For a moment, Daisy forgot how to breathe. The warmth of Theo's kiss still lingered on her lips, but his words struck colder than any winter wind.
Her father?
The silence between them stretched, thick and unyielding. She searched his face, hoping to find a hint of a joke, a smirk, anything to tell her he was just teasing again. But Theo's eyes were steady, unflinching.
"You're lying," she whispered, her voice cracking despite her best effort to sound strong.
Theo shook his head slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. "I wish I was."
Her chest tightened, her mind scrambling back to the day she received the box. "It couldn't be," she whispered, shaking her head. "The day I received it, Dad already had the attack… he was in the hospital."
Theo's jaw tightened, his voice low. "Exactly. He couldn't protect you anymore. That's why he made sure the box would find you… so it would lead you to me."
Daisy froze, her breath caught. 'Lead me… to him?'
