Page 155 of The Rogue and His Flower

“You really think that you could keep something like that from me?” He shakes his head with a scoff.

“Who told you?” I ask, my fingers gripping Daisy’s shoulder.

“I may be old, but I’m not an old fool. In fact, I pride myself on being very observant. The dinner we had recently, and your reaction to Florence’s pregnancy was enlightening to say the least,” my father says pointedly to Daisy, before settling his narrowed gaze on me. “Not to mention your rather aggressive request to run the hotel in Paris. So, I did some digging of my own, and this morning received the news from an unscrupulous nurse at the hospital who was very eager to tell me everything I needed to know after offering her quite a substantial amount of money in exchange for that information..”

“You conniving bastard!” I snap.

“With that in mind, I’d like to speak to Dalton,alone,” he says directly to Daisy.

“Whatever you need to say, you can say it to the both of us,” I retort tightly.

“Very well,” he replies, before opening the top drawer of his desk and pulling out the contract we both signed.

He presses his finger against it, sliding it across the desk. I stare at it, hating everything it represents—the man I was, the obligations expected of us both, the sheer lack of any care or compassion for myself, let alone Daisy.

“Do I need to remind you what you both agreed to in this contract?”

“We’re fully aware of what’s enclosed, and your point is?” I ask.

“This contract was drawn up to protect us all,” Carl continues, looking pointedly at me.

“No, that contract was drawn up by a selfish man who doesn’t give a fuck about protecting anyone but himself. Cut the shit, and say what’s really on your mind.”

Carl slides his gaze from me to Daisy. “You lied.”

“I lied?” she repeats, looking up at me in confusion, before turning her attention back to Carl. “About what exactly?”

“About your ability to conceive a child of course!” Carl says, his voice laced with ice. “And before you try to lie to me, don’t.”

“Daisy did no such fucking thing, you bastard.” I say, gripping her shoulder.

“Well?” Carl snaps, ignoring me and demanding answers of his own.

“I never lied about anything,” Daisy replies, her voice trembling with repressed anger as she tries to remain calm in the face of his hostility. “When I signed the contract I believed I could have a child. I had no idea this would happen.”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to him, Daisy,” I say, sliding my hand across her shoulder to cup the back of her neck, stroking my thumb against the base of her skull in an attempt to soothe her.

“Yes, you do,” my father insists.

“Christ, what kind of man are you?” I ask, anger bubbling inside of me like a kettle on the boil. “She’s been through enough. Don’t make her relive that again.”

Daisy presses her eyes shut briefly before blowing out a steadying breath. “It’s okay, Dalton,” she says, trying to reassure me before continuing. “I went into this with every intention of having Dalton’s child, and I was devastated when I found out the news. I wasn’t being deceitful, I had no idea about my medical condition, and yet, despite everything that’s happened, something wonderful has come out of this. I love Dalton witheverything I am, and he loves me. Surely that has to count for something?”

“You do realise this changes things significantly?” Carl asks coldly.

“Do you not even give a shit about what Daisy has been through? She miscarried our baby. She had an ovary removed for fuck’s sake. She’s been through hell. Where’s your sympathy?” I seeth.

“In answer to your earlier question, I’m the kind of man who has his son’s best interests at heart,” he retorts. “And sympathy does nothing to solve this rather disappointing issue, wouldn’t you agree?”

“Don’t give me that bullshit!” I spit, vibrating with anger now. “If you had my best interests at heart you’d be trying to salvage our relationship by making amends for your shitty fucking behaviour, but instead you shove that fucking contract under our noses. I’m not your fucking business associate. I’m your son, and Daisy ismy wife.”

“In anarrangedmarriage,” he reminds us both with a sneer. “One you both signed up for, and one that had certain stipulations,” he adds, tapping the contract as he glares at Daisy. “Marry my son, give me a grandchild, and Drix’s debt would be cleared. But it seems you’re incapable of fulfilling your end of the deal.”

“Truthfully, I don’t know,” Daisy replies stoically. “There’s the possibility of IVF. It might work, it might not.”

“IVF?” Carl spits with a shake of his head. “No.”

“No?” I question. My voice is low, controlled, as my hand drops from the back of Daisy’s neck, and my fingers curl into fists. I’m one fucking step away from beating the shit out of him. Daisy notices and reaches for my hand, she brings it to her lips, kissing it.

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