Daisy's Code Novel by Amelia Bennett
Chapter 15

Daisy scanned the girls on the ground, her face a mask of disappointment. “You guys are such easy targets,” she said with a yawn. “No staying power at all.” With that, she turned on her heel and left.

Daisy wasn’t one for the family chauffeur; she enjoyed the simplicity of the bus. By the time she reached home, Laura was already deep in conversation with Fiona in the living room.

As Daisy entered, they both looked over. Fiona’s voice was all cheer. “Daisy, pull up a seat! Mary, fetch our Daisy a drink.”

Fiona’s enthusiasm made Daisy seem almost like a guest, but she just smiled and said, making herself at home, “Thanks, Mary.”

Laura looked taken aback to see Daisy relaxed on the couch, no worse for wear. “Daisy, I heard you’ve been getting close to the new guy at the convenience store?”

Daisy gave a nonchalant nod, acknowledging Laura’s words without much interest.

Fiona kept quiet throughout the conversation. Elden had already explained the situation to her the night before. She wasn’t about to start a fuss without reason.

“He’s good-looking, I’ll give you that, but how much can he really make from a small store?” Laura had felt a twinge of envy when she first heard, but then she thought about the likely earnings and her envy cooled.

Daisy gave. Laura a quizzical look, not quite getting her point. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it. Don’t hem and h**.”

Caught off guard, Laura then pulled an invitation from behind her back with a triumphant gleam. “Sis, this is to Mr. Carter’s birthday bash. Dad gave it to me himself.” She showed it off as if it were a badge of honor.

Mr. Carter’s invite? Shawn? Daisy could have a handful if she wanted. She found Laura’s pride in the invitation a bit ridiculous.

Feigning a gasp, Daisy said, “Wow, Laura, Dad really must love you.” Then she shrugged and added, “So what? What does it matter to me?”

With that, Daisy grabbed her backpack and sauntered upstairs, leaving Laura to consider the conversation with a mix of confusion and envy.

Laura gaped as Daisy disappeared from view, a whirl of emotions tugging at her. The gravity of the Carter family’s standing in Narston wasn’t lost on her, and she questioned whether Daisy was really so nonchalant about it or just plain ignorant.

“Laura! I’ve been calling you-what’s with the daze?” Fiona creased her brow, a sense of being overlooked flashing in her eyes, Snapping out of it, Laura turned to her mother with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Mom. Just lost in thought.”

Fiona brushed off the momentary lapse. “No harm. Focus on your homework today, and tomorrow, we’re getting you a dress for the bash,” she said, her voice brimming with anticipation.

The mention of the bash electrified Laura. The idea of turning heads, especially Shawn’s, at his birthday bash was too enticing to pass up.

Eagerly, Laura nodded. “Great idea, Mom. I’ll get started on my homework right away, she said, already m**lly preparing for the event,

That night, Laura’s resolve to outshine everyone at the party fueled her. She was so engrossed in her preparations that she didn’t even come down for dinner, instead, opting to stay in her room, fully engrossed in her homework.

Early the next day, while Laura and Fiona were out enjoying a shopping trip, Daisy was tucked away in bed, catching up on some much-needed rest.

Her peace was interrupted by the shrill ring of her phone. She fumbled for it, her vision blurry with sleep, and saw that it was Shawn.

“Mr. Carter, what’s the emergency?” she grumbled, her voice rough from sleep.

His light chuckle came through the line. “It’s my birthday, and I was hoping you’d be part of the celebration.”

Daisy rubbed the sleep from her eyes, considering his invitation for a moment. “I’ll be there, with the rest of the family,” she finally conceded, her words heavy with reluctance,

“I had a feeling you might need a reminder, Shawn said, a smile in his voice. “I took the liberty of extending an invitation to the Wilder family, knowing how busy you all can be”

Daisy wasn’t taken aback by his presumptuousness. “Fine, I got it. I’ll be there,” she said, signaling the end of the conversation.

She hung up without waiting for his response, casting her phone aside and rolling back into the comfort of her bed. The last thing she wanted was to think about the party that evening.

Daisy had no desire to attend the banquet that night, and was unaware that Laura and Fiona had gone shopping.

As she went downstairs in search of a snack, she was taken aback to replace Elden waiting in the living room. His surprise was evident when he saw her; he hadn’t expected anyone to be home.

“Didn’t you go shopping with Laura and Fiona?” Elden asked, puzzled. He’d assumed all the women in the family were out.

With a dismissive glance, Daisy replied, “No, I didn’t.”

Their conversation was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Fiona and Laura, who were breathless from their shopping trip. They stared in surprise at the scene before them, clearly not what they’d anticipated.

Upon seeing Fiona, Elden smiled and said, “My dear, could you help Daisy prepare for tonight? Mr. Carter’s birthday banquet is a must-attend event for us.”

“Sure thing.” Fiona reluctantly agreed, not wanting to embarrass her husband in front of the family.

As Fiona helped Daisy with her makeup, she felt a twinge of jealousy at Daisy’s natural beauty, which required minimal effort to enhance.

However, she put those feelings aside, focusing on the potential benefits of Daisy’s attractiveness for the family’s social standing.

Meanwhile, Laura, already made up and looking all good, sat in the living room, chatting with her father. When Daisy joined them, Laura’s resentment was palpable, her animosity towards Daisy deepening.

Armed with the Carter’s invitation, the family made their way to the banquet hall, which was filled with influential figures from the business world. The Carter family was a family of note, well-known in both Narston and even Aerithia, the capital.

The banquet soon began. After the usual round of speeches, Bruce, the head of the Carter family, made an unexpected announcement. “Today, we are honored to have a special guest at our gathering.”

Right then, Shawn emerged from the shadows, walking towards the Wilder family.

Daisy, catching sight of his radiant smile, couldn’t help but sigh and shake her head, while Laura was visibly thrilled, her gaze fixed on him with eager anticipation.