The silence from behind that half-open window was louder than any words he could have spoken. Theo didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't even blink. He just watched.
Something inside Daisy cracked. The fire in her chest, the fury on her tongue, it all melted into something heavier, something she couldn't control. She spun around sharply, heading back toward Alex.
"Key," she said flatly, holding out her hand.
Alex blinked. "Madam?" His gaze darted nervously from her to Theo's car, then back again. "Perhaps it's better if I—"
"I said, key!" Daisy snapped, her voice breaking. Her hand trembled, not from anger this time, but from the weight pressing down on her chest.
For a moment Alex froze. Then he saw it, the shimmer in her eyes, the tears she was fighting to hold back. When one slipped down her cheek, his resolve crumbled instantly.
"Madam…" he whispered, almost helplessly, before fumbling in his pocket. With shaky fingers, he pulled out the car key and pressed it into her palm.
