CHAPTER 42: IS HE MAD?

"Oh... about that..." Daisy glanced over her shoulder into the room. "He left in a hurry and forgot his phone. It was already out of battery."

Camellia nodded slowly, though her brows were still furrowed. "I see. That explains it."

There was an awkward pause between them, filled only by the faint hum of the hallway. Daisy could see the tension still clinging to Camellia’s posture, the way her arms crossed a little too tightly over her chest, like she wasn’t just here by coincidence.

"Do you want to come in?" Daisy asked, stepping aside.

Camellia hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Just for a bit."

As she stepped into the room, her eyes subtly scanned the space, as if expecting Theo to still be there, despite everything Daisy had said. She sat on the edge of the armchair by the window, her movements careful and measured.

Daisy poured her a glass of water and handed it to her before sitting on the edge of the bed. "You seemed really worried."

"I was," Camellia admitted, her voice quieter now. "If he went off the grid like this usually..." she paused, and shook her head, "Never mind."

Daisy tilted her head. "Usually what?"

Camellia gave a faint, almost embarrassed smile. "It doesn’t matter. He’s okay, that’s what counts."

But the way her fingers tightened slightly around the glass didn’t go unnoticed.

Daisy studied her for a moment. "He’s okay... so you don’t need to worry." Her voice was soft, meant to be reassuring, though something in her chest tightened too.

Camellia gave a small nod, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

Daisy hesitated before adding, "You... know about it, don’t you?"

Camellia looked up, meeting her gaze with quiet surprise. "About what?"

Daisy didn’t answer immediately. She wasn’t sure what name to give it. The switch. The coldness. Theo’s eyes that looked like someone else’s for a terrifying second.

"Something happened to him last night," Daisy said instead. "That wasn’t normal."

Camellia’s eyes widened for a few seconds. She didn’t even look away.

A long silence passed before she replied, "We don’t talk about it. Not openly. But yes... we all know. So he changed last night?"

"Hmm..." Daisy nodded.

Camellia pressed her lips together, a faint shadow passing over her face. "Where is he now? Like for real..." she suddenly stood, the urgency breaking through her usual poise.

Daisy blinked, taken aback by the shift. "He was out for something, I don’t really know... you might try to call Miles or Marla."

"They—"

The bell to the room rang again, cutting Camellia off mid-sentence. Both of them turned toward the door in unison, startled by the sound.

Daisy stood first, casting a quick glance at Camellia before making her way to the door. Her fingers hovered over the handle for a second longer than necessary, just long enough to feel the weight of something unspoken pressing in the air.

She opened the door, but the person she expected to see wasn’t there.

"Miss Sinclair..." Marla stood politely in front of the room. "Mr. Kingsley had to rush back home, and he asked me to escort you back safely as well."

"Marla?" Camellia appeared behind Daisy. "What do you mean? He already flew back home? Is he okay?"

Marla looked surprised to see Camellia there but nodded. "He’s fine, Miss... but there was an urgent matter at the company, so he flew back immediately."

"Really? Glad to hear that..." Camellia gave a small smile before turning to Daisy. "Then I’ll take my leave now. Thanks, Daisy... see you again."

And just like that, she left.

"Miss Sinclair?" Marla gently waved a hand in front of Daisy. "The flight’s in three hours. It would be best if we head out now."

Daisy didn’t respond right away. Her eyes were fixed on the floor, her voice quieter when she finally spoke. "Is he really okay? Did he say anything... about me?"

Marla shook her head immediately. "He didn’t say anything, Miss."

Daisy’s brows knitted together. "So... he didn’t say anything..."

She rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly, eyes darting briefly toward the door and Marla. "Hmm... Marla..." she paused, swallowing, "When did his condition first appear? I mean... can I know why and how it happened?"

There was a tightness in her chest she couldn’t explain, like something fragile was slipping out of her grasp.

"Sorry, Miss. That’s a difficult question for me to answer," Marla replied at once, her expression unreadable but not unkind. "It’s personal, and I believe it’s best if Mr. Kingsley tells you himself."

Daisy nodded slowly. "Then I’ll ask him myself."

She pressed her lips together. "So... I’ll be flying back and heading straight to his house, right?"

Marla shook her head. "Actually, Mr. Kingsley told me to inform you that you wouldn’t need to go to his house just yet."

Daisy blinked. "What do you mean?"

"He said... for now, you can just stay at home. He’ll call you when the time is right."

A strange feeling settled in Daisy’s chest, something between confusion and disappointment. "Did he really say that?"

Marla nodded once, firmly. "Yes, Miss."

Daisy looked down, the weight of uncertainty pressing on her shoulders. "Is he mad?"

Marla hesitated for the first time, her eyes flickering for just a second before she composed herself again. "No, Miss," she said gently. "I don’t believe he is. He just... needs some time, that’s all."

Daisy’s fingers tightened slightly around her shirt. The fabric crumpled beneath her grip, grounding her just enough to stay steady.

Marla watched her quietly, offering no further explanation.

"Did he look alright?" Daisy asked, voice low. "When he... left?"

Marla’s gaze softened. "He looked fine, Miss. You don’t need to worry. When this happens, he usually just needs some time to recover."

Daisy nodded slowly, though her expression didn’t quite ease. "Okay," she whispered, more to herself than anyone else. Then, straightening up, she added with a small, tight smile, "Let’s head to the airport."