CHAPTER 98: HER GAMBLE PLAN

Daisy immediately bowed her head, forcing a smile at the older couple before her.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Williams..." Her voice wavered, polite but small.

Aurora’s mother, wiping her hands on her apron, tilted her head with a kind smile. "Ah, it’s been a while, Daisy. Look at you... still as beautiful as ever." She stepped closer and clasped Daisy’s hand warmly. "You don’t have to greet us so formally, dear. You’re practically family."

Aurora’s father lowered his glasses, his stern face softening the moment his eyes met Daisy’s. "You’ve been keeping our girl company all these years. For that, we’re grateful." He gave a small nod of approval. "It’s good to see you again."

The words made Daisy’s throat tighten. She bowed quickly, hiding the sheen in her eyes.

Aurora bumped her shoulder playfully. "See? I told you they like you better than me."

Her mother swatted Aurora lightly with the dish towel, laughing. "Nonsense. We love you both the same."

For the first time in a long while, Daisy felt the ache in her chest ease. In this house, at least, she could simply be herself.

"Go on and rest first," Mrs. Williams said gently, steering the girls down the hall with a smile. "I’ll call you when dinner’s ready."

The moment Aurora closed the door to her room, Daisy pouted and looked at her. "Thank you so much, best friend!" She threw her arms around Aurora, hugging her tightly. "I’ll repay all your kindness one day."

But Aurora instantly pulled back, frowning as if Daisy had said something offensive. "You don’t need to repay anything. Instead, I should be the one staying by your side when you need me." Her voice softened. "You’ve helped me and my family more times than I can count. If anything, I still haven’t made it up to you."

Daisy’s lips trembled, and for a second, she didn’t know what to say, until something snapped on her mind,

"Then... Can you help me with one more thing?"

Aurora’s eyebrows arched. "What is it?"

"Don’t tell him I’m here..." Daisy’s voice dropped to a whisper, her expression tightening. "I know he might have expected that I would come to you, since I don’t have anyone else to turn to except you..."

Aurora’s smile faded, her brows knitting together. "Daisy..." She reached out, squeezing her friend’s hand. "You know I can always do that for you... but... for someone like Theo Kingsley, searching for you would be a piece of cake."

Daisy’s shoulders slumped, her fingers curling into the fabric of her skirt. "I know," she admitted, her voice cracking. "But at least... let me have this little bit of time. Just a few days where I can think wisely, what to do next..."

Aurora sighed, her eyes softening. "Can you at least tell me a bit of what is happening, so I can at least find a solution for you..."

For a long moment, Daisy stayed quiet, her gaze fixed on the floor as though the answer were written there. Finally, she let out a shaky breath. "It’s just... complicated. Everything between me and him is too tangled, and I don’t even know where to start." Her lips trembled, and she forced herself to meet Aurora’s eyes. "If I need to start, maybe I should apologise to you?"

Aurora’s brows knitted together. "What do you mean?"

"Hm... actually, I knew who Theo Kingsley was before you introduced him to me for a job." Daisy dropped part of the truth, her chest tightening as the words left her mouth.

Aurora blinked, clearly caught off guard. "And...?" she pressed gently, though her tone carried a note of caution.

"So... I found his initials on one of the documents about my father’s business downfall," Daisy admitted, her voice low. "And I realised he might have some kind of connection to what was happening to my father’s company." She sighed heavily, lowering her gaze to her hands. "I decided to study him... and the first thing I did to approach him was to work at the coffee shop where his assistant, Miles, went every morning."

Aurora’s lips parted in disbelief. She leaned back slightly, trying to take it all in. "So you’re saying... all this time, you didn’t just meet him by chance? You... planned it?"

Daisy immediately shook her head. "Working at the coffee shop was part of the plan. I gambled—"

"Ah, Daisy... you and your gambles..." Aurora cut her off.

"I know... but the day he showed up at the coffee shop, I thought maybe luck was on my side."

Aurora exhaled sharply, half in disbelief, half in exasperation. "Luck?" she repeated, shaking her head. "Daisy, you make it sound like fate dealt you a winning card when in reality... you were playing with fire."

"I know," Daisy admitted quickly, her voice soft, almost pleading. "But what else could I do? My father’s company was collapsing right in front of me, and every lead I had pointed back to him. I thought if I could just get close enough, maybe I’d understand the truth... or even fix something."

Aurora rubbed her temples, muttering under her breath before lifting her gaze to Daisy again. "And why do you feel the need to apologise to me?"

Daisy’s chest tightened. "Well... to be honest, I kind of used you."

Aurora frowned. "Used me? How?"

Daisy lowered her gaze, twisting her fingers together. "The moment I realised I had his attention, I knew he’d come looking for me through you. You were already at his company, someone he believed was close to me. So I gambled that if I disappeared... he’d eventually find his way back to me."

Aurora’s breath caught, her lips pressing into a thin line. Betrayal pricked at her chest, but it tangled with something heavier, something she didn’t dare name. After all, hadn’t she... done the same? The day Theo transferred her the money, she hadn’t asked questions. She had just taken it.

"You make it sound like I was innocent in all this," Aurora muttered, forcing a wry smile. "But I wasn’t, Daisy. I... I sold you too, didn’t I? Hand-delivered you right into his hands."

Daisy’s head shot up, eyes wide. "Aurora, no—"

Aurora shook her head quickly, cutting her off, her tone sharper than she intended. "Don’t try to deny it. You knew what you were doing, and so did I." She exhaled, voice softening into a whisper. "That’s what makes this worse."

She moved to the bed and sank onto the edge, scoffing in disbelief. "You know what? The money he transferred to me... for selling out my best friend... I still haven’t touched it. Not a single cent. The guilt..." her voice cracked bitterly. "I can’t even look at it. I had such a hard time finding the courage to tell you this, but—" she glanced up, conflicted. "Should I even be mad?"