Love Me Or I Die

CHAPTER 20

“I changed my mind at the last minute. Is there a problem?” Daniel just lifted his brows, trying to brush it over lightly, but his black eyes held a slightly cynical light. Yes, he did it on purpose. He wanted her to be restless and worried. He wanted her to go from heaven to hell… and then from hell to heaven repeatedly, to be tortured thoroughly.

“You…” Lucia stared dumbly at him. Her eyes reflected a dashing man. There was only him in her eyes from the start, but she was still not used to this sudden surprise.

“For you.” he stuffed the flowers into her hand and lied flawlessly. “It wasn’t on purpose. There was a sudden meeting, but I ended it early.” He pretended to explain to her as if he knew what she was thinking.

He naturally ignored her red-rimmed eyes. This woman was really easily touched. She was willing to die for someone if that person just gave her a bit of love. At the thought of this, the curve on his lips got wider. He liked this feeling. He liked it a lot.

“Thank you.” Lucia hugged the flowers. The bouquet of purple bellflowers was really pretty. Her face brushed lightly against the petals as she breathed in the scent of the flowers deeply. It was the first time she received flowers, and it was such a big bouquet, too.

She was such a fool, smiling and crying. Daniel put his finger beneath her eyes. She cried when she was happy, and she cried when she was not happy. He had never met a woman who loved crying so much, and he knew that just a sentence from him could make the woman cry… or make her smile.

She seemed to have fallen deeper in love with him. His eyes darkened further, but it flashed briefly with a dim light that normal people would not be able to catch.

“Let’s go, I’ll bring you out for dinner. I’ve already reserved a place.” Daniel stood up and rested his finger—stained with her tears—against his body and then rubbed his finger against his body forcefully, almost loathingly.

“Okay.” Lucia nodded her head lightly and stored the flowers in her embrace before standing in front of him like an obedient wife, waiting carefully for his next command.

He took her hand, and her heart warmed instantly, touching emotions gripping her heart.

“Let’s go.” He held her hand tightly. Her hands were extremely soft like her lips. Everything on this woman was amazingly soft, of course, including her heart.

Just a little more, and maybe it would shatter with just a light touch.

“Daniel…” She held his fingers tightly but spoke suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” He did not turn back and just continued holding her hands tightly as if they could be together for as long as they live, for eternity.

“Daniel, do you know what these flowers are?”

She finally asked after a long silence.

He paused for a while and spoke quietly.

“I don’t know. It was nice so I got it.” That was truly the case. He saw it the moment he entered the florist and pointed at it randomly before buying it.

It was just as she thought. Lucia just gave a bitter laugh as her mouth was filled with immense bitterness. He did not know. If he did, he probably would not have bought it.

Purple bellflowers. Her favorite flowers.

They represented…

An eternally unchanging love; sincere, gentle and melancholic.

What are you trying to ask? Daniel’s black eyes were always deep and always kept her from knowing what he was thinking and from understanding his hot and cold behavior.

“It’s nothing.” Lucia just held his hand tightly. “I just want to thank you. The flowers were beautiful.” She looked at their linked fingers and shut her eyes slightly. This was enough; it really was. She was satisfied with just this.

Just like a slap followed by a candy. He was irresistible to her.

If she was called a fool, then so be it. She had never been smart before in the first place.

“I’m glad you like it.” He turned back and placed his fingers on her face. She drew nearer; her eyes that looked like it was full of ripples held unconcealed love with no regrets.

She loved him, she really did.

Such a foolish woman. All of a sudden, he felt his heart waver for a little… but just for a few seconds.

“Let’s go.” He put down his hand and pulled her before sitting in the car. The place they were going to was a high-class restaurant that he frequented. He had brought countless women there—obviously including his late Sophia. Now, it was her turn.

The car stopped. Daniel led her in with familiarity. The waiter automatically brought them to the table he frequently reserved. It was by the window and had a clear view of everything, but people outside would not be able to see inside the glass.

“Order anything you want to eat.” Daniel slid the handmade menu in his hands across the table, which landed right in front of Lucia. She opened it. Every dish sounded delectable, but the prices were sky-high.

Lucia flipped through the pages for a long time before closing the menu shut and staring wide-eyed at the man who was sitting with his legs crossed elegantly.

“Why, is it not to your liking?” Daniel lifted his eyebrows and placed his hand on his leg and then narrowed his cold, black eyes slightly. Under the dim lights, his cold features seemed softened.

“That’s not it.” Lucia shook her head. She was not sure how to say it. “I have never eaten all these before, and I don’t know what I should order?” Her smile was slightly pained. This sort of places was only suitable for late Sophia; she had never stepped a foot in here before.

Daniel reached his hand out to take the menu. He signaled to the waiter at the side with his finger, and the waiter stood in front of them knowingly.

Daniel ordered a few dishes randomly. This was orthodox French cuisine, and he liked it very much.

The restaurant was filled with a gentle tune played by a piano. There was a rotating glass stage illuminated by the soft lights from the chandelier, and underneath it was a young girl playing the piano. Her fingers danced across the black and white keys of the piano as she spread the dreamy notes around.

Lucia looked around a little helplessly at the start, but as time went by, she seemed to get used to her surroundings—perhaps due to the man beside her.

Just him sitting there, or looking at the watch on his wrist, or just shutting his eyes, or even looking at her with an unknown gaze occasionally… all of these could make her heart feel calmer.

Once all the dishes have arrived, she looked at the dishes on the table in a daze. Her heart lurched suddenly. He still had this habit. They were all Sophia’s favorite, and her mom frequently had the chef make it especially for her. Every year, during Sophia’s birthday, these dishes could be seen at their family. Sophia might have liked it, but her? Not necessarily. She liked food with a light flavor, but she had to follow Sophia’s preference.

It was like that in the past. Would it be like that even now?

“Why, you don’t like it?” Daniel lifted the wine glass from the table—his eyes deep, black, and a little hazy. He seemed to be looking for someone else through her, but he realized he was wrong. This pair of sisters had absolutely nothing in common.

Everyone knew, actually, that they were not biological sisters—with no ounce of blood relation.

“No, it’s delicious. I like it. It’s just so delicious that I’m taken aback.” Lucia just let out an absent-minded smile, eating the dishes he ordered tastelessly. If she did not eat them, he would probably be upset. They were finally able to interact so harmoniously. She did not want any problems that could destroy her long-awaited peace.

She was chewing tastelessly—trying hard to consume the food, but it made her eyes go red.

“I’m sorry, I need to go to the restroom.” She stood up and smiled apologetically, her eyes turning even redder.

Daniel lifted the wine glass on the table and took a sip, his slightly curved lips turned up even more.

“Honey, I love these so much. It seems like my sister does not like them. I really don’t know what she is thinking.

“Wasting such delicious food. Do you think she’s against these dishes?”

He remembered those words; so whatever Sophia liked, she did not.

He put down the cup in his hand and lowered his eyes slightly, but he heard someone call his name from afar.

"Daniel?”

He lifted his head and stood up, greeting the people politely, “Dad, Mom, what brings you here?” Towards the two elders, he was surprisingly respectful.

They were Lucia's parents.

“Nothing, we just wanted to eat something here.” Steven looked like he had aged several decades in just a short while. He was not as enthusiastic and daring as he used to be. Now, he was really a senior elderly who had lost a daughter. Without a goal and without hope, it was no wonder he aged.

“Daniel, our Sophia was ill-fortuned,” he placed his hand on Daniel’s shoulders and patted him lightly. He had always liked Daniel. He never had a son so he treated him like he was a second son. Even though he was still their son-in-law, Lucia was someone else’s child and could not be considered as part of his family. He was selfish.

“Daniel, who did you come with? Was she the one who left just now, Lucia?” Stella clutched the high-end purse in her grip tightly. She had an enormous diamond ring on her finger and the status of a rich woman. She was used to this status—familiar with her rightful manner of speaking, her demeanor, and her attitude.

“Yes, Mom.” He addressed her the same way. It did not matter whether the one he married was Lucia or Sophia; he still called them ‘Dad’ and ‘Mom’.

“Daniel, you made up with her?” Stella looked at him in disbelief. He actually took that evil woman out to eat?

“Yes,” Daniel replied softly. His unwavering eyes were too calm, too slow—like a pool of stagnant water without a hint of ripples.

“How could you?” She felt an unknown rage bubble within her, “Have you forgotten how Sophia died? Have you forgotten that the one you love is Sophia? How could you…”

She had not finished her sentence when she felt her husband tug on her sleeve forcefully. She turned back, and the rest of the words died down at the back of her throat. Her face turned red. She was extremely embarrassed. She lowered her head and even felt an unbearable embarrassment rise within her.

Standing behind them was none other than Lucia who just returned from the restroom. She had heard all of their conversation clearly, from start to end.

She smiled indifferently. Her lips were turned up, and it looked pretty—but fake. This was her mom, Stella—her mother, her biological mother. Was she so unwilling to see her happy, and must she force her until she was at the end of her wits?

Really, she was not angry; she was not furious. She just smiled, but still buried somewhere in her heart was an immense sorrow. She should be crying, shouldn’t she? She should be shedding tears and mocking herself for how she had already lost motherly love, but in the end, she smiled tiredly and helplessly.

“Come here, Lucia.” She heard Daniel call her name—not ‘woman’. This was the first time he said her name in front of other people. She glanced to the side, her lips quivering with a rare fragility. Just like a flower swaying continuously in the wind, she could fly away to an unknown place in the blink of an eye.

Daniel’s black eyes were unusually deep. He walked over and held her waist. Yes, he could not take it; he really felt genuine unfairness for her. He glanced at Stella. Both were her daughters, but somehow—surprisingly, he thought she was a failure of a mother.

“What? Have you gotten amnesia? You cannot even remember your own parents? Greet them.” He flicked her forehead softly—not with a strong force, but enough to make her a little dazed.

Such an intimate action, such a gentle expression, and a natural mild light-hearted tone. It made Stella’s face go pale. Had he forgotten about Sophia? How could he treat Lucia so nicely? For a moment, she seemed to have forgotten that Lucia was her biological daughter—not an enemy.

Lucia could feel a huge strength from the hand on her waist—as if giving her courage and strength, but it also served as torment and a warning.

“Dad, Mom, what a coincidence that you’re here.” She turned towards them, her voice dull without color and her eyes cold without feelings. She was not unwilling, but they were Ungiving… and so she stopped trying.

“Yes. Looks like you’ve been doing well. That makes me feel better,” Steven said awkwardly. He had accepted it but still felt extremely uncomfortable, especially towards Daniel’s protectiveness over her. Had they really already gotten over Sophia’s death?

Lucia nodded her head lightly. She had not looked at her mother even once from the start.

She turned her head and looked at Daniel. His handsome face showed no signs of any expression, cold and hard as always. She bit her lips and said, “I want to go back. Is that okay?” She blinked her eyes rapidly, hiding the fragility that did not manage to disappear completely.

It was not that she did not care, but rather, she was unable to bring herself to care.

Daniel let go of her waist. “Let’s go.” After he said the words, his lips pursed together even more tightly. He had wanted to reject her, but he did not expect his mouth to make the decision faster than his heart.

“Dad, Mom, I’ll be leaving with Lucia. Enjoy your night.” He nodded his head to the couple and pulled Lucia to leave, his strides bigger compared to the past.

Stella clutched her purse even tighter as if she was trying to strangle someone to death.

Suddenly, she felt a sudden warmth on her shoulder; but it was not enough to warm her heart.

“Stella, let’s not mention this incident anymore. I’m grateful for your protectiveness over my late daughter, but I don’t want you to regret. We are both old. How much longer do we have?”