CHAPTER 88: THIS ENDS HERE

"One..."

George started counting, his voice steady but teasing.

Daisy stood her ground, pale but burning with defiance, eyes locked on him like a warrior preparing for battle.

"Two..."

Before he could say "three," Daisy suddenly shouted, "Three!" and sprayed the water from the showerhead straight into his eyes.

George stumbled back, blinking and wiping his face, caught completely off guard.

Seizing the moment, Daisy bolted from the bathtub, heart pounding as she sprinted toward the door, desperate to escape.

"Hey!" George called after her, voice rough but amused, "That’s cheating..." He chuckled, then his eyes flicked toward the door. "Four..."

Daisy’s ears echoed with his counting as she rushed out from the bathroom, her heart pounding. She darted toward the room door, fumbling with the handle.

"Five..." George’s footsteps followed, slow and deliberate as he emerged from the bathroom.

She pulled the door open and slipped through, hoping to put as much distance between them as possible.

"Six...!" George raised his voice, making sure Daisy, now out of the room, could hear him.

Daisy dashed toward the stairs, pounding down each step with all the strength she had, adrenaline fueling her escape. When she reached the first floor, her eyes caught the scattered shards of broken glass lying beside the main door, a brutal sign that George had forced his way inside despite her locking it.

"Seven, eight... nine..."

The countdown suddenly quickened, and Daisy yanked the door open, only to stumble straight into Theo’s chest.

Her legs trembled, weak from the panic and relief flooding through her. Theo caught her firmly, steadying her with a protective grip.

"What happened?" he asked, concern sharp in his voice.

She leaned into him, breath shaky. "Help..." That was the only word that managed to slip from her trembling lips.

Theo clenched his jaw and snapped his head up, catching sight of the man standing at the very first step upstairs.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Theo’s voice echoed through the empty house.

George smirked, unfazed by Theo’s sudden arrival.

"Just a little game," he said casually, stepping down the stairs. "Honestly, it’s not very fun. Theo, the guy I knew? It’s hard to make him fall in love..."

Theo’s eyes darkened. "Enough. Stop."

George continued, a hint of sarcasm in his tone, "I thought it’d take you longer to get here... since you were visiting Julian’s grave. So, I guess she really means something to you."

Theo’s gaze hardened, the tension thickening like a gathering storm. "She is important. More than you’ll ever understand." His voice was low and deadly serious.

George chuckled darkly, unfazed. "We’ll see how long that lasts. Because I’m not done yet."

Theo stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Daisy. "If you want to play games, I’m ready to end this... right here, right now."

But a gentle tug at his sleeve made Theo turn. Daisy, breathing hard and visibly shaken, shook her head.

"No... please... let’s just go home."

Theo nodded slowly, his sharp gaze lingering on George for a tense moment before he turned toward Daisy. "Alright. Let’s go home."

They began to turn, Theo’s protective hand lightly brushing against Daisy’s back as they headed for the door until George’s voice stopped them.

"Do you find it satisfying, winning over me every time?"

Theo stiffened but didn’t look back. His voice was calm but carried a sharp warning. "There’s never been a competition between us, George."

George’s smile twisted, sharper and colder. "Maybe not to you, but to me, it feels like a war I’m losing every single day."

Theo’s jaw tightened, his grip on Daisy firm and steady. "Then whatever war you choose to fight, don’t drag her into it."

"Unfortunately, she’s already involved," George said, stepping down the stairs, eyes locked on Daisy. "I wonder... What makes you better than me?" He smirked. "Maybe Daisy could answer that?"

Daisy hid her face behind Theo’s chest.

Theo tightened his hold around Daisy, his voice low but sharp. "That question doesn’t deserve an answer. Leave her out of this."

"Oh, that’s sweet." He continued walking down until he reached the last step of the stairs, "You asked me before, why did I suddenly cut off our friendship isn’t it?" He paused, glaring sharp at Theo, "Julian’s death? That was just an excuse. I have long hated you...why?"

Theo’s eyes narrowed, the cold fury simmering just beneath his calm exterior.

George’s voice dropped, heavy with bitterness. "My parents couldn’t stop praising you—Theo this, Theo that. ’You should be friends with Theo, you should learn from Theo.’ And when Julian died... for the first time, I felt relief in my heart." He stepped closer, voice low but cutting. "Because I realized, you might lose one of your anchors."

Daisy’s breath hitched, the weight of his words hanging thick in the room. Theo’s jaw clenched as he stared daggers at George.

"The perfect Theo finally lost it," George sneered, a bitter chuckle escaping him. "He lost himself, and my parents stopped talking about you! Can you believe that? They stopped comparing me to you the moment Julian died because you weren’t the same anymore."

Theo’s jaw clenched tighter, his eyes burning with restrained fury. Without another word, he stepped forward and swung a solid punch that caught George off guard. The impact echoed through the room, silence falling heavy like a sudden storm.

George rubbed his jaw, a slow grin spreading across his face despite the sting. "Ah... sneaky," he muttered, eyes gleaming with a mix of pain and amusement.

Theo didn’t back down. His voice was low, fierce. "Don’t test me."

"Why did you come back three years ago? You should’ve stayed down, stay as the broken Theo who was easier to ignore," George sneered, stepping closer, his voice dripping with contempt.

Theo’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold and cutting. "Just because you’re incompetent doesn’t mean you have the right to drag others down with you."

George’s smile twisted into something bitter, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. "Funny... you’re the one dragging others down while trying to lift yourself up."

Theo’s jaw tightened, realizing that arguing with George was like shouting into the void... no logic, no reason, just bitter resentment. He took a deep breath, then let it out slowly.

"Talking to you won’t get me anywhere," he muttered, his voice low but resolute. Without another word, he gently took Daisy’s hand and began leading her toward the door.

As they stepped out of the house, Theo glanced back over his shoulder one last time. His eyes held a mixture of sadness and steel.

"For the sake of our past friendship," he said quietly, "this ends here."