Chapter 196

Victor’s POV

When I saw Amy exit the kitchen to help clean up a mess in the dining room, I realized I shouldn’t have brought Olivia to Gray’s restaurant.

It felt disloyal to be here, discussing marriage with Olivia in the place where I first met Daisy.

“It sounds like a good arrangement for us both,” Olivia said after I told her I wanted an open marriage.

Her eagerness to be able to take other lovers bruised my ego, but I couldn’t pretend to be in love with her. Daisy was too fresh in my heart and mind.

The pain that tore through my soul when Daisy rejected me made me vow to never care about a female again.

I should be grateful Olivia was willing to marry me. She was pretty enough to attract any man. But there was something about her, something strange about her reactions and mannerisms.

She flirted with me like an experienced woman, yet she shied away from any contact with me, even the touch of my hand on hers.

Still, she was Alex’s daughter, and she claimed to want to marry me. The leadership position would be mine, and I would leave my wife to do as she pleased.

There was no danger of me falling for Olivia or any other woman I knew. They didn’t have Daisy’s kindness and caring, combined with her beauty, intelligence, and strength.

“Don’t get me wrong, Victor, you are an attractive man,” Olivia said. “And I’m sure we’ll get along in every way. But I’m equally sure we will grow bored with each other quickly. That’s why open marriages are quite in fashion these days.”

“I’m pleased you feel this way,” I said. I’ve never been faithful to any woman, and I didn’t want to be.

That was a lie. There had been no females in my bed since I met Daisy. My body still wanted sex, but it felt wrong to hook up with someone else. And I sensed facing Daisy would be difficult if I did.

I gazed at Olivia sitting across the table, examining a dessert menu. She was young and beautiful, and she was willing to go along with my idea of marriage. But I dreaded binding myself to her.

Why didn’t the thought of marking and bedding her fill me with lust?

Before Daisy, I would have been fantasizing about having sex with her as soon as we met. But truthfully, I was more interested in Alex's job than Olivia.

But I would make the best of my situation and keep up all the pretenses of being happy.

“Do you agree to attend all the major parties and balls together?” I asked.

“Of course,” Olivia said as her attention was drawn to a table next to ours. “Is that Daisy working as a waitress?”

The sound of something dropping to the floor made me swivel toward the sound. I gasped when I saw Daisy staring at me with a look of shock and heartbreak on her beautiful face.

But she told me to pursue Olivia. Why would she be hurt by seeing us together?

Our eyes met. For a few seconds, I felt her pain before she grabbed a large tray off the floor and fled to the kitchen.

I didn’t understand. Did Daisy love me? If so, why did she insist I leave her apartment and pursue Olivia?

I had to know. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back,” I said to Olivia and went to the kitchen door. I had to know.

Pushing through the swinging door, I found Mr. Gray at his stove.

“Where’s Daisy?” I asked.

“She ran out the backdoor,” he replied.

I went outside and looked for her, but she was gone.

“What is going on with her?” I said as I returned to the kitchen. “I don’t understand.”

“What don’t you understand, Victor?” Mr. Gray asked. He was standing with Amy near a table filled with vegetables.

“Daisy broke up with me, told me to pursue someone else, and sent me away. But now, she looks heartbroken when I did what she told me to do.”

“She cares about you enough to give you up even if it hurts her,” Amy explained. “She didn’t want you to give up the leadership of the Alpha Association for her.”

Why didn’t I see it before? “That sounds like she loves me.”

Amy nodded. “Daisy always wants the best for those she loves, even if it hurts her.”

I had to fix this. But how?

First, I would take Olivia home. I wasn’t in the mood to pretend a life with her would make me happy. Then I’d go to speak to my parents. They know much more about love than I used to think.

Thank you,” I told Amy. Then I returned to Olivia and told her I had to leave immediately.

After taking Olivia to the mansion, I raced to my parents’ home. My mother was still using a wheelchair after her accident, and they were spending a quiet evening watching television.

“Victor, what’s wrong?” my father asked when I walked into the living room.

“I need to talk to you and Mom,” I replied.

Mom patted the chair beside her. “Sit down, dear, and tell us what's on your mind.”

I sat down. “I think I made a mistake, and I’m not sure how or if I should fix it.”

They already knew Daisy dumped me and told me to pursue Olivia, so I explained what happened at the restaurant and told them what Amy said.

“Is it possible that Daisy loves me?” I asked.

“People do terribly noble things when they are in love,” Mom said. “You want what’s best for the person you love, even if it’s not what you really want.”

“Daisy is a good person,” Dad added. “It’s likely that’s what happened. And her girlfriend would know how Daisy feels about you. Right, Lana, dear?”

She laughed. “We females share our feelings all the time with our friends. I told Joanna I loved your father before I told him.”

I covered my eyes with one hand. “I want that job badly. Mom, Dad, I don’t know what to do.”

“You need to stop worrying about a job,” Dad proclaimed. “Wealth, prestige, and power won’t keep you from being lonely.”

“Who do you want to spend your life with, honey?” Mom asked.

“Daisy,” I said automatically. “But I want to be the leader of The United Association of Alphas, too.”

Dad put a hand on my shoulder. “You need to make your own choice, son. But I know no leadership position in the world would make me give up Lana.”

“Look inside your heart, Victor,” Mom added. “It knows what you want. Listen to it, and you’ll never be sorry.”

I thought about how I had trained for years for the job and how many hours I spent discussing association business with Alex, so I’d be ready to take over.

And I could see myself behind the big desk at the association headquarters, making new laws and making a difference in the world.

I sat at that desk once when Alex was out of the room. The feeling of total autonomy and power had been overwhelming.

Then I thought of Daisy when I taught her to dance, when we ran through the fields, and when we kissed.

The look on her face tonight when she saw me with Olivia invaded my happy memories. I never wanted to see that look of devastation on her face again.

“I love her!” I said. “I truly love her.”

“That’s been obvious to us for some time now,” Mom said with a smile.

“Now, what are you going to do about it?” Dad asked.

I took out my phone and dialed Benson. He answered on the second ring.

“Hello, Mr. Klein,” Benson said. “How can I help you?”

“Is Alex still awake?” I asked.

“I’m afraid Mr. Wilson has retired for the evening,” Benson answered. “Do you need me to wake him?”

“No, but please tell him I need to speak to him tomorrow. It’s urgent.”

“He is free tomorrow afternoon,” Benson said. “Is around one o’clock satisfactory?”

“Tell Alex I’ll see him then,” I said. “I’ve made an important decision.”