Chapter 23 They Are the Real Family
Vanessa also looked over, and when she saw what Daisy was wearing, she paused for a moment, then broke into a smile full of superiority.
"Mommy, why are you dressed like this?" Luna let go of her little friend's hand and ran over, looking her up and down with a pout. "Today is my birthday party! Look how beautiful Auntie Vanessa looks! Why are you wearing that?"
The little girl's voice was clear, loud and especially jarring in the quiet lounge.
Daisy was completely at a loss, but with so many people here, she absolutely couldn't lose her composure and become a laughingstock.
She took a deep breath and forced a smile. "I was just about to change." Then she looked at Vincent, her voice dry. "Vince, can you step out for a moment? There's something about the schedule I want to go over with you."
Vincent seemed a bit impatient, but still followed her out.
The pair walked over to the side of the hallway and Vincent said, "Just say whatever you have to say here."
Daisy's hands twisted together tightly. The intense shame and anxiety made her eyes red, and her voice was clearly choked up. "My dress... there's a problem with it. Can you... can you help me find one? Any formal dress will do. Have your assistant bring it over right away. The party starts in twenty minutes."
She was begging him humbly.
Actually, it had been a long time since she had asked Vincent for anything with so little dignity, but today she really had no choice.
At the very least, she absolutely couldn't show up at Luna's birthday party in this shirt and jeans. It wouldn't just embarrass her—it would embarrass Luna too.
After all, even the servers were dressed more formally than she was.
She thought Vincent would at least help her this once for Luna's sake, but instead he opened with criticism.
"You know there's only twenty minutes left, and the dress is such an important thing—what were you doing earlier?! How could you have a problem with your own dress? Don't you know to check ahead of time?"
"I..." Daisy wanted to explain and say that when she went to the dress shop to rent an outfit, she saw the dress he had prepared for Vanessa, which made her think it was for her.
But the words stuck in her throat and turned into a bitter sob.
How could she say it out loud? And what would be the point? He'd just mock her for being presumptuous.
"Are you going to help me or not?" she asked.
Vincent snorted coldly. "How am I supposed to help you? Have my assistant go around asking all the ladies here if anyone has a spare dress? Tell them my wife was careless and actually forgot to prepare a dress?"
Daisy's face turned pale, then flushed. Vincent continued, "Consider this a lesson. From now on, put more thought into things. You'll have to figure this out yourself. I still have guests to attend to."
With that, he didn't spare Daisy another glance and turned back to the lounge.
Daisy sniffled, and tears finally welled up uncontrollably, pooling in her eyes.
She tilted her head back and blinked hard, forcing that stinging sensation back down.
She couldn't cry. Crying over something like this just wasn't worth it.
She quickly pulled out her phone and called Shawn. As soon as he picked up, she said urgently, "Shawn, it's me. You know my daughter's birthday party is today, right? My dress... there's a problem with my dress. I'll explain later, but the party starts in twenty minutes. Do you have any suitable dresses?"
Shawn sounded anxious on the other end. "I do have some, but I'm at the gallery! It would take at least two hours to get it to you! And the size... Okay Dais, don't panic, hold on. I'll call my friends right now and see who's nearby so they can bring you something. Skytop Hotel, right?"
"Yes, I'll wait for you."
Daisy hung up and couldn't control herself anymore. Tears streamed down her face. She quickly wiped them away and waited anxiously.
She waited until the party started before Shawn finally called back in a rush, saying his closest friend could send something, but it would still take an hour.
There was no time.
Daisy closed her eyes in resignation. She knew Shawn had done his best.
After hanging up, Daisy leaned against the cold wall, feeling completely drained.
Vincent wasn't wrong. This was a lesson—she'd fooled herself into thinking he cared about her at all.
She wiped away her tears, touched up her makeup, and walked into the banquet hall in her shirt and jeans.
If it was embarrassing, so be it. It wouldn't be the first time anyway.
As soon as she entered, it immediately caused a small commotion and there were whispers everywhere.
"Who's that? Coming in dressed like that—isn't she embarrassed?"
"I think that's Mrs. Black. What happened? She didn't even prepare a dress."
"I heard they got divorced..."
Daisy had overestimated her ability to handle this after all. Those stares and whispers felt like needles piercing her skin.
She gritted her teeth and followed the program.
The host gave an enthusiastic opening, Vincent made a brief speech, and then Luna, as the birthday girl, was invited on stage to receive blessings and gifts from her friends.
According to Daisy's plan, after the blessings, there would be a group photo session, where she and Vincent would stand on either side of Luna.
This was supposed to capture the moment of Luna surrounded by her parents' and friends' love. Now it had become Daisy's nightmare.
When the photographer came over, while Daisy was still hesitating whether to step forward, Luna clung tightly to Vanessa's arm.
"I want to take a photo with Auntie Vanessa. Mommy's dressed too ugly—she'll bring down the quality of our photos."
Vanessa made a token gesture of refusal, then looked at Daisy with some difficulty, her face practically screaming: See, she's insisting—there's nothing I can do.
Just as Daisy was about to speak, Luna, afraid she wouldn't agree, quickly put her hands together in a pleading gesture. "Mommy, if you want to take photos with me, we can do it at home. You really don't look appropriate coming in like this!"
These words were another stab to Daisy's already broken heart.
Daisy glanced at Vincent. He clearly had no objections either. She gave a bitter smile and nodded. "Go ahead and take your photos."
They were getting divorced anyway, so why should she care who stood beside them? And why should she upset Luna on her happiest day?
This party she had worked so hard to organize didn't have a single photo with her in it.
All the parent-child photos were of Vincent, Vanessa, and Luna.
Daisy was completely excluded from the camera, standing in the crowd, watching the happiness of their "family of three".
Even when cutting the cake, Luna insisted that Vanessa hold her hand while cutting.
The lights were dazzling, laughter filled the air, and candles flickered on the huge birthday cake.
Luna stood between Vincent and Vanessa, holding both their hands. She took a deep breath and blew out the candles.
"What did Luna just wish for?"
Luna said happily, "I want to be with Daddy and Auntie Vanessa forever!" Then she noticed Daisy standing to the side. She quickly covered her little mouth, showed that awkward smile unique to children, and added, "Oh, I almost forgot—and Mommy too!"
This drew a round of laughter.