CHAPTER 70: GEORGE ANDERSON

"Mr. Anderson," the head staff suddenly interrupted, "I thought you had to leave earlier..."

Daisy immediately turned. "So, you know him?" Her voice was cold, laced with clear annoyance.

"Err—Mr. Anderson is one of our spons—"

She didn’t wait for her to finish. Daisy rushed past her to the bed. "Dad, let’s find another place. This one smells rotten."

Without hesitation, she marched toward the wardrobe in the corner and began packing.

But just as she reached for a folded shirt, an arm gently caught her movement.

"Can you calm down first?" The man’s voice was low and soft, cutting through the tension like it belonged. Then he turned to the head staff. "You can go for now. She’s my fiancée."

"Huh?" Daisy scoffed. "Fiancée?" She waved a hand and chuckled dryly at the stunned woman. "Don’t believe his nonsense. He tends to mumble delusional thoughts."

Then her eyes snapped back to him, sharp and unforgiving.

"Mr. George Anderson, quit the act. There’s nothing left between us... You know our engagement only started because of that deal between our families. So yeah... what’s left now?"

George reached for her hand. "Let’s talk somewhere else—"

Daisy yanked her hand away and let out a cold snicker. "Just talk here. Right, Dad?"

She turned to Thomas, who was quietly blinking from the bed, his expression faintly tinged with sadness.

George’s calm expression slowly shifted. His jaw tensed, eyes sharpening. "You’re still as snobby as when you had money..."

Daisy let out a breathy laugh, dry and humorless. "Snobby? You mean because I didn’t jump at the chance to be your pretty little prize? Don’t flatter yourself, George."

He stepped closer. "You know that engagement wasn’t just a business deal for me."

"No?" She tilted her head, sarcasm lacing her words. "Could’ve fooled me. Because the moment my father lost everything, you vanished like a ghost. Not even a call."

His lips parted, as if to defend himself, but Daisy cut him off.

"So don’t worry," she said, brushing an invisible speck of dust off his shoulder with a sneer. "No one’s coming after your money, George. Live your perfect little life like you always do."

George looked down and let out a quiet laugh, more bitter than amused. "Daisy Sinclair..." he muttered under his breath, then raised his head. "That’s exactly why I went crazy over you."

Her eyes narrowed, but he went on.

"They told me if I ignored you, you’d come crawling. That if I pushed you hard enough, you’d beg... agree to anything."

Daisy’s brows pulled together. His words sliced through whatever pride she had left.

"But you didn’t," he said quietly. "So here I am, swallowing my pride, offering help instead."

Daisy raised her chin and looked straight into his eyes. "I don’t know where you got your adviser... some online shopping app perhaps?" she scoffed. "But you should’ve known from the start. I decided to end our engagement even before my family’s business collapsed. I didn’t bow down then, and I won’t now."

She stepped closer, closing the distance between them. Her heels clicked softly against the floor as she rose slightly on her toes, leaning in to whisper near his ear. "You were never someone I wanted... just someone I had to tolerate."

George didn’t take it well. His face darkened. Without warning, he grabbed Daisy’s wrist and yanked her toward him. "Let’s go."

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped, trying to jerk her arm back, but he was already lifting her hand and shoving it onto his shoulder like she was some doll he could reposition.

"I said, we’re talking somewhere else."

Daisy’s eyes blazed. "Are you insane? Let me go, George!"

But he tightened his hold instead, like dragging her out of there would fix whatever power he thought he’d lost.

From the bed, Thomas stirred. A faint wrinkle formed between his brows, his fingers twitching weakly against the blanket. He let out a low, breathy sound like a whisper of a sigh, strained and broken.

Daisy turned sharply, eyes darting to her father.

"Dad..." Her voice cracked. He looked so small, so powerless. "Don’t worry, I can handle this."

She turned back to George, her voice trembling but firm. "Is this what you think love looks like?" she spat. "No wonder you have to buy your fiancées."

George’s eyes flared, but he didn’t let go. "I don’t care," he muttered, voice low and disturbingly calm. "As long as I have... you."

The words slithered across her skin like cold hands. Goosebumps rose up her arms. Her heart pounded in disbelief.

"Put me down!" she screamed, her fists pounding against his back. "Help! Somebody—please!"

Silence.

Not a single staff member moved. Not one nurse flinched. It was as if the entire care facility had gone deaf.

Her voice echoed down the corridor, but the blank expressions around her didn’t change. A few nurses glanced up, then looked away just as quickly, as though her struggle was nothing more than a passing inconvenience.

Her eyes burned. "Are you serious? You’re all just going to let this happen?! Help! Somebody! Oh God... please!"

Still, nothing. Hopeless.

By the time they reached the entrance, her throat was raw from shouting. Her tears blurred the sterile white walls, the buzz of overhead lights mocking her desperation.

"So... this is Anderson’s power hold?" she muttered under her breath, scoffing in disbelief and irritation.

"Did you just notice it?" George’s voice was smug, his lips curling into a self-satisfied smile as he tightened his hold. "You always underestimated me."

"And you believe I’d just surrender like that?" Daisy hissed. "Dream on."

Then, without a warning, she bit down, hard and tight, right into the curve of his shoulder.

"Shit—!" George jerked back because of the pain, his grip loosening.

She dropped to her feet and stumbled a few steps away, breathing heavily. Blood, just a faint smear, stained the edge of his expensive collar. He looked stunned for a second, then rage began to crawl up his face.

Daisy didn’t wait. "I’m not your damn property," she snapped, eyes flashing. "Next time you try to carry me like a sack of rice, make sure I don’t have teeth."