Chapter 85: Tell me the truth
As Daisy entered his house, she felt like something was very strange. First, he was hiding half his body behind the door and now, he had his back facing towards her. She waited for some time but the man did not turn around.
’’Is everything fine with you?" she could not help but ask.
Ryle cleared his throat and pointed his finger towards the couch, ’’Take a seat. I’ll be right back. I need water.’’
And just like that, he disappeared from her view, never once turning around to face her. But somehow, she noticed that there was something weird about the way he walked. He almost seemed to be... limping?
Ryle wanted to walk even faster but there was trouble between his legs.
Once he reached the kitchen, he leaned back on the counter before letting out a sigh of relief. He peeked from over the counter twice to ensure that she was not in his line of sight. Then, he walked towards the refrigerator and grabbed a small bottle of water before shoving it inside his boxers. As the coldness spread throughout his body, he felt the heat slowly dissipating.
After about 15 minutes, Daisy finally got to see Ryle again. The man had already gotten changed. The robe he was wearing earlier was replaced with a black T-shirt that clung to his muscular body and grey sweatpants. Her gaze instinctively fell to his legs but this time, he was walking just fine. She could not help but be confused. Did she see it wrong earlier?
’’What do you want to ask?" he came straight to the point.
’’I want the truth.’’
"I don’t know what you are talking about,’’ Ryle sat on the couch and crossed his legs as he looked at the woman, discreetly observing her.
She was still dressed in the same purple dress that she had worn to the dinner at Maxim’s and Diana’s place, and the very same dress she was wearing when she appeared in his dreams.
It was a plain halter-neck dress. There was nothing very exceptional about it yet somehow she made it look stunning just by wearing it. Her long hair was tied in a bun that seemed like it would end up getting loose and setting her hair free at any given instant, so roughly done. A few strands of the hair framed her face, bare of any makeup, yet so beautiful that he could not look away.
’’You know what I am talking about,’’ Daisy frowned, ’’Drop your pretense.’’
Ryle chuckled, snapping out of his reverie. When she did not speak, she seemed like a flower, beautiful and otherworldly yet the moment she opened her mouth, she seemed a poison, an addictive one, deadly and intoxicating. So contradictory she was and he did not mind it one bit somehow. ’’Am I a mind reader, Miss Chen?" he smiled playfully as he questioned, ’’Tell me, do I look like one? That you would be thinking something and I would know it all?"
’’You...’’
’’Or maybe a worm in your stomach who knows everything that goes inside your little head.
Daisy’s frown turned deeper.
"Or maybe you are suggesting that we are soulmates and I have a soul connection with you so I will know what you want to say before you even say it.’’
’’Shut up,’’ Daisy narrowed her eyes.
Ryle leaned his body forward, looking into her eyes with intent, ’’Make me.’’
The room went silent within an instant.
Daisy’s gaze instinctively shifted towards his lips but it was not long before she recovered her senses and looked at his face again. The look of that familiar smugness rested on his face as he moved to lean back on the couch in a relaxed manner, seemingly happier this time.
’’Tell me what happened that night.’’
The moment those words came out of Daisy’s mouth, the smile on Ryle’s face died a little.
Daisy continued, ’’It has been almost two weeks since that incident in Shanghai. I am certain that you must have investigated it. I want to know the truth.’’
Ryle looked at her with a hint of curiosity, ’’Didn’t you say it was me? What makes you think otherwise now?"
"I thought it was you,’’ That night when she regained her consciousness and the conversation with Ryle that followed right after, she assumed that the entire setup was his doing just because he had suspicions about her.
’’Then why did you have a change of heart suddenly?" Ryle could not help but question, ’’Is it because you finally realized how good I have been to you, regardless of who you disguised yourself as?"
Good?
’’If sending your lawyers to my doorstep with unreasonable conditions is called good, then certainly. I am touched by your kindness,’’ Daisy said with a straight face.
Ryle’s smile died completely. He could not tell if she was being serious or sarcastic. Was there a thing like sarcasm in Daisy Chen’s system? He could not tell again.
"I did not have a change of heart about you. I don’t think you are incapable of plotting this all,’’ Daisy continued speaking as if the blows were not enough for him already.
Ryle looked at her, face stiff. He did not know if she continued speaking then what she would say next.
Daisy lifted her hand, showing him the small fading scar left by the dart that the boat skipper had shot, ’’It was not an ordinary dart, was it?" When Ryle remained quiet, she said again, ’’Even if you don’t say anything, I know it was not.’’
"Are you not feeling well?" A solemn expression appeared on Ryle’s face as he glanced at her.
Before Daisy could say anything, Ryle pushed himself to his feet and walked towards her.
Just as he was about to press the back of his hand to her forehead, Daisy grabbed his hand, halting his motions, ’’What are you doing?"
He pulled his hand back from her grip, ’’Let’s go to the hospital.’’
