Chapter 6: Not To Proceed

"You signed," Theo said. His voice was low, but it sent a chill up Daisy’s arms. She swallowed. "I know, but I think I made a mistake. I didn’t read it through. Can I at least get..." She paused, trying to find the best compromise. "Just for the first month?" Silence. Theo didn’t move. His gaze was hard for Daisy to read, but it was sharp enough to make her squirm. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away. Daisy blinked. "Excuse me, Mr. Theo!" She rushed upstairs, trying to catch up to him, only to be stopped by one of the maids. "You’re not allowed to go to the second floor." The maid, who looked like she was in her thirties, stood firmly in front of her, arms wide spread. "But..." Daisy shifted to the left, trying to walk past her. But before she could take another step, the maid suddenly reached out and yanked the ribbon in her hair, pulling her head slightly back. "Hey!" Daisy turned sharply, eyes wide. "What are you doing? That’s rude!" "I told you. None of us are allowed on the second floor," the maid said, tone cold and expression blank. "Well, I’m not one of you, am I?" Daisy snapped. "I signed a contract—" "A contract doesn’t give you permission to break the rules," the maid replied, unmoving. Daisy stepped to the side again, trying to slip past her. The maid reached out, quickly and grabbed the ribbon in Daisy’s hair once more, pulling her back. "Ow—let go!" Daisy turned sharply, but her foot caught the edge of the step. She lost her balance. "Ah!" She tumbled backward, her hand slamming against the stair to break the fall. Pain shot through her finger. Theo stood halfway up the stairs, slightly leaning against the wall near the bend, just far enough that no one below could see him. The phone was pressed to his ear. "Yes, Han. About the contract," he said quietly. "We’ll need to adjust the terms. She’s not—" When a sudden noise cut through the hallway. Theo’s eyes snapped downward, narrowing as he caught sight of Daisy. She stumbled and before he could fully register it, she fell backward with a thud, a sharp groan escaping her lips. His legs reacted before his mind did. He took one step forward, then stopped. His jaw clenched. The phone in his hand felt heavier now. ’Why?’ ’Why did he care?’ She signed the contract. She bargained for this. He wasn’t responsible for her clumsiness or... her pain. ’Right?’ Still, his gaze didn’t move away from her. At that moment, Daisy didn’t move right away. Her scream from the fall still echoed faintly, but what followed was silence. No wailing. No yelling. Just quiet. Theo kept watching. Daisy slowly sat up, her breathing shaky. Her eyes were wide, not with drama, but real pain. Her left hand cradled her right, the bent finger trembling in her grip. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn’t sob. She bit her lower lip hard, like she was forcing herself to stay still. One tear rolled down her cheek, followed by another, but she didn’t even wipe them away. She just kept staring at her hand, holding onto the pain, as if giving it a voice would make her weak. Theo’s brows furrowed. That wasn’t what he expected. Not the silence. Not the grit. Wasn’t she supposed to be the spoiled type? A pampered little princess who cried if the air conditioner was too cold? So why the hell was she just sitting there, shaking and hurt, but still trying to keep it all together? Daisy snapped her head up suddenly, eyes locking on the maid. "What is wrong with you?" Her voice trembled, but not from fear, more from disbelief. The maid stiffened. For a second, her eyes flickered, like she hadn’t expected things to go this far. But her chin lifted quickly, pride taking over guilt. "I told you that you’re not allowed to go upstairs," she said coldly. "But you were being stubborn and caused this upon yourself." Daisy blinked at her, stunned. Her injured hand was still cradled against her chest, the pain radiating down her arm, but she forced herself to sit up straighter. "You grabbed my hair." "It was a ribbon," the maid snapped. "If you hadn’t pulled away so carelessly—" "Whatever it is, it doesn’t justify what you did." Daisy’s voice trembled, not just from anger, but from the pain she was trying so hard to hold in. The maid scoffed, clearly annoyed. "And what about you? Walking around dressed like some rich girl... what, you think you’re different from us?" Her tone sharpened. "You signed the contract, didn’t you? So did we. Don’t think you’re special. You’re just a maid, like the rest of us." Daisy didn’t argue. She just nodded once, slowly. "Fine. Then answer me this. If none of us are allowed to go upstairs... How do you even talk to him? Because I need to. Right now." The maid’s eyes flared. "We never have the right to call him. Never." Her voice rose now, clearly losing control. "And what makes you think you do?! Just because you’re new and act like some high-class reject?" Her words were sharp, bitter and clearly not just about Daisy anymore. But Daisy didn’t even flinch this time. She stood, slowly, with effort, using only one hand to push herself up. The broken finger still pulsed, but her face stayed steady. "I don’t care what you think I am," she said quietly. "I just need to talk to him." "You can just tell me, and I’ll pass it on later," the maid insisted, folding her arms like she’d already won. Daisy gave a weak nod. "Fine. Then tell him this... since I haven’t received any money yet and my job hasn’t officially started, I’m choosing not to proceed with it." The maid’s expression faltered for a second, caught off guard. But Daisy had already turned around. She walked slowly and stiffly, holding her injured hand close as she headed straight to her suitcase in the corner of the room. "Wait." The voice came from upstairs. It was firm, low, and unmistakably him. The air froze instantly.