Chapter 453
The party ended on a disastrous note.
Jarred couldn’t care less about the mess left behind in the ballroom. His mind and vision were entirely consumed by the image of Sienna walking away with the police.
He didn’t waste a second, striding toward his car to follow them.
Just as he reached the door, Daisy suddenly darted out from the shadows.
Reeking of alcohol, she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist.
“Jarred!” Her voice was thick with tears, burying her face into his chest. “Don’t go… I’m scared p>
Jarred’s steps faltered.
He looked down at the trembling, sobbing girl in his arms, his brows knotting into a hard line.
Without a word, he grabbed her arms and shoved her away firmly.
“Daisy, let go p>
“I won’t p>
Daisy hugged him even tighter.
Her cheeks were flushed, tears streaming down her face. Her voice cracked, laced with a desperate, obsessive plea.
“Jarred, I like you… I’ve been in love with you since I was twelve p>
My mom is gone. You’re all I have left… Please don’t leave me p>
Jarred’s body went instantly rigid. All the warmth drained from him, leaving behind a bone-deep, untouchable coldness.
He stared down at the arms locked around his waist, devoid of a single drop of pity.
He raised his hands, prying her fingers off him with sheer force, physically detaching her from his body.
He didn’t hold back. Daisy stumbled a few steps before catching her balance.
“Daisy.” His voice was dangerously low, stripped of his usual patience, leaving only a freezing bite.
“I only ever felt a sense of responsibility toward you. You’re Mrs. Bridges’ daughter. I’ll pay for your schooling so you never have to worry about money.
But as for anything else… no p>
Daisy shook violently, tears pouring from her eyes, refusing to accept the brutal truth.
“I don’t believe it! You and Sienna are getting a divorce anyway. Your marriage has been dead for a long time. Why can’t it be me?
I’m younger than her, I listen to you, and I care about you more! How am I worse than her p>
A rare, chilling flash of anger finally broke across Jarred’s face.
His voice dropped lower, as biting as the winter wind. “If she really is the killer, I will personally put her in a ceff p>
Daisy’s eyes sparked with a glimmer of hope.
But Jarred kept talking, dropping every word like a hammer against her skull.
“But that doesn’t mean I could ever love you. Whether this happened or not, you were never an option.
Stop comparing yourself to her. You’re not even in the same league p>
Those few, ruthless sentences shattered her reality.
They violently crushed every delusional fantasy Daisy had clung to since childhood.
Sentencing her lifelong obsession to death.
Gentle responsibility was never love, and a fleeting moment of pity could never rival years of deep-rooted devotion.
After delivering that final blow, Jarred didn’t look at her again. He turned and walked to his waiting car.
His driver already had the door open. He ducked inside, and the heavy thue of the door shutting echoed with absolute finality.
Daisy stood there, feeling as if someone had hollowed out her soul.
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.
The cobblestone scraped her skin, but there was only a loud ringing in her ears. She felt completely numb.
She heard the roar of the engine and the sound of tires rolling over the pavement.
She looked up, watching the car’s taillights shrink into the night until they vanished around the corner.
She sat blankly on the pavement, realizing her chest hurt far worse than her bruised skin.
But what hurt the most was that one sentence echoing endlessly in her mind p>
Whether this happened or not, you were never an option.
Daisy buried her face in her knees and finally broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.