CHAPTER 47: WEIRD CONVERSATION

Chapter 47: Weird Conversation

When Theo returned to the room, the energy felt different. Danielle was sitting on the edge of the bed, twisting her fingers together as if she was rehearsing something in her mind.

The sound of the door unlocking made her jump a little, and when she looked up, Theo was already inside.

He carried a small paper bag and the smell of food followed him. His shirt was slightly unbuttoned, and his hair looked a little messy from the wind outside.

He didn’t say anything at first. He just closed the door and placed the bag on the table.

Danielle looked at him quietly. He had a calm face, but something about his eyes looked strange, like he had been somewhere else entirely before walking through that door.

"You’re back," she laughed, trying to sound normal.

Theo nodded. "Yeah. I brought breakfast."

"Did you eat?" Danielle bit her lip.

He shook his head and began unpacking the food...two sandwiches, a small fruit salad, and coffee. "Not yet. I thought we could eat together."

Danielle’s heart thudded in her chest. She didn’t know how to say what she needed to say. The words sat like stones in her throat.

When Theo turned around with the food, she was still sitting there, looking pale and unsure. He frowned a little. "What’s wrong?"

Danielle tried to smile, but it was weak. "Nothing... I just..." Her voice trailed off.

Theo waited...He always waited. That quiet patience of his made her more nervous.

"I saw something," she finally admitted.

Theo stopped moving. "Saw what?"

"Your phone."

He tilted his head slightly, still not showing any emotion. "My phone?"

"Yes. It fell on the floor. I picked it up, and a message appeared."

Theo didn’t speak. He walked over, sat down beside her, and reached for one of the sandwiches. Without reacting, he unwrapped it and handed it to her.

"Eat, Bunny."

Danielle blinked at him, clearly confused. "Theo, did you hear me? I said I saw a message."

"I heard you."

"Then why are you acting like it doesn’t matter?" she asked, raising her voice.

"Because right now, you need to eat. You lost a lot of energy yesterday," Theo replied calmly, pushing the sandwich closer to her lips.

Danielle frowned, her heart was pounding faster. "This isn’t funny. The message said something strange. It said, ’Tell her or I will.’ That’s not normal, Theo."

He still didn’t show any sign of panic. His tone remained the same. "You worry too much."

"Are you being blackmailed?" she asked in a trembling voice. "Or threatened?"

Theo leaned back and finally looked her in the eyes. "No one can threaten me."

"Then who sent it?" she pressed.

Theo sighed through his nose and finally answered. "Ethan."

"Your brother?"

Theo nodded once.

"But... why would he send that to you?" she asked, not being able to understand any of this. "What could he possibly want you to tell me?"

Theo took his own sandwich and took a slow bite. He chewed silently, as if the question didn’t deserve a quick answer. When he finally swallowed, he said, "He likes to play games. He always has. It’s his way of getting under my skin."

Danielle didn’t believe that. The way Theo said it...so calmly, detached...sounded too clean to be true. But she didn’t push him.

"Does he hate you?" she asked quietly.

Theo’s eyes shifted, darkening a little. "Something like that probably."

"What happened between you two?"

Theo didn’t answer. He just looked at her for a long second and then stood up, walking to the window. He placed both hands on the frame, his back tense.

"Danielle, don’t ask me about Ethan."

"But he’s your brother. I just want to understand."

"There’s nothing to understand...Please. Not him."

Danielle’s lips pressed together. The sudden change in his tone made her chest ache. She didn’t want to make him angry, but curiosity burned in her chest.

She needed to know why Theo, who treated everyone with quiet control, looked like he was holding back an entire storm when it came to his brother.

Lowering her gaze and nodding. "Okay...I won’t ask again." Danielle muttered.

Theo turned around and looked at her. "Thank you."

There was another punch of silence that followed, but somehow it didn’t feel cold. Theo came back to the bed and handed her another piece of fruit. "Eat," he said again.

Danielle sighed, but she took it anyway. "You’re so bossy," she murmured under her breath.

"Someone has to make sure you don’t starve."

"You really are impossible, Theo. You talk like a soldier, but act like..."

"Like what?" he asked and raised one eyebrow.

"Like someone who actually loves..."

"Love can be dangerous."

"Then maybe danger is what you’re best at," Danielle responded lightly, but there was a hint of sadness in her voice.

Theo didn’t say anything and instead, he picked up his coffee and took a small sip. His shoulders looked tense, and his jaw moved slightly, like he was thinking hard about something he couldn’t say out loud.

Danielle leaned back against the pillows, still watching him. "You know, you’re kind of mysterious," she teased, trying to lift the mood.

"Mysterious?"

"Yes. You hide everything. You never explain anything. You just appear, disappear, and act like you’ve got the whole world on your shoulders."

"I do."

She laughed softly. "You really can’t joke, can you?"

Theo looked down for a moment, then back at her. There was a strange light in his eyes like half tired, half warm. "If you knew what I’ve done, you wouldn’t think I’m mysterious. You’d just think I’m a man who’s trying not to make the same mistake twice."

Danielle blinked. "What mistake?"

He smiled weakly. "You really don’t give up, do you?"

"Not when it comes to you," she said honestly.

Theo rubbed his forehead and looked away, whispering something almost too quietly for her to hear. "I already broke the protocol," he murmured. "What’s one more thing?"

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Author Here: Do you think Theo will confess in the next Chapter? :