Chapter 4

"What… what the hell? Get that thing away from me!"

Daisy's face changed in an instant, her eyes welling up with tears.

Flynn was actually—rock-hard.

Panic hit her like a wave. There was no way she could stay calm now.

"What happened to all that arrogance?" Flynn sneered, baring his teeth. "Go on, mock me again. Let's see if you still have the guts. Take off your skirt. See if I don't have my way with you."

Of course, he had no intention of doing anything. But watching Daisy tremble, her bravado shattering, gave him a twisted sense of satisfaction.

She smelled too good, felt too soft against him. And those teary, pleading eyes—something about them sent a rush through his veins.

"I… I—" Daisy choked, sobbing uncontrollably. "Flynn, you bastard! Let go of me! If you touch me, I'll—I'll…"

"You'll what?" He gave her a mocking grin.

Before she could answer, he raised a hand and smacked her sharply across the backside.

The sound was crisp, almost absurdly loud.

Daisy's eyes widened in shock. Then she wailed.

"I—I'm ruined! I don't want to live anymore!"

She thrashed against him, pounding his chest with both fists, tears streaming down her face.

"Hey, don't cry! I wasn't actually gonna do anything!" Flynn panicked, clamping a hand over her mouth.

If she kept screaming like this and someone found them, he was screwed. No one would believe him. Her father would have his hide.

Daisy stilled, peering up at him through her wet lashes. Seeing his frantic expression, she hesitated. If he was really planning something, would he look this nervous?

She pushed against him, freeing herself, but still kept a wary distance.

"Then why the hell did you drag me out here and scare me half to death?"

Flynn huffed. "You're seriously asking me that? All because I accidentally saw you naked? You think that gives you the right to ruin my life? You weren't exactly innocent either—you saw me too! So that makes us even."

Daisy frowned, clearly confused.

"Why'd you have to go and tell your dad about it. Now he's threatened to close down my clinic! Without my clinic, there's no way for me and my aunt to survive. Are you going to feed us?" Flynn said furiously.

"What are you talking about? You think I told my dad about that? I'd rather die than embarrass myself like that!"

Flynn stiffened. "Wait… you didn't tell him?"

"Obviously not!" she shot back. "I have some dignity, unlike you!"

His stomach dropped.

"So… the order to shut down my clinic… that wasn't your doing?"

"Of course not!" Daisy's voice rose in frustration. "The county ordered a crackdown on illegal clinics weeks ago! My dad was just following instructions. I even convinced him to hold off on telling you so you'd have time to prepare!"

She glared at him, still fuming. "You ungrateful jerk! You drag me into a cornfield, humiliate me, and you think I'm the villain here?"

"You've never even looked at me properly once. And now you expect me to believe you're being kind out of nowhere?" Flynn scoffed.

Daisy shot him a sharp look. "I never looked at you? Be honest—how many patients have actually come to your clinic since your parents passed? It's all just neighbors feeling sorry for you. Everyone knows you're the one taking care of Anne. But even if we wanted to come to your clinic, what could you even treat?

"You're just a drifter, never taking life seriously. How do you expect people to respect you?" She didn't hold back. "If I hadn't convinced my dad to wait a few more days, your clinic would've been shut down already."

Flynn opened his mouth but couldn't find a single word to refute her. He gritted his teeth. "Then why did you say those things at the river? You humiliated me for no reason."

Daisy's brows knitted together. "Are you stupid?" she snapped. "I'm a girl. I've never even had a boyfriend, and you saw me naked. You think it's weird that I was mad?"

Flynn froze. She had a point. No matter how he looked at it, she was the one who had suffered the real loss. If word got out, she'd be the one who couldn't show her face in the village. What was he even upset about?

His frustration evaporated. "Daisy… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have treated you like that." He lowered his head, voice full of guilt.

"Hmph. As long as you know." Daisy finally seemed satisfied. "And don't tell anyone about this."

She turned to leave the cornfield, but Flynn quickly caught up. "Daisy, I need a favor. Can you ask your dad to delay shutting down my clinic for a little longer?" His voice was sincere. "I want to take the medical licensing exam. If I pass, I can keep the clinic running."

Daisy stopped in her tracks. "You?" She looked him up and down. "You can't even read properly, and you want to take a licensing exam? Just give up and find something else to do."

He clenched his jaw. "I just want to try. Can't you help me?"

"If I actually pass," Flynn continued, "I swear I'll find a way to thank you. That clinic… it's all I have left of my parents. And my aunt still depends on it."

Daisy hesitated, then let out a sigh. "Fine. I'll talk to my dad."

Before he could thank her, she crossed her arms and added, "But you have to do three things for me in return."

"What three things?" Flynn asked warily.

She smirked. "That's for me to decide. Just know that whatever I ask, you have to do it. No complaints."

Flynn didn't even hesitate. "Deal."

"Good. Now go home. I'm leaving. Don't come bothering me unless it's important." With that, she flipped her ponytail and walked off.

Flynn watched her retreating figure, rubbing the back of his head. Maybe he'd been too quick to judge her. She wasn't as bad as he thought.

Just then, Daisy bent down to tie her shoelace. She assumed she was fully covered, but Flynn's breath hitched. His eyes widened.

"…Damn," he murmured under his breath.

Oblivious, Daisy finished tying her shoe, threw a glance his way, and continued walking out of the cornfield.

Flynn stood frozen, the image burned into his brain. A thought he had never considered before surfaced in his mind.

If Daisy were his girlfriend… that wouldn't be so bad, would it?