She massaged it. Looking at Daisy’s red and swollen cheek, she sneered, “Daisy, do you think I don’t know what you did?”
Daisy looked up. She panicked when she met Shirlene’s icy eyes. “Shirlene, I told Dad about it without confirming it. I was wrong. But I was truly concerned about you. You’re married, but you go out with Nolan often. If the paparazzi take photos of you and him, your career and the reputation of the Osborne family will be ruined.”
Neilson felt terrible about wronging Shirlene. But when he heard Daisy’s words, his face darkened again.
“Daisy meant well. You paid no attention to your conduct. How can you blame her?”
Shirlene looked at Neilson. “Dad, do you know why I went to Nolan’s birthday party last night?”
Neilson only snorted.
Shirlene wasn’t surprised. Everyone thought she was crazy about Nolan.
“Dad, you don’t want me to have anything to do with Nolan. So, I broke up with him a month ago. How could I possibly go to his birthday party?” Shirlene felt great when she saw Daisy’s face go increasingly pale. “Daisy called me last night, saying the people at the party were trying to get her drunk. She was afraid and wanted me to take her home.
“When I got there, she made me stay and drink in her stead. Yes, I can’t hold my drink. But I wouldn’t have gotten drunk after two drinks. Why did I pass out after drinking your wine?”
The color drained from Daisy’s face. Trembling, she explained, “Shirlene, you’re overthinking. Maybe the wine was too strong. You were sad. I was trying to cheer you up…”
Shirlene squinted with a menacing look in her eyes. “What do you think the report will say if I go to the hospital and have a drug test now?”
Daisy shivered, her face pasty.
Neilson would kick her out if the truth came out.
No! She wouldn’t let that happen!
She looked at Molly for help. Molly understood and screamed with her hand on her belly.
Shirlene saw their trick through. She said, “Dad, Daisy is always scheming. We can’t…”
Molly raised her voice. Covering her belly, she shrieked, “Ow, m-my belly…my baby…”
Neilson got nervous when she mentioned the baby. He supported Molly at once.
Her face was pale, and her forehead was sweaty. Neilson glared at Shirlene. “Talk about this later. I won’t spare you if anything happens to your brother!”
Shirlene glanced at Molly’s belly with a darkening expression.
Molly had also gotten pregnant in Shirlene’s previous life. Neilson cherished the baby, hoping it was a boy. But Molly had a miscarriage in the end.
It had something to do with Shirlene.
And it happened tonight, at Daisy’s birthday party.
