Daisy observed her expression and stuck out her tongue, "Forget about what I said. Just follow your heart. It is your blood and genes."

Tristan got back before they ate dinner, which was more cheerful with Daisy's conversations on various topics.

Tristan asked about Daisy's interview, and she said it went well, except that the company was small and the job seemed not suitable for her major. One probably could not learn as much as from a company like Chasin.

Tristan said calmly that it was OK if Daisy wanted to go to their company.

Daisy's eyes turned bright, "Really, brother-in-law?"

Kate frowned. Daisy was always outspoken, but calling Tristan brother-in-law was ridiculous. She winked at Daisy harshly, but she found Tristan showed some complacency.

"I can talk with our human resources department. You still have to apply for the job and do whatever they require. It will be bilateral selecting for both sides."

"Thank you. No rush. I will spend some days with my sister. I will go when my sister gets better."

Tristan nodded.

After dinner, Kate went to the guest room Daisy stayed in. She had just taken a shower and was blow-drying her hair in front of the mirror.

Kate took the blow-dryer from her and helped.

Daisy smiled to her sister in the mirror, "I think of the time when we were small. You always helped me do my hair."

Kate smiled and said, "You cared about your looks. And you said our elder sister didn't do it good enough for you."

"She made a mess of my hair…" She complained, and then an idea suddenly occurred to her, "Kate, do you think we look a little alike?"

Kate looked in the mirror. The two faces had fair skin, a similar shape, long brown hair, quite alike generally.

"But I don't have the dimples on your face." Daisy pursed her mouth.

Kate's hand trembled, and her expression turned stiff. Then she thought of the important thing, "Well, you are going to work in Chasin?"

Daisy nodded, "Nobody would give up a chance if they can get into it."

"Don't go to work there."

"Why?"

"Listen to me. Don't go. Go anywhere, better to go to another city."

The smile disappeared from Daisy's face, "Kate, do you think I want to disturb your life here?"

"No." Kate explained hastily, "Don't misunderstand me. What I want to say is Chasin isn't as good as you think it is."

"It is not that I think it is good. It has a reputation, a star enterprise. If I can be an intern there, it will be easier for me to get a job elsewhere."

"You just see what is on the surface."

"You see it substantial?" Daisy said with disapproval. "Sister, don't live in the past. The competition is so hard in this society. One should take good advantage of the resources in hand…"

Kate was startled, "Resources? Am I your resource?"

Daisy changed her mind and grabbed her wrist and shook it pleasingly, "OK, my good sister. Don't talk about this. I will go out to find a place to stay after I have a job. I will not hang out with you and disturb you two."

Kate got back to her own bedroom with a gloomy heart. Only the light beside the bed was on. Tristan was reading in the soft light.

She found it was a tough road full of prickly bushes or an impassable canyon from the door to the bed. She had difficulty getting to the bed and sleeping there as if nothing had happened.

Tristan suddenly raised his eyes from the book and looked at her. His eyes had a fire in them.

Kate didn't know since when, but the way Tristan looked at her had something different. She didn't know what it was, but it was something sticky and heavy, and she felt she should run away from it.

Kate took a deep breath and walked to the bed.

After she lay down on her side, Tristan switched off the light, and his warm c.h.e.s.t leaned close. His hand reached to her belly habitually.

"Don't touch me." She said suddenly.

He stopped and asked in puzzlement, "What's wrong with you?"

Kate closed her eyes tight and bit her lower lip to suppress the words at the tip of her tongue, "Don't touch me with your bloody hand."

The hand was sinful, and she could not endure its touch anymore.

After a short instant of pause, the hand covered her belly. It was warm and dry, with an undeniable attitude. The familiar palm print rubbed against her skin, and Tristan said with disapproval, "Don't fuss over nothing. You will scare the baby."

Kate bit her lip tightly to avoid jumping up or screaming out. Her closed eyelids could not stop tears from coming out and flowing down along her hair to the pillow.

She thought of the waterfalls she saw in Arizona.

How could he take to see the beautiful scenery while plotting a murder?

The time when she was jumping and bouncing in front of the waterfall and feeling great happiness, somebody's life was taken away by the most violent and bloody means.

How could he be so cruel?

How could he treat her like this?

***

This evening, as a representative of entrepreneurs of the star companies in LA, Tristan attended a meeting with the officers of the city government to entertain some visiting officers from Columbia.

He introduced some of their experiences in business development and operation. He came home much later than he usually did.

As he entered the house, it was quiet in the living room.

He went to the kitchen to get a drink. The light in the kitchen was on. Under the soft light, a familiar figure was busying themselves with something in front of the oven. "Kate…" he called gently.

"Hey, Tristan. You are back?" Daisy turned back and greeted him cheerfully.

"Where is your sister?"

"Went to sleep." Daisy smiled, "As a pregnant woman, she needs to get more rest. What do you want? Water? I got an awesome herb tea. Do you want to try it?" She picked a cup and poured some in a cup for him.

Tristan sat on the chair and sipped the tea. He was unable to identify the material used, but it was fragrant and smooth, just the appropriate temperature. "You made this?"

"Yes." Daisy nodded and added jokingly, "Secret recipe from my great-great-grandma. I won't tell you."

"It tastes great."

"Kate knows the recipe. Ask her to make it for you."

Tristan rolled his eyes. Kate made that for him. That would be when the sun rises from the west.

It wasn't autumn yet, but her face had started to freeze. If there was someone else present, she might manage to maintain a friendly disposition, but if they were left alone, she was as cold as a snowman.

Of course, he knew why she acted this way. The driver had reported where she went that day. The guy disturbed her heart when he was alive, and he was still haunting her after death.

Luckily Tristan had made the right move. Now he had one more chip in his hand. In the past half-year, he had gotten used to the incompatible paces of their lives, but they somehow maintained compatible interaction.

Now all actions were suspended, and he felt lost.

Thinking of this, a feeling mixed with frustration and tiredness overwhelmed him. Tristan took up the cup and drank up the remaining tea in it, and put it in the sink. When he stood up, his foot tripped over the leg of the chair, and he staggered.

Daisy came to give him a hand. "Be careful."

"Thanks."

When she got close to him, a scent flew to him from her hair. It was the familiar scent he knew. And the wet hair fell on the back of his hand. Her palm was against his wrist and the heat transmitted to him, together with the trembling.

He frowned and heard Daisy say, "Kate…"

Tristan turned back and saw Kate stood by the door, with a snowing face.

He got rid of Daisy's hand and walked to the door, and asked gently, "Why did you get up? Do you need water?"

Kate seemed to have just woken up. She walked past him without a word, straight to the water dispenser.

Daisy reacted now and moved the strap of her top up. She said to Kate, "Let me help you."

"No, thanks," Kate said coldly. She got the water from the dispenser herself.

Tristan stopped at the door for a few seconds and then walked out.

Daisy pushed her hair backward awkwardly and said, "I will go back to sleep."

Kate was left alone in the kitchen now. The room seemed silent and empty. It had been too crowded just now.

She looked at the tilted chair and the kettle of herb tea. She suddenly felt there was a fire in her throat. She gulped a full cup of the water to extinguish the fire.

After lingering for a while in the kitchen, she went back to her room.

No one was on the bed. There was the sound of running water from the bathroom.

After some time, Tristan came out. He had a towel wrapped around his waist. He bent his head down and rubbed his hair with a towel. There was another explanation for this action-to remove the evidence immediately.

Under the light, his abdominal muscles were apparent and still shining with some water. In Kate's eyes, they looked complacent, which was really hateful.

"Why not go to sleep?" Tristan asked upon seeing her standing there.

"What did you do in the kitchen just now?"

"Do you care?"

"Don't touch my sister."

He laughed and walked to her, put the towel around her neck and pulled her closer, and then reached his mouth to her. Kate frowned and said, "Don't touch me."

Tristan said half smilingly, "You keep refusing me. You are pushing me to other women."

She went stiff.

He held her against him and said in her ear, "Don't give your clothes, shampoo, lotion, and whatever to others. If I drank a little bit more, and the light was a little bit dimmer, another woman would have taken advantage of your man."