"I didn't mean anything by it. Please don't misunderstand me the way you did this morning." Sarah instantly switched to her wounded expression. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken out of turn."
"Sarah, you didn't do anything wrong. You don't need to apologize."
Daryl's face darkened, but when his eyes caught the cut on my lip, he softened his tone.
"Josephine, watch how you talk to her. Sarah's sensitive. Stop scaring her."
"Of course. I only meant that I hope Ms. Simmons finds someone as wonderful as you someday." I paused. "As for her career, I wish her every success. At the very least, I hope she doesn't end up like me, losing everything to one accident."
The table went silent.
After my rehabilitation from the crash, the Sanchez Group had first begun planning its expansion into the jewelry industry. I had prepared a detailed proposal, hoping to secure investment.
Daryl blocked every attempt.
I refused to give up. I submitted my work everywhere, only to be turned away every time, for the same reason:
"Mr. Sanchez already had a word with us. Please don't put us in a difficult position, Mrs. Sanchez."
Countless arguments, and every single time, I gave in because I loved him. I chose to sacrifice myself.
Never again.
"Let's leave the past in the past." Daryl cleared his throat. "Sarah, don't take it to heart."
Sarah bit her lip. Every glance she threw my way was laced with jealousy and resentment.
I paid her no mind. After dinner, as I headed upstairs, she caught up to me from behind.
"What a clever move, playing the victim in a few sentences and making Daryl go soft on you."
I had no interest in engaging her. I moved to walk around her, but she blocked my path.
"You don't know this, but the first night I moved in, Daryl and I went at it all night. We tried every position there is. He said I'm far more uninhibited than you."
"We overslept because of it. When he saw you that morning he panicked a little, but then Vincent stepped in and claimed he was Daryl, covering for us right in front of your face. You should have seen your expression. It was hilarious."
She covered her mouth, laughing, her face dripping with contempt.
"Does being the other woman really make you that proud?"
I couldn't help but scoff, holding her gaze without flinching.
"What makes you so sure I didn't recognize exactly who was sitting next to you?"
"You—!"
Sarah choked on her own fury. She stepped forward as if to close the distance, but I clasped my hands behind my back and climbed two steps higher.
"What, going to pull the same trick again? Frame me for pushing you down the stairs? Is that the only move in your playbook?"
"I'll let this go for now, Josephine."
Her scheme exposed, her face twisted with rage.
"But let me tell you something. Daryl only has eyes for me. Tomorrow, I'm going to make sure you see that once and for all."
The overhead light caught the glass of water in my hand, casting a wavering glow, as illusory as the love I'd believed in.
I shook my head with a rueful smile and turned away.
The next morning, I finished getting ready and found an outfit already laid out for me.
"I looked up what to wear for a dress fitting and picked something easy to change in and out of. I also packed everything you might need."
Daryl opened the bag he always prepared for me and showed me each item one by one.
Nothing was missing. He'd even remembered my preferred unscented wet wipes.
My nose stung, and something in my chest softened.
He wasn't the type to notice details. But over the years, his attentiveness toward me had been beyond reproach.
Daryl Sanchez did love me. Didn't he?
"Okay. Let me finish up and I'll be right down."
I took the bag, turned, and smiled at him.
In the courtyard, I was about to open the passenger door when the window rolled down.
"Good morning! I need a gown for my jewelry launch event coming up, so Daryl's bringing me along to the shop. He said you don't really have any friends, so I can help you pick out a wedding dress while I'm at it."
"I get carsick and can't sit in the back, so Daryl offered me the front seat. Don't read too much into it, okay?"
She watched me with amusement, clearly savoring the anticipation of my reaction.
I looked over at Daryl in the driver's seat. He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Josephine, you know how miserable carsickness can be. Sarah gets it worse than you do, so just bear with it this once. It's a short drive."
So he did know. That I got carsick too.
The tenderness that had just begun to sprout in my chest, I strangled it on the spot.
"Since the front seat is taken, it wouldn't be right for me to insist."
I smiled, warm and accommodating, not a trace of disgust or anger showing.
"But I'm also not willing to sit in the back. I'll take a cab."
Daryl blinked, about to say something, but Sarah tugged at his arm with a pout.
"Daryl, Vincent just texted. He wants to meet us for lunch. Let's go!"
Through the window, past Sarah, he gave me one long look, then pulled away.
