16
The next moment, Daisy broke down completely, her emotions spilling over in front of her mother–in–law, a woman she was meeting for the first time.
She didn’t know how long she had buried her face in Jasmin’s comforting embrace, but when she finally pulled away, the living room was empty except for Gordon. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she stammered,
“Sorry, I…”
Jasmin gently patted her hand, her voice soothing. “There’s no need to apologize, dear. It’s only natural for a
child to cry in front of their mother.”
Sensing Daisy’s discomfort, Jasmin smoothly shifted the conversation, asking her about her life before subtly
steering the topic toward her marriage to Gordon.
“Daisy.” Jasmin said with a warm smile, “when will you and Gordon hold your wedding ceremony? Legal marriage is important, but a proper ceremony is something every young lady deserves. Whatever others have, our family’s daughter should have too.”
Daisy opened her mouth, words hovering on the edge, but Gordon stepped in smoothly.
“Mom, I think it’s best if we wait a little before making any decisions.”
Jasmin sighed, her gaze softening with concern. “We can wait, but I worry your grandfather’s health might not hold out much longer.”
After leaving the family home, Daisy and Gordon strolled side by side, the fading hues of the setting sun painting the world in a golden glow.
The warmth of his hand seemed to linger against her palm like an ember refusing to cool.
Curling her fingers instinctively, Daisy couldn’t stop herself from asking. “So, did you marry me just to bring peace of mind to the elders?”
The question caught Gordon off guard and he halted mid–step, his expression flickering with surprise.
“Not entirely,” he said after a pause, turning to face her. His gaze softened as his voice dropped to a quieter, more sincere tone. “That might’ve been part of it, but more than anything… I wanted to marry you. It was because of you that I proposed ”
A faint flush crept up his ears as he spoke and Daisy tilted her head slightly, studying him. From Jasmin’s earlier words, she pieced together that Gordon had served in the home after completing his final mission to take on the weight of the family business
military, only recently returning
He carried the stern discipline of a soldier, paired with the commanding presence of a man accustomed to authority
Yet, at this moment, with his ears flushed red, Gordon looked less like a figure of intimidation and more like a bashful young man caught off guard
Daisy felt a flicker of embarrassment herself, but curiosity stirred within her. Why would someone like Gordon want to marry her? Could it possibly have been love at first sight?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Gordon let out a soft sigh. “You really don’t remember
r me?
A large question mark seemed to form in Daisy’s mind, her confusion written plainly on her face.
“Five years ago,” he began, his voice steady but laced with something unspoken, “during the earthquake in Willow Creek. I was on the front lines for support. You were there, too. We were trapped together in a classroom for twenty–four hours…”
As he spoke, a flicker of recognition ignited in Daisy’s wide eyes. Slowly, the image of a tall, dust–covered figure surfaced from her memory.
“It was you!” she exclaimed, her voice tinged with amazement. Her gaze instinctively dropped to his legs and a
new concern took over “Your lens they didn’t suffer any lasting damane did they?”
Dad Betuspal Tack riet. Warm Revengan Set Hon
new concern took over. “Your legs… they didn’t suffer any lasting damage, did they?”
A faint smile curved Gordon’s lips. “No,” he replied gently, “the doctor said we were lucky. If we hadn’t done
emergency treatment back then, I might’ve lost my leg.”
During the aftershocks, when they were trapped in a civilian house, a steel bar had pierced through Gordon’s
thigh.
Fortunately, Daisy, a medical student at the time, had the knowledge and presence of mind to administer first aid.
With her medical kit on hand, she had saved him from what could have been a lifetime confined to a wheelchair.
Twenty–four hours may not have been an eternity, but it was long enough for emotions to root themselves deep in someone’s heart
“But back then,” Gordon said, his voice steady though tinged with something tender, “I heard from others that you had a fiancé and were planning to marry right after graduation. I didn’t dare to confess.”
He hesitated for a moment before adding softly, “Until I happened to save you last time….”
His words lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken emotion
Though his face betrayed no outward signs of nervousness, the deep crimson of his ears gave him away as if
they might bleed from the intensity of his feelings.
Daisy stood speechless, her thoughts swirling
Everything made sense now, the kindness Gordon and his family had showered upon her. Her own cheeks burned with warmth and in her silence, she turned her gaze away, unable to meet his eyes.
The two of them fell into an uneasy quiet, their steps falling in rhythm as they continued walking forward, the
tension between them thick and unspoken.
“Then what about your grandfather? What’s going on? Is he sick?”
“Yeah, Grandpa has cancer. His time left isn’t long. He wants to see me get married and have children. It looks like he might not live to see the
