Chapter 3

"Charlotte, are you really taking the 6 a.m. train back tomorrow morning?"

My cousin Ezra Coleman asked, his voice kept low over the phone.

"The ticket is already bought."

"What about Daisy?"

"She's coming with me."

"Hasn't she always wanted to see the ocean? I'll head over to Grandma's old house first and get it cleaned up."

"Okay."

I placed the pink urn on the only table in the tiny basement apartment, then carefully covered it with a white cloth.

The moment I set my phone down, the wooden door was kicked open with a loud thud.

Theo stood in the doorway, the cuffs of his pants splattered with mud.

"Your location sharing was still turned on. Where else did you think you could hide?"

He looked at my face first, then shoved the thermal flask he was holding into my hands. "Here, tea. Drink it while it's hot. You got soaked by the rain last night. Don't give yourself another cold."

"Get out."

"Change out of those wet socks first." He pulled a new pair of socks from a paper bag and bent over to set them by my feet. "Even if you're mad at me, there's no need to stay in a dump like this."

"I'm leaving tomorrow anyway."

Theo acted as if he hadn't heard a word, pulling out a document and pressing it onto the table. When the edge of the paper brushed against the white cloth, I immediately reached out to steady the urn.

"What's this?"

"A property settlement agreement."

"My mother's blood pressure spiked because of you, and she insists on having some security. Just sign it. The apartment and all my savings will belong to the Grahams." He said it so casually. "It's just a formality. It won't affect our daily life, and we're still doing the wedding photoshoot."

"The wedding is canceled."

"Stop throwing a fit."

"And I want a divorce."

Theo went silent for a couple of seconds. He raised his hand to gather my disheveled collar. "Are you done venting?"

"No."

"You've been by my side for seven whole years. Are you really going to throw me away over a few minutes from last night?"

"Yes."

A faint smile touched his lips, though his eyes remained completely cold. "Charlotte, I know you're upset that I saved Sophia first. But you're stronger than her, and Daisy always powers through her asthma attacks. I thought the rescue team would be right behind me."

"You thought?"

"Yes, I misjudged the time. But I'll make it up to you now." He grabbed my wrist, forcing the pen into my palm. "Sign it, come to Sophia's birthday party tonight to offer her a toast and clear the air, and we'll put this whole thing behind us."

"We're never putting this behind us."

"Her depression just stabilized, and because of what you said earlier, she's been crying all morning."

"Then let her keep crying."

"You never used to be like this."

"Daisy used to be alive, too."

His grip on my wrist tightened instantly. "Don't you dare use our daughter to talk about death."

"Daisy doesn't need your medicine anymore."

"Alright, that's enough angry talk." Theo pressed the pen down onto the paper, his voice dropping an octave. "She's my daughter too. You can be mad at me, but don't talk about her like that."

I stared straight into his eyes.

In that single moment, I realized I was ridiculously still waiting for him to ask one question: Where is Daisy?

But he never did.

"There's a new biological treatment that just arrived at Children's Hospital, and I pulled strings to get her name on the list.

If you don't come apologize tonight, all it takes is one phone call from me and her name is crossed off. From then on, you can try finding specialists and long-term preions all on your own."

"You're using our daughter's life to force me into apologizing to Sophia?"

"I'm teaching you not to act on impulse." He pushed the agreement back in front of me. "Charlotte, you always listen to me in the end. Why make things so ugly for yourself?"

I picked up the document and threw it straight into the bucket in the corner.

Theo closed his eyes. "Fine. You're emotional right now, so I won't argue with you."

He gestured toward the door, and two drivers stepped inside.

"Please escort my wife to the car."

I took a step back. "Theo, don't you dare."

"It's just a dinner." He draped his coat over my shoulders, meticulously buttoning the very top button. "Don't hurt her, especially her wrists."

The two men grabbed me by both arms. I broke free once, only to be pinned right back down.

"Let go of me!"

"The party will take ten minutes tops." Theo picked up the thermal flask from the table, still without looking beneath the white cloth. "Once you offer the toast, we go home. I bought gifts for both you and Daisy."

Right before I was forced into the car, I slipped my phone deep into my coat pocket and sent my exact location to Ezra.

[In the basement apartment. Take the box on the table. Don't let anyone touch it.]

The car doors locked with a heavy click.

Theo placed a small strawberry bear-shaped cake onto my lap.

"This is for Daisy. Don't crush it."