Daisy stood still in front of the mansion’s wrought-iron gate, her suitcase handle clutched in one hand and her mouth slightly parted.
"Whoa..." she breathed out.
Her house back home was already big—well, big enough to confuse visitors on which staircase led where, but this? This looked like the type of place that had its own echo even when no one was talking. The windows were tall enough to host a theatre play, the front garden looked like it had staff of its own, and the front door? It could easily fit three of her stacked on top of each other.
She blinked at the estate again, then slowly turned to Aurora, who was standing beside her.
"You weren’t exaggerating," Daisy said softly. "It really does look like the kind of house that might get lonely."
Aurora smiled awkwardly. "Y-Yeah..."
"This must be what rich people mean when they say their home is ’modest,’" Daisy added with a giggle.
Then, taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and adjusted the bow in her hair. "Alright. Let’s brighten up the mansion."
She began rolling her suitcase forward, crossing the marble path like she was stepping into a dream until she paused, noticing Aurora had stopped moving.
"What is it?" Daisy asked, glancing back.
"Daisy..." Aurora’s voice wavered as she looked at her best friend. She gulped, the urge to tell the truth rising in her chest. "I think we should—"
But the words never left her mouth.
A soft hum broke through the air as an airport-style buggy rounded the corner, smoothly approaching them. It stopped just a few meters away, and sitting casually on the backseat, one arm draped over the rail, was Theo.
His gaze locked onto Daisy.
Aurora stiffened beside her.
Daisy blinked, confused, then slowly turned to Aurora. "Um... who is that?"
Aurora’s throat bobbed. "That’s... my boss."
Theo stood up from the buggy, his eyes unreadable. He stepped off with the calm precision of someone used to getting what he wanted.
Daisy’s suitcase handle slipped from her fingers, her grip suddenly clammy. "Wait... that’s the boss?"
Theo stopped in front of her. "You must be Daisy."
Immediately clearing her throat, Daisy tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and wiped her palm against her skirt before extending her hand. "Daisy. Daisy Sinclair." She offered her signature bright smile, the one that usually worked like magic.
But the man didn’t move. His eyes scanned her like she was a document he didn’t remember authorizing. The silence stretched. Her hand hovered awkwardly midair.
Daisy slowly retracted her hand, the smile still on her face but a little stiff at the edges.
Theo finally spoke. "You’re late."
"Late?" Daisy blinked, confused. She glanced at Aurora, who had been unusually quiet since Theo showed up. "Really? I’m sorry. I didn’t know there was a set schedule."
Theo cast her a sidelong glance. "You can go," he said, clearly to Aurora.
Aurora looked up, finally meeting his eyes. She wanted to say something but the sharpness in his gaze stopped her. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Theo didn’t wait. He looked away like she was already gone.
Aurora hesitated a second longer, then reached out to squeeze Daisy’s wrist gently. "Call me if... anything feels weird, okay?"
Daisy nodded, still smiling. "You worry too much. I’ll be fine."
Aurora gave a tight-lipped smile and took a step back. As the buggy rolled away with Daisy and Theo inside, she stayed still, her heart pounding in a rhythm that didn’t feel right.
Back in the buggy, Daisy fiddled with the ribbon on her wrist, trying to ignore the cold silence.
"So..." she tried lightly, "do you always pick up your maids in person?"
Theo didn’t look at her. "No."
"Right," she said, dragging the word out. "Well. Guess I’m special then."
"My work, is it like talking to you?" She didn’t look like she was going to give up.
Theo remained quiet, his gaze was at the front.
Daisy glanced sideways at him, lips pursed thoughtfully. "Oh wait," she said, tilting her head slightly. "I feel like we’ve met before. Have we?"
This time, something flickered in his eyes. A small shift, too fast to catch if she’d blinked.
"No," he said flatly.
"Huh," Daisy leaned back against the seat. "Weird. I usually don’t forget faces."
Theo didn’t pause. "Usually, a pretty face equals dumb," he said coldly. "So I don’t think your kind would still be using this kind of pickup line."
The words cut through the air like a blade.
Daisy blinked, her mouth slightly open, unsure if she’d heard him right. Her fingers clenched slightly on her skirt, but her smile didn’t falter.
"Thanks. At least that’s a... compliment, right?"
Theo gave her a sharp glare before stepping off the buggy as it rolled to a stop in front of the mansion.
Daisy, still dazed, slowly followed. She groaned while dragging her suitcase, then paused and looked at the buggy driver. "Can you—"
But before she could finish, the suitcase handle was suddenly snatched from her hand, jerking her backward a step.
Of course, it was Theo.
He grabbed the handle wordlessly, clearly intending to carry it himself, only to freeze mid-step.
The bag didn’t budge as lightly as he expected. His brows furrowed.
With a subtle grunt, he finally managed to lift it, but not without effort. His face twitched slightly with surprise.
"What the hell did you bring inside?" Theo asked, dropping the bag with a thud.
Daisy winced at the sound, quickly stepping forward. "Sorry! I—I wasn’t sure what I’d need, so I might’ve overpacked a little."
He gave her a look that said a little wasn’t the word.
She smiled, a little sheepishly this time. "Okay, a lot. But it’s just clothes and... you know, girl stuff."
He didn’t respond. Just turned and walked away.
Daisy leaned down to grab the bag again and sighed, "First impressions going great."