CHAPTER 103: THE LEAD

"I won’t leave unless you follow me back," Theo’s expression hardened, his calm turning cold.

"And I won’t follow you, whatever you do," Daisy snapped, eyes darting around frantically for anything to use as leverage. Her hand landed on the small bottle of bleach under the sink. She grabbed it like a lifeline, holding it up with trembling hands.

"Step one foot closer, and I swear I will drink this!" Her voice wavered, but there was steel behind it.

Theo’s sharp gaze flickered to the bottle, a faint mix of surprise and amusement crossing his face. "Drink... bleach?"

"Yes!" Daisy’s voice cracked, but she didn’t lower her hand. "I don’t care how much you like me... tonight, you leave, or I actually will. Understand?!"

For a tense moment, Theo studied her, the coldness in his expression clashing with the faint spark of curiosity in his eyes. Slowly, he stepped back, just enough to respect her boundary.

"Fine," he said quietly, clipped. "Tonight... I leave. But only because you made me."

Daisy exhaled shakily, gripping the bottle like a shield. She pressed herself against the wall, refusing to move until she was certain he had retreated. Once she heard his footsteps fade down the hall, she immediately locked the door behind her.

Sliding down to the cold tile floor, Daisy hugged her knees tightly. Her chest heaved, not with fear, but with the raw weight of relief and exhaustion. ’I just... I need tonight,’ she whispered to herself. ’Tonight to think... to breathe... to be just me, without him here.’

She pressed her forehead against her knees, the quiet of the bathroom suddenly feeling like a small, fragile sanctuary. Outside, the faint echoes of his departure left a lingering tension, not of danger, but of the complicated storm that Theo brought wherever he went.

"Let’s go," Theo called to Liam as he headed toward the main door. "Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Williams, and sorry for the interruption. I’ll leave my wife here for today and come pick her up tomorrow after she calms down."

Liam stood and gave a slight bow. "I will come again..." he said with a smile, then turned his gaze toward Aurora.

"Why would you?" Aurora’s thoughts slipped out before she could stop them, and she quickly covered her mouth. "Ha! Ha! I mean... Pleasure to have you..."

Liam gave a small, amused shrug at Aurora’s flustered reply, his smile lingering as he followed Theo toward the door. The sound of their footsteps faded down the hallway, the click of the front door echoing faintly as it shut behind them.

Aurora took a deep breath, trying to steady the rapid beating of her heart. She moved toward the bathroom, gently knocking on the door. "Daisy... hey, they’re gone," she called softly, her voice carrying a mix of relief and caution.

Inside, Daisy shifted slightly, her body still pressed against the cold wall. "Finally..." she murmured, exhaling as her tense hands loosened from where they had gripped her knees.

Aurora’s voice softened from the other side. "Come on, you can come out now. He’s gone..."

Slowly, Daisy pushed herself upright, her legs stiff from the cramped hiding spot. She eased the door open, casting a wary glance toward Aurora before stepping out.

"What’s happening?" Aurora asked immediately, slipping her arm through Daisy’s as if anchoring her in place.

"I chased him away," Daisy said with a small sigh. "I just... need more time to calm down." Her eyes lifted then and met both of Aurora’s parents watching quietly from the dining table.

Flustered, Daisy instantly bowed her head. "I’m so sorry... I didn’t know he would come here and cause such a disturbance for you both."

Aurora’s mother stood slowly, her expression a careful mix of concern and authority. "It’s alright, dear. But you should discuss things properly. Running away doesn’t solve problems... unless..." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Unless he’s the abusive type? Is he?"

The weight of the question pressed heavily in the air.

Daisy’s hands flew up in protest, shaking quickly. "No! No, he’s never hit me, or anything like that..."

Aurora’s father leaned forward, studying her closely. "Then why do you look so terrified?"

Daisy froze, her lips parting but no sound coming out. Aurora tightened her grip on her arm, silently urging her to speak.

She lowered her gaze, her voice barely above a whisper.

"It’s not bruises... it’s just... him. The way he looks at me, like he sees through every excuse, every plan. Like I can’t hide anything, no matter how hard I try. It feels... unfair."

Aurora’s father frowned. "What do you mean?"

Her throat tightened. "Because I walked up to him already convinced I should hate him. Because in my head, he’s the reason—" Her voice broke, tears blurring her vision as she looked at Aurora’s parents. "He’s the reason my father ended up like that..."

Aurora’s parents exchanged a troubled glance.

Aurora’s father leaned forward, his frown deepening.

"Do you mean... your father’s sudden collapse in business... you believe he caused it?"

Daisy nodded, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I don’t know much about business, but the documents I read... they all pointed to him. Like... like..."

Her words faltered. A sharp jolt ran through her chest. She suddenly remembered the day the box arrived, unknown sender with no return address and no explanation, just a stack of papers waiting for her on the doorstep. Every page had pushed her toward one conclusion, Theo Kingsley was the reason, the cause of the downfall of her father’s business.

Her eyes widened slightly, as if she was hearing her own voice for the first time. "Wait..." she whispered.

Aurora caught the change instantly. "What is it? Something wrong?"

Daisy’s lips trembled. "The documents... the box... I never questioned it. It just showed up one day, no sender, no explanation. And every page... it all pointed straight to him. I thought I found the truth, but... what if it wasn’t the truth at all? What if someone wanted me to see only him?"

Her voice cracked, the realization shaking her more than the tears ever could.

"What if someone wanted to frame him... and use me to do it? But why?"