Chapter 50: Formal Family Meeting

Daisy kept her head down almost the entire time since arriving at the Kingsley mansion. She had been invited after Marla and Miles explained to Thomas and Evelyn that she might be the key to helping bring Theo back. But instead of any discussion, the entire dining table was silent. The golden roast chicken, warm rolls in a basket, and soft mushroom risotto, still letting out gentle wisps of steam, remained untouched. "Have a seat," Thomas finally broke the silence, his eyes still fixed on the table. Marla and Miles, who had been standing, quickly took their seats. "Did you two have a fight?" Thomas raised his head, his gaze falling on Daisy, who looked startled. "A—uh?" Daisy blinked, caught off guard. "We... Yes, we had a bit of a fight just before it happened. I went to the toilet, and when I came back, he was already..." She trailed off, nodding instead of finishing her sentence. Her words were only half true but for now, that was the best she could offer. Even though part of her still ached from what Theo had said, her heart refused to let go of the belief that she needed to help him. "What happened?" Thomas’s voice was still low and calm. Daisy swallowed hard. "Hmm..." Her hands, clasped tightly on her lap, were cold. "He was a bit angry because..." she paused, eyes dropping to the table, "because Elias kissed me." Lie. It was a white lie—one she told out of necessity. There was nothing else she could say. Only she and Theo knew the truth behind that fight. Liam suddenly burst into laughter, though he tried to stifle it with a cough. His shoulders shook as he leaned back in his chair. "Sorry—sorry," he choked out between laughs, "but seriously? He fought with you because his own other personality kissed his fiancée?" He leaned back, shaking his head. "That’s messed up... and weirdly poetic." No one else laughed. Thomas’s expression didn’t shift, and Evelyn simply sighed, her fingers tightening slightly around the stem of her glass. Daisy kept her head down, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. After a while, even she found it a little funny. At the very least, that excuse had successfully diverted attention away from the mess that was her and Theo’s fake relationship. "Actually..." Evelyn’s voice cut through the silence after a long stretch of quiet. "Daisy... you and Theo... what exactly is your relationship?" Daisy’s head snapped up, her posture stiffening. "W-What do you mean, Mrs. Kingsley...?" she stammered, caught off guard. "I mean..." Evelyn offered a slightly strained smile, "Theo may think he’s doing a good job hiding it, but we have our ways of finding things out too." She paused, her gaze landing directly on Daisy. Daisy swallowed hard. ’Did she know? Was this it?’ "Both of you..." Evelyn continued, her voice firmer now, "You’ve already registered your marriage, haven’t you?" The sharp sound of shattering glass startled everyone. Camellia, who had been sitting quietly at the far end of the table, now stood frozen beside her chair. Her glass lay in pieces on the floor. "Uh—I’m sorry..." she said quickly, backing away as she stood. The chair scraped loudly against the floor, echoing through the heavy silence. "Be careful, Lia!" Evelyn called out sharply, alarmed as Camellia moved toward the broken glass. She stood up at once and hurried to her side. "Are you alright?" Camellia shook her head slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "No—I mean, yes, I’m okay. I’m just... I’m sorry. I don’t feel well. May I go upstairs first?" "Tsk tsk tsk... pathetic..." Liam leaned back in his seat, eyes drifting up toward the high ceiling of the mansion. "Are we going to eat or not? The twins are already starving..." Evelyn shot him a sharp glare. "We’re in the middle of something serious, and you—can you at least try to behave your age, Liam?" He frowned, clearly dissatisfied. "What? I am behaving my age. Do I look like a ten-year-old to you?" "Mind your manners, Liam," Thomas warned, his voice rising slightly. Daisy could only dart her eyes from one person to another, completely lost in the tension bouncing around the table. "Twin?" she murmured, the word slipping out before she even realized she’d spoken aloud. Liam turned to her, as if only now remembering she was there. "Yeah. Marla and Miles. They’re twins." "They were?!" Daisy gasped, eyes wide. "You—you guys are twins?!" The curiosity on her mind slipped away from her mouth and she didn’t even realise it until Liam answered it. "Yeah, Marla and Miles, they are twins." "They were?!" Daisy gasped in shock, "You—you guys are twins?!" Miles scratched the back of his head, looking a little awkward. "She’s older. By a minute," he said, jerking his thumb toward Marla. Daisy nodded slowly, a small amused smile tugging at her lips. "That explains a lot..." "I’m going up first," Camellia said suddenly, cutting into the conversation. "Hm..." Evelyn gently rubbed her back in reassurance. "If you still feel unwell, let me know right away. I’ll ask Dr. Robert to come over." Camellia shook her head. "It’s okay, Mom. I think I just need a few hours of rest." She offered a faint smile, her gaze briefly meeting everyone’s at the table before she quietly made her way to the elevator. Evelyn let out a soft sigh as she returned to her seat. "Everything’s a mess today." "Let’s eat first, before we continue talking about their wedding reception," Thomas said, gesturing for everyone to begin. Daisy, who hadn’t quite caught Thomas’s last words, picked up her fork and spoon, relieved to finally focus on something else after the long, chaotic day. But just as she was about to scoop a piece of chicken into her mouth, she froze mid-motion when Thomas spoke again. "We’ll need to arrange your wedding very soon, so it would be best for you to set a date with your family for a formal meeting." "Family meeting?" Daisy echoed, the words barely registering before she instinctively stood up from her seat. Her voice, though calm, carried a firm finality. "I’m sorry... but I don’t think that will be happening." Silence gripped the dining room like a sudden chill. Even the clinking of silverware paused. All eyes turned to Daisy, who stood rigidly, her shoulders squared but her fingers trembling slightly by her side.