Chapter 172: He Didn’t Like His Wife
"Is your hair always this color?"
The unexpected question slipped out of Theo’s lips. Both Daisy and Aurora, who had been holding their breath, finally exhaled in relief.
Daisy quickly forced a small smile, though her chest was still tight. She gulped softly before answering, careful to keep her voice even. "Hmm... yes. My hair has always been this color. Got it from my dad..."
She hadn’t meant to explain further, but somehow she couldn’t stop herself. And though she wasn’t supposed to feel anything, a flicker of warmth rose inside her because he had noticed her, because he had stopped her.
Theo leaned slightly closer, his eyes bright with interest. "Really? That’s rare... almost like a white-pinkish blonde. It looks..." He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face, then smiled softly. "Well, it suits you. You suddenly remind me of someone..."
Daisy’s heart leapt. For a split second, she was convinced, maybe he does remember me. Her lips curled into a small, excited smile as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, nervously fixing it so her face was more visible.
But his gaze had already drifted downward, his expression softening into something distant, almost glowing like a boy remembering his very first love.
Daisy’s smile faltered, her chest tightening. Before she could stop herself, the words slipped out. "Must be your first love..."
Theo’s eyes flicked up at her, startled by the quiet accusation, but Daisy had already turned away. She pulled the door open quickly, as if escape were the only thing keeping her from breaking.
Left in the silence, Theo’s brows drew together, a faint frown settling on his face. He muttered under his breath, "She did look a bit like her..." His gaze lingered on the doorway, then he shook his head. "Never mind..."
Meanwhile, Daisy was already storming down the hall, anger bubbling in her chest with every hurried step. Her hands were clenched, eyes stinging.
"Daisy... wait!" Aurora called, running after her. She finally caught up and grabbed Daisy’s hand, forcing her to stop.
Daisy spun around, lips trembling as she bit them hard, trying not to let her emotions spill.
Aurora, panting lightly from the chase, tried to lighten the tension. "I think you should just introduce yourself, like..." she gestured dramatically with her free hand, "’I am your wife!’ Bam! Hit him with the fact right in his face!"
"It’s not that simple as saying ’bam!’" Daisy huffed, her pout so exaggerated it almost looked comical.
For a beat, both of them just stared at each other, then, unexpectedly, they burst into laughter at the same time. The sound echoed down the quiet hallway, chasing away the heavy tension from moments ago.
Aurora wiped at the corner of her eye, still giggling. "See? Even you laughed! That means my idea wasn’t that bad."
Daisy shook her head, grinning despite herself. "No... your idea is ridiculous. I’m laughing at the ’bam’..." She mimicked Aurora’s hand gesture with exaggerated drama, making them both crack up all over again.
Aurora clutched her stomach, almost doubling over. "Yah, don’t mock me! I was being serious!"
Before Daisy could fire back, a new voice cut through the hallway.
Liam, who had been leaning casually against the wall and watching the whole scene unfold, smiled knowingly. Then, tilting his head toward the balcony above, he called out, "Have you met your wife yet?"
Both Daisy and Aurora froze mid-laughter, their smiles faltering as their heads snapped toward the voice.
Up on the first floor, Theo stiffened, caught red-handed in his secret observation. His hand gripped the railing as his eyes darkened, clearly unprepared for Liam’s sudden callout.
Theo straightened almost instantly, feigning nonchalance as if he hadn’t been caught staring. He turned his head slightly, pretending to study something else in the distance.
But Liam’s words sank in a moment later. Wife?
His brows furrowed, and for a fleeting second, confusion flickered across his face. His gaze drifted unconsciously back toward Daisy, lingering longer than it should have, before he quickly pulled back, masking the crack in his composure.
"Did you just say wife?" Theo’s voice pitched slightly higher, as if to make sure he hadn’t misheard.
"Hm." Liam nodded without hesitation, striding toward the two women. "This is my Barbie-in-law, Daisy... ta-daa." He spread his palms dramatically toward her, wriggling his fingers like a magician revealing his trick.
Theo blinked, visibly taken aback. "Wait—what? She’s... my wife?" His lips parted as though he had more to say, but what came out instead was a sheepish apology. "I... I thought you two were the maids..."
Aurora let out a sharp breath through her nose and rolled her eyes. "Well... what to do... you did hire her as your maid before..." she muttered, arms crossing in clear annoyance.
Daisy stayed quiet, her cheeks warming, not knowing whether to laugh or feel stung by the mix-up.
Lifting her chin, she turned and gazed straight up at the man she loved. Her voice, though soft, carried the weight of every unshed tear and every hope she’d held onto.
"Hi, Theo Kingsley... nice to meet you. I am your wife, Daisy Sinclair."
The words hung in the air like a fragile truth, silencing even Aurora and Liam.
For a long beat, Theo just stared down at her, his gaze locked on Daisy’s face as if he’d seen a ghost. His pupils widened, his jaw slackened, the kind of stunned expression that left everyone else holding their breath.
Then, abruptly, he slapped a hand over his mouth. "No way..." he muttered into his palm, his voice muffled and shaky.
Without another word, he spun around and bolted back into his room, shutting the door behind him with a dramatic thud.
The hallway was silent for a beat before Liam blinked. "Did he just run away from his wife like she’s a debt collector?"
Meanwhile, Daisy just stood frozen, cheeks burning, her mind spiraling with more questions than answers. Finally, she let out a huff, her lips pressing into a thin line. "I guess... he didn’t like his wife..." she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing in complete annoyance.