Chapter 50: Love is a myth
The serene ambiance of the hall erupted in chaos as the flashes of camera snapped towards the doorway.
Helian Chen and Alice Chen who were engaging with the guests lifted their heads in the direction of the noises. Since it was a grand event, many significant members of the media were invited in it even though the Chen Family had been keeping their distance from the reporters after the recent scandals.
At the entrance of the hall, dressed in an elegant black gown, Diana stepped inside. As the reporters clicked the pictures vigorously, the guests could not neglect clicking the authoritorial presence of the man who was walking beside Diana, donned in a black tuxedo that somehow aligned with Diana’s dress.
His hand lightly resting on the small of her back as if he was guiding her. Yet, as the reporters tried to approach Diana, his grip on her waist tightened and he pulled her closer to himself. His cold gaze that scanned across everyone told them that his actions were not just an act of courtesy, he was there to protect her the moment there was a need for it.
Diana and Maxim without any delay stepped inside the hall, walking past the reporters who were not allowed to go further inside the event.
The noise that had gradually quietened down, gradually erupted yet again.
The guests turned their heads towards the entrance, ready to witness another spectacle but this time the socialite circle was taken aback by the sight that greeted their vision.
’’That....’’
’’Isn’t that her?"
"Daisy Chen...?"
’’Yes, it’s her...’’
’’Oh my god... Look at the child. Is that Daisy’s child? Are the rumours true after all?"
’’Fuck.... Didn’t people say Daisy Chen was not a womanly woman?"
’’Is this your first time seeing her? Didn’t you see her at her wedding or before?"
’’When does she ever show her face in the media? Her wedding was also a very private event. My family was not invited...’’
The cameras all moved and the sound of flashes reverberated in the party hall.
Daisy was donned in a beige business suite that was paired with cherry colored stilettos. Her waist length dark hair were tied in a high ponytail that moved like a graceful serpentine with every step she took. Minimal accessories and makeup, dark lipstick, she looked every bit of a goddess to the eyes of the men and the centre of envy and admiration for woman.
Even Angel was dressed in a beige little flair dress that was paired with cherry boots. The camera flashes became more intense. Daisy placed her palm on the back Angel’s head and pressed it gently to the crook of her neck, ’’Be good for some time and I will take you to have strawberries, okay?" Daisy whispered when Angel struggled in the position.
The little girl drooled at the mention of strawberries, and nuzzled her face in the crook of Daisy’s neck, peppering soft sloppy kisses on her skin.
A soft smile made its way on Daisy’s face instinctively as she relished in the ticklish sensation. The moment she looked up and was greeted by the sight of the strangers, her smile faded in an instant and her face turned cold again.
"Daisy.’’
Daisy had walked past all the reporters and started making her way towards Diana when a voice called out to her.
’’I am glad that the three of you are here,’’ Helian Chen said, watching Diana approach them along with Maxim.
’’I did not want to. But Diana could not stop worrying,’’ Daisy remarked.
Diana rolled her eyes, looking at the hint of awkwardness that remained on the woman’s face. Her sister and her father were very much alike. Their love language was being cold 24X7 even when their heart was bursting.
Thinking of that, Diana could not help but observe her father’s actions. The man was fumbling but he was trying to hide it behind his straight face. With every word he spoke, his gaze would settle on the little girl who was obediently tucked in Daisy’s embrace, having her head buried in her mother’s neck.
’’Dad, I named her Angel,’’ Diana whispered.
’’I know,’’ Helian Chen mumbled in a daze.
’’Huh?"
’’Boss...’’ the man’s secretary who was standing behind him let out two awkward coughs. Wasn’t he simply letting the young misses know that he had been stalking them like a protective father that he was?
When the eldest missy did not want to be found by anyone, she would just disappear and it was hard for them to track her down. However, their activities have been rather constant in the past one year.
Snapping back to his senses, Helian Chen looked around the place instead of immediately answering his dumbfounded daughters, ’’This is not a place to talk about such things. All the guests around here have mostly been addressed except for a few shareholders that I need to meet. We can leave the rest to our people for them to handle and go back to the manor to talk.’’
There was sheer reluctance that appeared in Daisy’s eyes but before she could say anything, Diana held her arm, ’’You don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to,’’ Diana said while looking at their mother who was intermingling with some socialites, ’’Our point of concern is not valid. Mom is fine,’’ she whispered, sounding relieved.
Daisy looked at their father who was standing there quietly live a convict who was waiting for his punishment. She had grown up while seeing this man as being the cold and detached Master of the Chen Family, never swayed by emotions, never changing his mind and never showing any expressions.
But maybe because she was seeing him after a long time, he seemed to have aged. She could see a few grey hairs even though his face still looked just as handsome. And his expressionless face showed longing and loneliness as he looked at them. It was as if he wanted them to stay but he could urge them to.
Daisy could feel soft snores on her skin. The little glutton who was promised strawberries in exchange of hiding her face from the media had dozed off at some point.
’’We can go there later,’’ Daisy uttered softly and watched as a small smile crept up on their father’s face that he quickly masked behind his aloof expressions.
With a small nod at the three of them, he turned around and walked towards the guests. And Daisy was left standing there, wondering whether his face has always been this readable, this expressive and she had just never bothered to look at him because she thought he did not care about them.
’’Let me take her to a room and tuck her. While we around, she can rest a while,’’ Diana attempted to take the little girl from Daisy’s arms.
The little girl however squinted her eyes, ’’Mama...?’’ she called out Diana who was stretching her hand towards her. However, instead of reaching out to her, she promptly stretched her tiny hands towards Maxim, ’’Pa... Pa... Papa...’’
Maxim effortlessly picked the girl from Daisy’s arms, ’’I’ll tuck her. You guys carry on.’’
Diana stood there jaw-dropped as she watched the ever so familiar scene of Maxim carrying the girl on one arm and Angel clinging to him smoothly.
’’Daisy, I am telling you. Your daughter is after my man.’’
Daisy rolled her eyes, ’’What my daughter? What your man? She called you both mama and papa before she called me mommy.’’
Diana’s lips twitched.
’’And she is naturally fond of good-looking men because she takes after her mama. Who can blame her?"
Diana coughed, ’’What are you talking about? If Maxim heard you, won’t he think I am keeping other men in my heart? Don’t you know that in my eyes, he is the only man who is eternally handsome, be it before when we were kids or be it now or in the future.’’
Daisy looked at her sister quietly for a moment before she raised her hand and flicked her forehead, ’’Silly as you already were, this fox has made you cringe.’’
’’Ow-’’ Diana rubbed her forehead, ’’It’s not cringe, it’s love. You will know when you are in love.’’
’’Diana...’’
’’Hey, how have you been?"
’’You even got engaged..’’
’’I heard rumours that you are pregnant too... Is that true? Come with us?"
A bunch of socialites rushed in and dragged Diana away in ’swoosh’. Diana had always been an active participant in every event along with their mother. Hence, she was like a social butterfly amidst the socialite circles.
Hearing the last sentence, Daisy instinctively looked at her sister’s stomach. A few days after her engagement with Maxim, Diana revealed to him that she was pregnant which shocked the man so much that he made a fuss over it for weeks.
With Diana gone, Daisy did not get to respond to her words, but even if she was there, Daisy would have not been able to burst Diana’s bubble. She was a firm believer of love, magic, and good things. And her belief had been strengthened after she encountered Maxim and fell in love with him.
Daisy was happy for her but she knew such encounters were far off impossible in her life. And in the first place, she never had such dreams. She never looked for a man to hold her, love her or cherish her. All those things, she was fully capable of doing them herself.
Love was a myth she would never believe in.
Daisy had just turned around when whispers grew in the place again along with gasps and the sounds of cameras coming from a distance.
Daisy halted in her tracks, bewildered. Most of the guests were there already, especially the VIPs. Who was arriving at this hour? And that too while creating all this ruckus by their arrival.
