Chapter 17: A Drop of Syrup in A Room Full of Salt

That couldn’t be called a kiss at all because the moment Theo confirmed Camellia had passed them and was out of earshot, he pulled away. Their lips had barely brushed. No pressure. No warmth. Just contact. Daisy stood frozen, her lips parted slightly as if the air itself had turned to glue. That definitely wasn’t a kiss. Or maybe it was? If it was, it was the most noncommittal, infuriating, blink-and-you-miss-it kind of kiss she’d ever experienced. Her brain finally caught up. Snap. Her fingers shot up and pinched his lips. Hard. Theo’s eyes widened slightly, but for someone like him, it was a lot. He didn’t move. He didn’t speak or maybe, how can he speak? He just... stared. Not in anger. Not in confusion. But in the stunned silence of a man who had never, in his entire life, been manhandled in such a bizarrely ridiculous way. Daisy scowled, completely unfazed. "What the hell was that?" Still nothing. "Why?" Daisy turned slightly, to the way Camellia left, "Did you do it because of your sister? Seriously?" She started frowning, "Don’t tell me..." Theo instantly snapped her hand from his lips and turned, "Follow me..." "Why should I? I told you earlier I wont continue working with some rude random boss that thinks money could solve everything." "Money could solve everything," he said without a flicker of hesitation, shutting Daisy down completely. She froze. Not because she agreed. But because... who says that? Her jaw dropped slightly, the words she’d prepared vanishing from her throat like smoke. She stared at him, utterly speechless, as he turned without waiting for her response and started walking toward the car. He didn’t even look back. Like it was nothing. Like she was nothing. Her heels stayed rooted to the pavement. All dressed up, makeup flawless, hair in place... and still stunned like a girl who just got hit with a cold bucket of reality. "Unbelievable," she finally muttered under her breath. And then louder, just for herself, "He didn’t even flinch when I pinched his lips!" "Coming?" Theo’s voice cut through the air like the edge of a blade. He had one hand resting casually on the car door handle, the other tucked in his pocket as he turned just slightly toward her. His lips moved slowly, mouthing, "Or should we go meet your dad, right away?" Daisy squinted, confused. "What?" Theo didn’t repeat himself. Of course he didn’t. He simply opened the door and got in. "Rude," Daisy muttered again, under her breath. She tugged at the hem of her dress, shot one last annoyed glance at the boutique behind her, and huffed toward the car. The door clicked shut beside her, sealing them in. The silence in the car was thick and chilly, even with the warmth of the evening outside. Theo didn’t say anything. Just started the engine like this was any other business transaction. Daisy crossed her arms and stared out the window, her own words from earlier bouncing around in her head like an annoying echo she couldn’t turn off. "To avoid any more changes of mind," Theo said suddenly, his voice cutting through the quiet, "we’re going straight to the marriage bureau." "What?!" Daisy’s head snapped toward him. The sharpness of her voice made Theo glanced almost instinctively at the car door lock. It was locked. Good. Not that he was scared. Of course not. But with this dramatic, unpredictable woman beside him, he wouldn’t put it past her to threaten to leap out of the car just to make a point. She huffed beside him, loud and exaggerated. "Like you’re even going to make it on time..." Her eyes flicked to the car’s dashboard clock, already knowing the marriage bureau should be closed by now. And yet, less than an hour later, there she was, sitting in front of the officer, begrudgingly filling out forms. Of course they made time for him. Theo Kingsley—one of the top ten richest young billionaires under thirty, wanted to get married. They’d probably roll out the red carpet at midnight if he asked. Daisy rolled her eyes, the pen dragging across the form with exaggerated frustration. The officer glanced up, eyebrows slightly raised as she noticed Daisy’s exaggerated sigh, clearly curious, but saying nothing. Not missing the glance, Daisy immediately straightened and plastered on her sweetest smile. "Nope, don’t worry," she said brightly, her voice laced with honeyed sarcasm. "I’m definitely not being forced to marry him." Then she turned to Theo, blinking dramatically. "Right, honey?" Theo didn’t react at first. He simply continued filling out the form with that same expressionless face he wore like armor. But then he noticed the officer’s eyes, wide with curiosity, clearly waiting for his response. With a quiet sigh, Theo set the pen down and looked up. Then, with zero warning, he leaned slightly toward Daisy and flicked her forehead lightly, but enough to make her blink in surprise. "If anyone’s being forced here," he said coolly, "it’s me." Her eyebrows shot up. He tilted his head, his voice lower now, but it was somehow warmer. "Into marrying someone who smiles like that and expects me not to fall." Daisy’s jaw dropped. The officer let out a breathy chuckle, clearly swooning over the so-called "chemistry." Daisy, on the other hand, turned away, her cheeks turning traitorously pink. Theo glanced back down at the paper. But the tiniest, most dangerous smirk touched the corner of his lips. Just when she thought he was done, his voice came again, calm, flat, emotionless as always. "I was planning to stay single my whole life," he said. "But then this little chaos showed up." He tilted his head slightly toward her. "How could I, if she keeps throwing her charms around?" A pause. Then, in the same deadpan tone, "Right, baby?" The words landed like a drop of syrup in a room full of salt. Daisy froze. Goosebumps flared across her arms—not from his tone, but from the quiet weight of the words themselves. Sweet. Unexpectedly sweet. And completely at odds with the man saying them. Even the officer blinked, caught slightly off guard. Daisy’s heart betrayed her, thumping harder than it should. How did he manage to sound so soft while looking like he was discussing a stock report?