Chapter 149 The Fear of Domestic Turmoil
Jesse's gaze flickered to Daphne in the rearview mirror, taking note of her unusual silence. "Boss, is there something troubling you?" he inquired, his voice laced with concern."No," Daphne responded, reclining in her seat as she kneaded her weary brows. "You can drop the boyfriend act now, Jesse. I managed to resolve things with Charles last night.""Understood," Jesse replied, always amenable to Daphne's requests. Daphne, feeling the weight of exhaustion, allowed her eyes to flutter shut, seeking a moment of respite. The recent encounter with Uncle Tang had stirred up long-forgotten memories. She was no soldier, merely a civilian. She could slip back into her mundane life whenever her services as team captain weren't required, and rejoin the fray when duty called. It had been a considerable time since her last mission. As the car hummed along, Jesse sensed an unusual air about Daphne that day. Instead of driving her back to the office, he decided to take her home. The home she shared with Mr. Murphy and Lydia. Upon arrival, she retreated upstairs to rest without much conversation. The house was unusually quiet that day, inhabited only by her and her "pretend father". Lydia had returned to school, and Mr. Murphy, having delegated his company responsibilities to Gavin, spent most of his time at home, occasionally visiting someone dear to him. "Daffy," he called out to her, gathering his courage as she ascended the stairs. Lydia had once advised him: to build a rapport with Daffy, communication was key. Daphne paused, looking down from the staircase, her hand resting on the banister. "Yes?""Could we perhaps sit down and talk?" Mr. Murphy suggested, his eyes glinting with cautious hope. "It's been a while since we just sat together and watched TV."Daphne was momentarily taken aback by his words. Memories of watching TV with her father as a child, and the time he, despite his lack of culinary skills, had attempted to cook for her, flooded her mind. Regardless of any residual bitterness from past incidents, she found herself descending the stairs. He may have wronged her mother, but he had been a good father. As she made her way down, Mr. Murphy felt a sense of relief, acknowledging the wisdom in Lydia's advice. "I wanted to discuss something with you," Mr. Murphy began, his voice laced with apprehension. "Would you like to reveal your true identity to the public? If so, I could arrange a party."He wanted to prevent any future incidents like the one Summer had mentioned. His Daphne didn't deserve any slander. "There's no need for a grand reveal, nor is there a need to deliberately conceal it," Daphne replied. "Let's just let things unfold naturally.""I understand," Mr. Murphy said, feeling a twinge of disappointment. He had hoped to publicly acknowledge his two exceptional daughters. Their conversation meandered to other topics until Mr. Murphy was reminded of something he had been meaning to discuss. He wanted to broach the subject, but hesitated. His words faltered, and Daphne noticed. "Is there something else on your mind?""There is one thing," he admitted."What is it?""Just..." Mr. Murphy's words lodged in his throat. He dreaded the potential repercussions of his revelation and feared that their tentative father-daughter bond might stiffen once again. However, this issue had been lingering for a while, and he knew it wasn't healthy to keep putting it off. Seeing Mr. Murphy struggle with his words, Daphne made an educated guess. "Are you planning to marry Summer's mother?" she blurted out. Mr. Murphy was taken aback. How had Daphne found out? Who had spilled the beans?"How did you know?" he asked, his surprise evident. He hadn't expected her to be privy to this information. "You always stutter like that when it's about her," Daphne replied, a surge of emotion evident in her voice before she quickly suppressed it. She then made a suggestion that Mr. Murphy hadn't anticipated. "Set a date, and I'll meet her."
Mr. Murphy found himself utterly taken aback, his countenance a canvas of shock and surprise, so profound that he momentarily forgot how to react."Daphne, are you truly prepared to meet her?" He managed to stammer out, his voice barely above a whisper."I'm not endorsing your relationship, nor will I absolve the past," Daphne retorted, her tone as sharp as a blade, "I'm agreeing to meet her solely to prevent our family from descending into utter chaos."The reality that her father was on the brink of marrying another woman was a bitter pill to swallow. She was powerless to halt the proceedings, and any attempt to do so would be an exercise in futility. Given the circumstances, she decided it would be best to formally meet the woman in question.Lydia had claimed to be a good person, but Daphne remained skeptical. If she were indeed virtuous, she would have distanced herself after the incident, rather than clinging to her father, whom she had affectionately dubbed 'Dummy Dad', for over two years."Alright!" Mr. Murphy conceded hastily, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears.However, Daphne had misinterpreted something crucial. In Mr. Murphy's heart, she and Lydia held equal importance. If either of them objected, he would willingly forfeit the prospect of marriage, regardless of how the other might perceive his decision.Most importantly, he had made it abundantly clear from the onset that he might not officially marry the woman.Daphne's emotions roiled as she observed her father's distressed state. She pondered whether her mother would condemn her for this decision, and if witnessing Dummy Dad's current demeanor would fill her with icy sorrow.After some introspection, she concluded it likely wouldn't. Her mother had always been exceedingly tender and indulgent towards Dummy Dad, treating everyone with kindness, patience, and care. She was a woman whose gentleness was etched into her very soul."Let me know when it's convenient, and I'll make the arrangements," said Dummy Dad, his voice slightly shaky."I'm occupied on the 15th and 16th; I won't be able to make it," Daphne responded, her voice steady, her emotions carefully concealed, "You can schedule it for another time.""How about the 10th?""Sure."With Daphne's agreement, Mr. Murphy felt a weight lift off his shoulders. After Daphne retired upstairs, he promptly called Sophia to inform her of the planned meeting with Daphne on the 10th.Sophia acquiesced.Having finalized the arrangements, Mr. Murphy sent a message to Lydia. His intention was to introduce Lydia to Daphne, and if there were no objections, he would proceed to obtain the marriage license.Meanwhile, at Sophia's residence.She lived in a duplex apartment, a generous gift from Mr. Murphy, which she shared with Summer. Upon overhearing the phone conversation, Summer was immediately incensed, her anger palpable, "Why can't I attend? Am I not your daughter?""He takes your past actions very seriously," Sophia, a graceful and beautiful middle-aged woman, whom Lydia often mentioned, replied, "Haven't I cautioned you to be mindful of your words and actions, to avoid upsetting Mr. Murphy?""But I wasn't aware that Daphne was Mr. Murphy's daughter," Summer protested, feeling unjustly treated.She had always presented herself as well-mannered in front of Mr. Murphy, and he had taken a liking to her. However, due to Daphne, it felt as though she had lost everything.Anger simmered within her.Sophia sternly reprimanded, her words brooking no argument, "You were at fault in that situation, so cease your sulking."
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