Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 140

Chapter 140: Chapter 140: I won’t fall for it
“Thank you for agreeing to talk with me,” Roger said, his eyes fixed on Lily as she sat across from him in the café.

He hadn’t expected her to get into his car so easily, but she had—and now, sitting here with her, his heart clung to a fragile hope.

“Don’t flatter yourself, Roger,” Lily replied, her tone sharp as ice. “I didn’t come with you because you asked me to. I came to clear a few things between us.”

Her cold gaze cut through him like a blade. His chest tightened with pain, but he quickly masked it, leaning back in his seat to maintain his composure.

“You’ve changed, Lily,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, eyes studying her every move.

“People change over time, Roger—especially when they’ve seen enough in the name of friendship,” she scoffed, mocking him with the very words he’d once used against her.

Roger was never hers—not truly. She knew that. But over the years, they had built something more than friendship, or so she had thought. She had let herself believe in the possibility of love—hers alone, unrequited and doomed from the start.

Each word she hurled at him struck deeper than the last, and Roger could feel the sting in his chest.

“I never lied to you when I said I didn’t have feelings for Rita.”

Lily let out a bitter laugh. “Yes. And that’s exactly why you broke my heart, isn’t it, Roger?”

“And I’ve always regretted it,” Roger said, his voice laced with sincerity. “I haven’t been happy since then, Lily.”

He looked at her, hoping—pleading—for once she would listen with her heart and not let her judgment build walls between them.

Lily’s eyes stayed fixed on his face, unreadable. Part of her wanted to believe him, to give in to the familiar warmth his presence once brought. But the betrayal she had felt, the heartbreak she had endured, left her questioning if she could ever trust again.

“So, how about we make peace?” She said suddenly, her tone calm—almost too calm.

Roger’s brows furrowed in confusion, but before he could respond, her next words left him speechless.

“How about you continue being a good husband to your wife and stop bothering me?”

Her voice was clear, unshaken. It sliced through the air like a knife.

“I don’t want any association with you beyond business. And we can’t just go back to being friends, not after everything that’s happened between us.”

She folded her arms, chin raised, her expression unreadable. “So, Mr. Roger, these are the only terms we can meet on.”

Silence stretched between them as Roger absorbed her words. Then, quietly but firmly, he replied, “What if I deny that?”

Lily blinked, taken aback.

“What if I want more than friendship with you?” He said, eyes locked on hers, voice steady despite the chaos within him.

“That’s impossible,” she countered, her voice sharp.

“Why?”

“Because you have a wife!” she snapped, eyes blazing.

“No longer. I’m divorcing Rita,” he said calmly, his voice unwavering, dismissing every doubt she tried to cling to.

Lily froze. His words stunned her, rooting her to the spot. For a moment, she searched his face, trying to find a trace of deceit—but there was none. He meant it.

Still, her heart wouldn’t budge.

“Even so, I won’t be with you. And that’s final,” Lily said firmly, her voice clipped with finality.

She stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. Without waiting for a response, she walked out of the café.

The moment she stepped outside, the air felt thick—almost suffocating. Every word he’d spoken echoed in her mind. The way he’d declared he wanted more than friendship. The shocking announcement that he was leaving Rita.

It crashed down on her like a tidal wave.

She never wanted to be the reason behind their breakup. Not when she had seen the way Rita looked at him—so full of love. She couldn’t be the woman who tore it all apart, no matter what her heart once wanted.

Lily knew all too well how long it had taken her to move on from her feelings for Roger. The sleepless nights, the tears she’d never let anyone see. Just because he now claimed to want her didn’t mean she could simply give in. Not now. Not after everything.

She didn’t even realize she had been walking aimlessly, her thoughts spiraling back to that moment—the scene that had shattered her heart into pieces. Each memory hit her like shards of glass, cutting through the fragile control she’d fought so hard to build.

HONK!

Honk!

The blaring sound tore through her haze.

Lily jolted back to the present and turned just in time to see headlights speeding toward her. Her eyes widened, her breath caught in her throat. The vehicle was too close—too fast. Her body locked up in terror, unable to move.

She was seconds away from impact.

“Lily!”

A voice called out—urgent, panicked.

And then, just as the world seemed to slow around her, a strong hand gripped her arm and yanked her back. She stumbled, her balance lost, and fell hard onto the sidewalk.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she gasped for breath, eyes still wide with shock. The car sped past, its horn still echoing in the distance.

Someone had saved her—and that someone was none other than Roger.

Her dazed thoughts cleared as her eyes locked onto him. He looked like he had just stared death in the face, his expression tight with fear and panic.

Lily tried to push herself up, but before she could fully collect herself, Roger pulled her into his arms.

“What were you thinking, Lily?!” He burst out, his voice trembling. “How could you not see where you were heading? What would’ve happened if—”

He stopped himself, his words breaking under the weight of emotion.

Lily was caught off guard. But what truly silenced her—what kept her frozen in his embrace—was the way his body trembled against hers, the erratic pounding of his heart thudding loud and desperate.

He had been terrified.

Not for himself.

For her.

Lily pushed him away, putting distance between them. Her eyes locked onto the dread etched across his face. The way his gaze flickered with something raw—something petrified—made her stomach twist.

But she quickly composed herself, shaking off the lingering effect of his touch. She tried to stand, only to feel a sharp, shooting pain shoot up her ankle.

“Ah!”

Roger’s eyes widened in alarm as he noticed her wince, his gaze dropping to her foot. In an instant, he was on his feet, reaching for her.

“Your leg—Lily, you’ve sprained it,” he said, panic lacing his tone.

She winced again as he tried to help. “And whose fault is that, huh?” she snapped, more from the pain and confusion than anger. “Why would you pull me like that?”

His expression hardened, though worry still flickered in his eyes.

“Because you were about to get hit by a car, Lily!” he shot back. “You weren’t looking. I didn’t have time to ask your permission!”

“Great. And now I’ve sprained my leg,” Lily muttered, frustration bleeding into her voice.

She tried to balance herself and glanced around, scanning the road for a cab.

“What are you doing?” Roger asked, already sensing her intent.

“Getting away from you,” she snapped, not bothering to mask the bitterness. “Who knows, staying near you might get me into more trouble.”

She limped forward, trying to hail a cab, but before she could even lift her hand, Roger closed the distance between them in two strides—and scooped her up into his arms.

“Roger!” she gasped, stunned.

“You’re not walking on that ankle,” he said, his tone firm, leaving no room for argument. “So, either let me help you, or risk making it worse. Your choice.”

Roger didn’t give her a chance to argue. He carried her straight to his car and gently helped her into the passenger seat.

“You can’t keep forcing me like this, Roger!” Lily yelled, her voice rising in protest.

But as always, he turned a deaf ear to her words. Without a response, he walked around and slid into the driver’s seat.

“You might not want anything to do with me, Lily,” he said, his voice low and unwavering. “But let me make one thing clear—now that I have you, there’s no way I’m letting you slip through my fingers again.”

He leaned in, dangerously close, his gaze burning into hers.

“And I won’t fall for it,” she challenged, her voice low, teeth clenched.

Roger met the fire in her eyes, the fury radiating off her like heat. Her words were sharp—meant to cut—but he didn’t flinch. He was ready to bleed if it meant he had a chance at reaching her heart.

“Let’s see about that,” he murmured, his voice calm but laced with steel. “Because this time, Lily… I won’t lose.”

Lily wasn’t sure if it was the declaration itself or the unwavering confidence behind it that rooted her in place—but she felt the chill of his words settle deep in her bones.