Chapter 2

I stood frozen on the spot.

To Ethan, my grandmother's life wasn't even worth a birthday party for Daisy.

He hung up.

A nurse rushed over. "Miss Adams, is the deposit ready? The surgical team is waiting."

I opened my mouth, but not a single sound came out.

A notification popped up—Daisy had just posted an Ins story.

In the photo, she sat in the center of a VIP lounge.

Dressed in a champagne silk dress with styled waves, she smiled radiantly.

To her left was an extravagant tiered cake.

To her right sat the pristine designer bag.

I recognized that exact bag.

Two weeks ago, Ethan and I had walked past that boutique, and it was displayed in the window.

I had stopped to look at it.

He asked, "You like it?"

I shook my head. "It's way too expensive."

He held my hand with a smile. "I'll buy it for you one day."

And now, it was Daisy's birthday gift.

Her caption read:

[Being fiercely chosen will always feel like winning.]

The very top comment was from Ethan's mother:

[Daisy deserves nothing less.]

Daisy deserved a twenty-six-thousand-dollar bag.

What about Grandma?

Grandma had spent her entire life working herself to the bone. She woke up at four in the freezing winter to buy fresh produce and stood beneath the blazing summer sun until dusk just to run her small stall.

She put me through college and saved every penny so I would have a decent dowry, terrified that Ethan's family would look down on me.

She was in her seventies, yet she had never once bought a piece of clothing over fifteen dollars.

Didn't she deserve to live?

I bolted toward the hospital exit.

The rain poured down in sheets, but I didn't care.

Daisy's birthday party was on the penthouse floor of The Skyline Club.

When I shoved the doors open, the room was buzzing with celebration.

Everyone was laughing.

Except for me. Drenched from head to toe, looking like a total mess.

The moment the heavy doors swung open, the laughter died down.

Daisy sat at the head of the table, while Ethan leaned over her shoulder, lighting her birthday candles with gentle care.

It was such a tender scene.

A tenderness that sliced into my chest like a dull blade, precise and agonizing.

Someone whispered, "Is that Chloe?"

"Why on earth is she dressed like that?"

Daisy was the first to stand up.

A flash of panic crossed her eyes, quickly masked by a look of innocent hurt.

"Chloe, why are you so late? I was just about to call you to come have some cake."

I didn't even look at her face. My eyes locked onto the bag on the couch beside her.

"Give that to me."

Instinctively, she stepped in front of it. "What?"

I walked toward her, step by step.

"I said give me the bag!"

"The one Ethan bought for you!"

Tears welled up in Daisy's eyes instantly. "B-but this is Ethan's birthday present to me."

"Chloe, I know you get possessive over him, but he paid for this with his own money."

I glared at her coldly. "That was my money!"

She bit her lip. "Even if it was yours, you're about to marry into the family anyway. What's yours is his, isn't it?"

I stared at her, dumbfounded. "Daisy, have you lost your mind?!"

Ethan cut me off with a harsh shout. "That's enough!"

"I bought the bag! If you have a problem, take it out on me!"