The Fourth Daughter

After a successful meeting with the cooking show producers, Liv sits on the balcony of a hotel at Sun Moon Lake with Simon. He suggested the overnight trip for them to spend time alone. They open up to each other. Simon talks about his past, including a broken engagement, and Liv shares her pattern of relationships.

Liv also describes the restaurant shooting, how she watched her coworker, Cat, die, and the survivor's guilt she carries. She also confesses a deeper guilt: Cat was covering Amy's shift that night, and Liv feels ashamed of her relief that it wasn't Amy who died. She explains that she is "showing him the real Liv Kuo" (253). Simon promises to support her. They kiss and have sex. Liv questions whether they have a future, as he is due to leave for New York in two days, but she explains she has "found the other half of [her] soul" (254).

Liv wakes beside Simon, feeling a calm that makes her wary. It seems too good to be true, and she expects hardship to follow joy. Ah-Ma calls to announce that she has secured a six-episode TV deal for their cooking show. The producers want to feature Sue, who has decided to remain in Taiwan.