Atticus Finchs back, rigid with resolve, disappeared through the door, leaving Daisy Buchanan in a pool of despair. She could only repeat to herself that her actions were for his own good, no matter how much it hurt.
Calpurnia Finch, if it werent for Atticus, if it werent for their child, Daisy would never allow herself to be manipulated so easily! But the image of Atticuss face, etched with a pain that bordered on hopelessness, haunted her relentlessly.
"Im sorry, Atticus, Im so sorry, Ive hurt you..." she whispered to the empty room, her heart aching as if it were being torn apart.
The vibration of her phone on the bedside table interrupted her lament. Daisy wiped away her tears and, with a faltering step, reached for it. The message was from Calpurnia Finch.
"Well done. After tomorrow, you can take your child and leave Atticus and my world," the message read.
It was like a reprieve. She could protect her child, the one she shared with Atticus.
However, she soon realized her mistake.
The following evening, as Atticus returned from work, Daisy hurried to greet him, only to be met with a cold stare. "I have a gathering tonight, and you will accompany me. Your dress is ready. You have ten minutes. If youre late by even a minute, Ill make the Buchanan stocks plummet by ten percent!"
He then roughly pushed her away, and off-balance, Daisy stumbled and fell, her forehead colliding painfully with the corner of a coffee table.
"Thud," the sound of the impact echoed, but Atticus walked away as if he hadnt noticed, his assistant entering the room with a little black dress.
And there was Calpurnia, following closely behind with a malicious grin, waving at Daisy, "Hi there, sister-in-law."
"Get out! I dont want to see you!" Daisys anger flared at the sight of Calpurnias deceitful face.
"Im here to help you get ready. Atticus wants to take you to a special place tonight, and you cant go looking like that," Calpurnia said, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she held up the dress bag.
"What... a wife-swapping party?" Daisys eyes widened in horror as she batted away the dress, unable to believe that Atticus would take her to such a place.
She was Atticuss wife, and she carried his child in her womb鈥攈ow could she attend such an event?
"Its Atticus who loved you, after all. He couldnt bear to destroy the bastard in your belly with his own hands, so I made a little suggestion, and he accepted it right away," Calpurnia said, discarding the dress onto the floor and admiring her freshly done nails, red as blood.
"You... you promised me..." Daisy choked out, referring to the promise that Calpurnia would leave her and her child alone.
Calpurnia merely laughed, her voice like the hiss of a venomous snake. "Dont worry, Atticus wont let other men touch you. I heard theres a man with a penchant for sadism attending tonight. He wants to use that man to empty your womb."
"I heard his last victim just got out of the ICU. As a sister, I kindly advise you, perverts prefer infinite obedience. If you dont resist, you should survive," Calpurnia continued, blowing on her nails before leaving with a self-satisfied air.
Daisys vision blurred with tears and pain. She wanted to reach for a weapon to strike Calpurnia, but she was left feeling helpless. Despite her reluctance, she dressed in the gown and accompanied Atticus to the gathering. However, seizing a moment when he was inattentive, she slipped away from the club in a panic.
She had barely pressed the elevator button when the doors slid open to reveal Tom Robinson inside.
Seeing her, he immediately ushered her into the elevator. "Calpurnia sent me to help you. If youre willing to come with me, to a place where Atticus cant find you, she wont trouble you and your child anymore!"
Confused by his words but with no time to think, Daisy only wanted to escape Atticuss grasp and protect her child. She nodded vigorously as the elevator descended, her heart pounding in her chest.
Tom led her out through a side exit, and Atticus seemed oblivious to her disappearance. Everything was going suspiciously smoothly.
"Here, you look so worried, your lips are dry. Have some water and relax. Calpurnia has booked you a flight. Were heading to the airport now to leave this place of trouble behind and never return," Tom said, handing her a bottle of water from the car.
"Thank you," Daisy said, noting that the water was full and freshly opened. She drank greedily, downing nearly half the bottle.
After the intense stress, she felt herself relax and, telling Tom to wake her when they arrived, she fell into a deep sleep.
She awoke to Atticuss furious voice, filled with terror.
"Daisy Buchanan, your heart, your liver, your spleen, your lungs, and your kidneys are all black! You werent satisfied with harming me, you actually ran over my parents with your car!"
"Let me go, I want to kill this damn woman, I want her to die without a grave!"
Dazed, Daisy rubbed her eyes and looked out the window to see chaos. Flashing police lights, ambulances, and the cacophony of voices were deafening.
Atticus was restrained by two officers in uniform, his face contorted with rage, his eyes bloodshot as if he were a ferocious beast ready to tear her apart.
"Atticus... what are you talking about?" Daisys hand touched her forehead, and her fingers came away covered in blood, jolting her fully awake.
"Daisy Buchanan, I will make you pay a hundredfold, a thousandfold for what youve done. I want you to suffer for the evil youve committed!"
The officers were thrown aside, and Atticus rushed forward, wrenching the car door open and dragging Daisy out.
He choked her, lifting her as if she were a rag doll, his eyes burning with fury as he glared at her, like an enraged beast ready to tear her apart.
"I didnt... Atticus, I didnt..." Daisys mind was foggy, and she didnt understand how she had become a murderer after just one sleep.
She tried to explain, but as soon as she moved her lips, she was interrupted by Calpurnia, who rushed over, "Atticus, your parents are not in good condition. They need to be sent to the hospital for emergency treatment right away. You have to contact the brain surgery expert, Mr. Luo, and make sure nothing happens to your parents. Dont waste time with this venomous woman, hand her over to the police, and well deal with her later!"
Calpurnia successfully diverted Atticuss attention. He "thud" threw her to the ground, his eyes filled with a cold chill, "Daisy Buchanan, youd better pray that my parents are okay, otherwise, I wont let you and your family off the hook!"
"It wasnt me, Atticus, it really wasnt me... The one driving was one of Calpurnias admirers, I..."
Daisy was thrown to the ground, feeling as if her internal organs were shattered, and she wanted to catch up with him to explain, but her abdomen suddenly cramped, and it seemed that there was warm liquid flowing out...