"Daisie is actually a kind person. She loves to lie and is self-centered, but once we have been on good terms for a while, she becomes very adorable. Daisie hurt you because she is ignorant. She grew up in luxury, while you experienced suffering. Just forget about it."

Later, he suddenly stopped playing with me and rushed about Daisie, abandoning me entirely. He didn't despise me; I assumed he was simply bored and seeking something new. Now it appeared that I was taking myself too seriously in this man's life.

My eyes felt warm all of a sudden. When I touched them, I realized that they were tears.

"You are so good at pretending. It's a shame your performance isn't convincing enough."

Jeffrey shoved a contract in my face and scowled with contempt.

"I've been in a married relationship with you for three years, like Daisie requested. The time has come; let's file for divorce. I've had enough of you."

I stared at him with wide eyes in shock as these words were spoken, feeling as though a lightning bolt had just struck my chest.

"What are you saying? You married me because you like me, right?

"I like you? Do you think you deserve it?" Jeffrey mocked as if he had heard a big joke, "I have always liked Daisie. She begged me to marry you before I agreed to our marriage."

Three years ago, after getting me intoxicated and questioning me, Daisie used a recorder to capture my statement that I liked Jeffrey, which she then played for Jeffrey to hear. Shortly after that, Jeffrey proposed to me. I married happily and I felt like I got what I wanted.

After marriage, Jeffrey was seen as a dedicated and kind husband by everybody. He seemed to like me a lot. However, I now realize that this was all a lie. I was only being nostalgic and it was Daisie's trick.

Jeffrey lost all tolerance when he saw that I was unresponsive. He immediately seized my dislocated hand and had me sign the document, regardless of my condition.

I screamed in agony, but they didn't appear to hear me and said nothing.

Jeffrey was happy to put the document aside after pressing the handprint and he was about to depart when the ward door was forced open once more.

Daisie and my parents arrived.

Hilton's and Jeffrey's eyes softened especially when they looked at Daisie.

When I saw my parents, I lost control of my complaints and started crying.

"Mom…dad..."

However, my mother came running over and whacked me just after I said it.

"You really just keep pretending, do you? Daisie hurt her ankle and was unable to walk, but you compelled her to come visit you!"

I felt my face tilt to one side from the force of the slap and my ears buzzed.

Daisie's smug expression was obvious, but the next moment she feigned to be very self-blaming and embraced my mother's arm.

"My sister is not to blame for this, mom. I took away everything from her for 10 years and that's why she hates and abuses me."

"You are always so kind. If I wasn't worried about people outside gossiping about you, I would never let this bitch to go home, let alone break off relations with you."

My mother's voice was softer than ever as she heartbreakingly wiped the tears from the corners of Daisie's eyes.

"You are my daughter in my heart. Madeline is a cruel person who is not worthy of love at all.”

I felt as though someone had crushed my heart and the anguish nearly made it impossible for me to breathe.

I stared at her with tears in my eyes, attempting to explain myself, "Mom, you misunderstood. I didn't force her and I actually had an asthma attack."

Before Daisie started putting medications that induce respiratory infections in my meals, I didn't have this illness.

However, nobody took me seriously.

When my mother heard it, she looked disgusted, "How did I give birth to such a creature as you? What did Daisie do to you? Why do you keep pretending to be unwell in order to fight for her favor? No one likes you, I tell you. Everyone only likes Daisie."

Her comments were excruciating as if they were a sharp blade, severing a bit of my flesh with each one.

Although my father stood aside and didn't say anything, his disgusted eyes had already explained everything. He didn't like me either.

When I just returned to this house, I accidentally heard the conversation between my parents.

"It's just the way the universe is," Mom grumbled. “How did Madeline return after you said she was lost? Daisie and I were really humiliated by it.

"There's nothing we can do about it," Dad comforted my mom with a hug after appearing powerless. “All we have to do is show Daisie more concern and keep her from feeling let down. She's too fragile."

I assumed my parents didn't like me because they felt detached from me after too much time apart, or because they didn't want to accept me since Daisie was more like a woman from a royal family and could save their face. I thus worked very hard in secret to get better in every way in order to gain their acceptance and genuinely become a part of this family. But things didn't go as planned and my wish did not come true.

When Daisie noticed this, she pulled a book of sunflowers out of a shelf and approached me, giving it to me with a genuine expression. "Madeline, don't take it personally; Mom said it out of rage. I brought you my favorite sunflowers on the way since I've read that looking at flowers may lift your spirits when you're feeling down."

This group of sunflowers had the most pollen and was in full bloom. Some pollen flew into my nostrils as she passed in front of me. Coughing uncontrollably, I slapped the bundle of flowers away.

In a moment, the entire crowd became silent. Everybody else gave me a different expression, with the exception of Daisie, who appeared astonished.

"Madeline, you are too much!" Dad yelled and took Daisie, who was red-eyed, into his arms.

"Daisie, there is no reason to spend your heart on such an ungrateful person. Such a person would be better off dying.”

I said, "It's not like that, dad, I..." as I stood there helplessly, feeling the pain in my throat.

Jeffrey grabbed the bouquet of sunflowers and hurled them in my face before I could say anything. With many pollen particles, the heady scent of flowers filled my nostrils. It seemed like an unseen hand had strangled my throat, preventing me from breathing, as soon as the pollen reached my respiratory system.

"I think I have spoiled you too much, Madeline. You even had the audacity to ignore Daisie. If I don't discipline you today, it appears that your bad attitude won't go away."

One of the sunflowers was pinched off by Jeffrey, who then shoved it into my mouth and nose.

"D-Don't... I'll die..." Hilton kicked me back in front of Jeffrey as I attempted to break loose.

Jeffrey nearly clenched his jaw and asked, "You mentioned that you suffer from asthma? I haven't witnessed an asthma attack yet; show me one today."