Daisy shoved at his chest, her voice sharp, cutting through the heavy air. "I’ll find a way to gather every penny, Theo. Every damn cent. And when I do, you’ll have no reason to keep me. We’ll be done... divorced." Her hand gripped the knob, twisting it desperately.
"No!" His palm slammed against the door, snapping it shut. His eyes darkened as he loomed over her. "You want a divorce? Then pay me back. Every cent I ever gave you. Only then..." his tone dropped lower, biting, "will I agree to let you walk away."
Her breath hitched, fury flaring in her chest at the cruel condition. For a moment, her fingers froze on the knob.
Daisy’s lips curled in a bitter, trembling smile. "Fine. A loan contract, then. I don’t care. I’ll pay, even when I need to sell my kidney. Now... move."
She yanked hard at the door, but Theo’s arm stayed firm, barring her way.
"Move!" she hissed, shoving against him with both hands. When he wouldn’t budge, she struck at his chest, his shoulder or anywhere she could reach. Her fists landed wild, fueled by rage and desperation.
"Daisy—" His voice caught, as if he wanted to calm her, but his grip never loosened.
"Let me go!" she cried, thrashing harder.
Then it happened, her palm suddenly flew, sharp and unthinking, cracking across his face. The sound split the air like lightning, leaving the room stunned in silence.
Theo froze, his cheek stinging, eyes widening in disbelief. Daisy’s hand shook where it hovered midair, her breath ragged, her own shock catching up to her.
Theo’s gaze burned into hers, sharp and unreadable, holding her in that silence for a few long, punishing seconds. Then, without a word, he scooped her up, his movements rough and decisive. Daisy gasped, her hands pushing against his chest, but he carried her straight to the bed and set her down with a force that made the mattress dip.
He turned away at once, jaw tight, striding toward the sofa. His hand grabbed at the necktie he had tossed aside earlier, fingers curling around it like it was the only thing anchoring him. In one swift step, he spun back toward her.
But Daisy was faster.
The instant his back had turned, she bolted upright, her heart pounding in her throat. By the time he crossed the room again, she was already at the door, reaching the knob in a desperate bid for freedom.
Her fingers barely brushed the cold metal of the knob when Theo’s arm wrapped around her waist, yanking her backward in one swift, merciless pull. Daisy gasped, kicking, thrashing, her fists pounding against him.
"Theo... let me go!" she shrieked, but he didn’t.
Instead, he carried her back to the bed, ignoring her blows, her nails clawing against his shirt. He pushed her down against the mattress, her breath coming in furious bursts, and with one sharp motion, he caught her wrists.
The necktie snapped taut between his hands.
Her eyes widened, horror flashing through them as he bound her wrists to the headboard, the silk knot tightening against her skin. She tugged against it, but it only held firmer.
"Just sit..." Theo’s voice was hoarse, ragged, almost pleading but his gaze was unyielding.
And then, without warning, he sank down onto his knees before her, his broad shoulders trembling as his head lowered. His voice cracked when he finally spoke. "Please... listen to me first..."
Daisy went rigid, her breath caught in her throat. For a moment, all she could do was stare down at him, the man who had dragged her back, who had bound her hands... now kneeling. The anger that had been burning inside her wavered, tangled with confusion.
Theo lifted his face just enough for her to see the rawness in his eyes, the cracks in the armor he’d worn for so long. His voice was hoarse, jagged, as though each word was being torn out of him.
"I was wrong..." His hands clenched tightly at his knees. "I should’ve been there. I should’ve trusted you. I should’ve seen your fear before I saw my anger." His throat worked as he struggled for breath, then dropped his head again. "Instead, I left you alone. I left you to suffer, to bleed, to carry it all while I drowned myself in rage. I don’t expect you to forgive me, Daisy... but I can’t..." His voice broke, shaking. "I can’t let you walk away... I can’t live without you."
Daisy’s fingers tightened against the restraints, her body stiff but her heart hammering painfully in her chest. His words crashed into her, wave after wave, tearing at the walls she had built to protect herself.
For a long moment, she said nothing. Her lips parted, but no sound came out. She had imagined every kind of confrontation with Theo—his anger, his accusations, his cold indifference. But not this. Not him kneeling, broken, whispering that he couldn’t live without her.
Her lips trembled, but she forced them into a mocking smile. "You think saying all that suddenly makes everything right? That dropping to your knees wipes away the hell you put me through?" Her voice wavered, caught between fury and something far more fragile. "If you couldn’t even believe me once, Theo... why should I believe you now?" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel★fire.net
Theo lifted his head, his eyes burning into hers. "Because I can’t lose you again. Not like that. Not ever." His voice cracked, heavy with a desperation he could no longer mask. "I’ve been blind, Daisy... but I swear to you, I’ll never—"
Daisy cut him off, letting out her bitter laughter, "Never? Don’t make promises you can’t keep." Her gaze locked on him, sharp and unyielding despite the tears pooling in her eyes. "If something similar happened again, I’ll bet, Theo... You’d do the same thing all over again. You’d choose your anger. You’d choose your doubts. And I’d be the one left bleeding for it."
Theo’s breath caught, her accusation slicing deeper than any wound he’d ever taken. His fists tightened against his knees, knuckles white. "No..." His voice trembled, raw. "No, Daisy... I won’t let such a thing happen again. Please... trust me."
She shook her head slowly, her lips curving into a smile that hurt more than any slap could. "You want to believe that. But when it matters, Theo, when everything is crumbling again, you’ll break me before you break yourself."
Her words rang like a verdict, final and merciless. Theo’s chest heaved, his eyes desperate as he searched her face for even the smallest crack of hope. "Then tell me... tell me what I have to do so you’ll believe me."
Daisy’s gaze suddenly looked empty, "Just please... leave me alone..."