Chapter 78: The Words She Accidentally Slipped Out
"Wake up."
Theo crouched beside the bed, his hand resting gently on her shoulder as he gave her a soft shake, "Are you sure you don’t want to have dinner?"
Daisy’s eyes fluttered open, heavy and unfocused. She blinked slowly before letting them fall shut again. "Hmm..."
"Are you that tired?" Theo studied her face, concerned replacing his usual teasing tone. "You want me to bring the food here?"
His hand brushed back the loose strands of hair covering her forehead, and then he paused.
"Wait..." He leaned in, his palm pressing lightly against her skin.
A sharp crease formed between his brows, "You’re burning."
Before she could protest, he was already straightening up, his voice more urgent now, "Stay put, I’ll get something for you."
She heard his footsteps retreat, the sound fading into the quiet room. Daisy let out a slow breath, her body heavy against the mattress. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep, certainly not to let her guard down like this but the fever had stolen more of her strength than she realised.
Theo returned a few minutes later, a cold pack in one hand, a glass of water and medicine in the other.
"Here, sit up a little," he said softly, but Daisy only murmured something and shifted restlessly on the bed.
He leaned closer, "What is it?" His brows drew together, straining to catch the words.
At first, it was nothing but slurred fragments. Then, a phrase slipped out, quiet, but clear enough to make his body go still.
Theo’s eyes widened for the briefest second, then narrowed into something sharper, colder. He studied her face, peaceful in sleep, as if the truth had walked out of her mouth without her permission.
Placing the ice pack gently against her forehead, he forced his expression back into something unreadable.
"Rest," he murmured, though his voice was different now, careful and measured.
By the time Daisy stirred again, he was sitting at her side, wearing the same faint smile as before. But his eyes... his eyes were no longer just looking at her. They were watching.
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The soft morning light spilled through the curtains, brushing against her eyelids. Daisy stirred, blinking herself awake.
On the side table sat a tray, still cold porridge, a glass of water, and neatly arranged medicine. She hadn’t touched any of it, the weight of her sleep had kept her still all night.
Her body felt heavy, but the feverish heat had ebbed. It was always like this for her, a night’s rest after being caught in the rain, and she would feel better.
Swinging her legs off the bed, she stretched briefly before padding barefoot across the floor. The house was so quiet, the kind of stillness that made her ears pick up every faint sound.
She stepped out into the hallway, glancing around. "Theo?" Her voice was soft, but it carried in the emptiness.
"Madam..." The maid appeared at the top of the stairs, slightly out of breath. "I’m sorry, I checked on you earlier and you were still deep in sleep. Would you like some breakfast now?"
Daisy shook her head weakly. "Where is Theo?"
"Sir? He has already gone to the office."
Her lips parted slightly, an odd feeling settling in her chest. He’d been here last night, sitting beside her bed, his voice close enough to thread into her dreams. She could almost still feel the faint coolness of the ice pack against her skin.
"Did he say anything?" she asked, one hand tightening on the stair rail as the hallway tilted just slightly under her feet.
"Are you okay, madam?" The maid stepped forward quickly, steadying her. "Sir didn’t say anything. He just asked us to look after you and report any emergency immediately..."
"Can you get me a glass of water?" Daisy murmured, her voice thinner now. Her lips had lost their color again, and the fever still clung stubbornly to her body. "And... help me call him. Ask when he’ll be back. I don’t feel good."
"Okay, madam, let me send you back to your—" The maid’s words cut short when Daisy suddenly crumpled, her body collapsing onto the floor.
"Madam!"
"Someone! Call Mr. Kingsley instantly!"
Another maid, who had been dusting nearby, sprinted toward the phone and dialed without hesitation, while two others rushed in, kneeling to help lift Daisy.
"Oh my God—her head..." One of them gasped, her hand coming away wet when she supported Daisy’s skull.
"She’s bleeding! Call emergency!"
"What are you doing?! Hold her properly!" another barked, crouching to assess the scene. Her eyes flicked to the spot where Daisy had fallen, right against the sharp carved edge of the stair’s newel post, its corner now faintly smeared with red.
The sound of the maid’s panicked breathing filled the hallway as they tried to keep Daisy steady, her limp head lolling, a thin trickle of blood trailing toward her temple.
"We’re done for..." one of them muttered under her breath, voice shaking. "Why didn’t you catch her?!"
The maid who had been with Daisy from the start was trembling so badly her hands barely supported Daisy’s shoulder. "I—I didn’t expect her to fall that suddenly..." she stammered, eyes darting toward the smear of Daisy’s blood.
"Emergency is coming, but Mr. Kingsley didn’t pick up his phone..." one of the maids rushed toward them.
"Let’s carry her down first. Lily, you can drive, right?" the maid who had been scolding everyone barked, pointing at the one holding Daisy.
Lily nodded automatically, though her mind was blank. Her arms felt stiff, her heart pounding so hard it drowned out the noise around her. All she could think was that if anything happened to Daisy, she might not only lose this job, she might never recover from the guilt.
"Then... let’s go..." They stood and awkwardly tried to lift Daisy, their movements clumsy, her limp body swaying between them.
"Hold her properly!"
"I’m sorry, Sis Dally, but I don’t think we can carry her like this..." Lily’s voice trembled, her fingers slipping.
"Carry who?"
The deep voice from below froze them all. They turned in unison.
Theo Kingsley stood at the foot of the stairs, his gaze sharp and unreadable, the air around him colder than the marble beneath their feet.