Chapter 19 Are You Also Here to Support Nessa?
The spotlights followed them, enveloping the two figures—one tall, one small—in the center of a brilliant circle of light, dazzling and radiant.
At that moment, Daisy heard someone nearby whisper, "Look how close they are. Could they be mother and daughter?"
"I think they look like mother and daughter too. Did you see those little interactions? Helping with the dress, turning the pages—even real mothers and daughters rarely have such perfect coordination, right?"
"Actually, they're not," someone from the back row said. "I know that little girl. She's the young lady of the Black Group. Her father is Vincent Black."
Someone else chimed in with gossip, "Oh, then who's her mother? She must be pretty amazing too, right?"
"Amazing? She's just a housewife, a stay-at-home mom, you know what I mean?"
A few knowing "Ohhhs~" followed, and everyone understood.
The person next to Daisy sighed sincerely, "Such a lovely little girl. It would be so much better if her real mom were Vanessa."
Daisy heard every single word.
She lowered her head slightly and smiled bitterly at herself.
The lights, flowers, applause, the center of attention—none of it could be given to her daughter.
For a moment, conflicting emotions washed over Daisy's heart.
She even kept her head slightly down, not wanting Luna to see that she was there.
She was afraid of what might come after her daughter's initial surprise—awkwardness, distance, or even pretending not to know her.
The first act ended with Vanessa's smooth performance, followed by thunderous applause.
During intermission, as the crowd surged, Daisy almost fled from her seat, just wanting to find a quiet place to catch her breath.
Head down, she walked quickly toward the restroom, her mind in complete turmoil, not paying attention to where she was going.
In the shadowy corner near the restroom, she suddenly bumped into a solid chest.
Before she could apologize, the person surprisingly called out, "Sister-in-law?"
Daisy looked up in surprise, and heard him say, "It really is you! Are you here with Luna? Did my brother come too?"
Daisy froze, staring at the person in front of her.
It was a young man, looking about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, quite handsome, with features somewhat similar to Vincent's, but with a much more easygoing and sunny demeanor.
"Don't tell me you don't remember me?" He made an exaggerated expression, took off his cap, revealing a head of eye-catching burgundy short hair.
Daisy suddenly remembered.
His name was Sam Black, Vincent's cousin.
She couldn't really be blamed for not having a strong impression of him, as she'd only met this legendary cousin two or three times.
He was the most rebellious one of that generation of Blacks. He'd dropped out of community college and gone abroad to pursue art, rarely in the country, and even when he came back, he was hard to pin down.
He seemed to have no interest in the family business, and lacked the usual arrogance of the Blacks, especially being fairly polite to Daisy as his sister-in-law.
So Daisy had a pretty good impression of him.
"Sam?" Daisy called out his name somewhat uncertainly. "It's you. Long time no see."
"You bet! I just got back not long ago!" Sam grinned, showing two small canine teeth.
He looked Daisy up and down, his eyes brightening. "Daisy, you look really beautiful today! Almost didn't recognize you! Are you here to see Nessa's performance too?"
His tone was familiar, clearly very familiar with Vanessa.
Daisy felt a bit awkward, gave a vague response, and asked back, "Did you come alone?"
"Yeah, my brother got me the ticket, said Nessa was performing tonight and wanted me to come support her."
Sam didn't think there was anything wrong with this, and continued, "Nessa played really well just now! I even recorded a bit, planning to post it on Instagram!"
He pulled out his phone, showing Daisy the short video he'd just recorded like showing off a treasure.
In the footage, Vanessa sat elegantly at the piano, Luna standing obediently beside her, the lights brilliant.
So harmonious, so perfect.
Looking at that scene, the self-consciousness Daisy had just suppressed surged up again. She forced a smile and gave a dry response. "Yeah, it sounded pretty good."
"Right! That's what I'm saying!" Sam was even happier to get her agreement, and was about to say more when he noticed Daisy's gaze seemed to wander, as if she wanted to leave.
Just then, a slightly mocking male voice interrupted from the side, "Well, well, if it isn't Ms. Hart. What a coincidence."
Daisy and Sam both turned to look.
The newcomer wore a custom-tailored suit and gold-rimmed glasses, and when he spoke, he always gave off a sharp, mean-spirited feeling.
It was Victor Kane, Vincent's childhood friend, business partner, and one of his inner circle.
Daisy had a very strong impression of him—strongly negative.
Vincent had never liked her, which everyone knew.
So in the first couple years after marriage, Daisy had clumsily tried to fit into Vincent's circle.
But the result? She'd faced plenty of sarcasm and mockery. Vincent's friends all thought she was a woman who'd slept her way to the top, that Vanessa was the real sister-in-law, so their attitude toward her was predictable.
After a while, Daisy wasn't desperate enough to keep offering her warm face to their cold rejection.
Daisy looked at Victor and nodded politely, saying nothing.
Sam also greeted him with a smile. "Victor, you're here too! I was just telling my sister-in-law how well Nessa played!"
Victor first greeted Sam, then turned his usual contemptuous gaze on Daisy, teasing, "Ms. Hart is interested in symphonies too?"
The words seemed innocent enough, but Victor's tone gave them a completely different meaning.
—You, a housewife from an ordinary family, think you belong at this kind of event? Do you even understand it?
Daisy said coldly, "What are you trying to say?"
Victor shrugged and spread his hands. "Just thought you don't seem like the symphony type, so I was curious—you didn't fall asleep during the performance, did you?"
This was practically an open mockery that she was pretending to be cultured, putting on airs.
Daisy laughed coldly. "Someone like me?"
"Mr. Kane, are we that close? Do you know me that well? Since you understand me so well, why don't you tell me what kind of person I am in your eyes?"
Sam, standing nearby, was stunned, looking at Daisy in surprise.
In his memory, this sister-in-law had always been gentle and soft-spoken.
What happened after not seeing her for a while? Had she completely changed?
Victor was too lazy to argue with Daisy. With his breeding, he certainly couldn't say in this kind of setting: a woman who drugged and slept with a man to marry someone far above her station.
That would only lower his own class.
But this sharp-tongued Daisy did genuinely surprise him.
What was going on with her? Had she stopped pretending?