Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 142

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Feeling left out all of a sudden
“Job’s done, boss. Eric’s been misled without a hitch,” Stanley reported over the phone, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he stared down at the man trembling beneath his gaze.

“Good. Let him go—for now. But he’ll be working for us for a while,” Kalix instructed, his voice cold and final before ending the call.

Stanley hummed in acknowledgment, slipping his phone back into his pocket. The moment the call ended, the smile that had curled his lips vanished like it had never been there.

“You should be grateful I’m in a good mood today,” he muttered, his voice laced with quiet threat. “But don’t push your luck by going against my words.”

His piercing stare made the man flinch and nod frantically, desperation painting his face.

“Please… just let me go,” the man pleaded, voice shaking.

Stanley gave a dismissive wave, and the man bolted like a terrified mouse finally freed from a trap.

It had all been a setup, a meticulous scheme orchestrated by Kalix to ensnare Eric—the man who had crossed an unforgivable line. Not only had he spied on Kalix’s wife, but he’d also dared to touch her without consent and harassed her with drunken calls.

Stanley had been the handpicked enforcer for the job. But tonight, his uncharacteristic behavior hadn’t gone unnoticed. The men who’d caught the rare twitch of his lips—barely a smile, yet more than enough—looked as if they’d seen a ghost.

A man as cold and deadpan as Stanley didn’t smile. And when he did, it wasn’t out of joy — it was the calculated grin of a predator toying with its prey before the kill.

But the one most rattled by his shift wasn’t just the trembling target he’d let go — it was Sean. The sight of Stanley smiling had left him so unsettled, his stomach churned, and he swore he was a second away from puking.

As soon as Stanley slid into the passenger seat, Sean caught sight of him pulling out his phone and typing away. Normally, he wouldn’t have cared enough to notice — but the faint, lingering smile creeping back onto Stanley’s face had him on edge.

Unable to hold back, Sean finally snapped.

“Tell me, Stanley — did Lilac put a spell on you or something? Or slip you a love potion? Because this isn’t the man I know,” Sean muttered, unable to stomach the sight of Stanley looking like a lovesick fool.

The night Stanley had confided in him about his decision to date Lilac, Sean had been all in — supportive, even a little surprised, but genuinely happy for them both. Lilac was sharp, bold, and more than capable of handling someone like Stanley.

But now, watching him act all soft and weird, Sean couldn’t help but wonder if Stanley had always been this much of a kitten around her. And if so, how the hell had no one ever noticed it before?

Then again, Lilac was always the exception — the only one who knew exactly how to deal with Stanley and in the most twisted, unpredictable ways.

“Why? Feeling left out all of a sudden?” Stanley’s words hit Sean square in the chest, catching him off guard. His thoughts drifted, unbidden, to Gina—their kiss still vivid in his mind, along with the way he’d boldly claimed her without a second thought.

Stanley noticed the sudden silence, his sharp eyes catching the faint blush creeping up Sean’s neck, as if the man had been caught daydreaming like some lovestruck teenager.

A sly smirk tugged at the corner of Stanley’s mouth. “Tell me, Sean, how long are you planning to let your single dick rust? Don’t you think it’s about time you put it to some good use?”

The words snapped Sean out of his thoughts, his brows knitting together in mock fury. “For your information, I don’t think I’ll be single much longer,” he fired back. “In case you’ve forgotten, Gina’s been courting me.”

Sean slowed the car and pulled to a stop at a traffic light, proud of himself for that little announcement.

“Is that so?” Stanley mused, voice dripping with amusement. “Then explain this.”

Before Sean could ask, Stanley reached over and turned his head toward the car window. Sitting in the vehicle next to them, clear as day, was Gina—laughing at something some other man had just said.

It was pure coincidence, the kind of moment the universe served on a silver platter. And Stanley, never one to waste an opportunity, leaned back, satisfied, watching the jealousy tighten his friend’s jaw.

Sean stared, his chest tightening, the light teasing from earlier now stinging like salt on an open wound.

“Isn’t that Niko?” Stanley drawled, his voice laced with mock curiosity. “What’s he doing with Gina?”

Sean’s jaw clenched, his heart burning with jealousy at the sight. Every instinct screamed at him to jump out of the car, march over, and pull Gina away from Niko. But he forced himself to stay put, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles whitened.

His mind flicked back to what Gina had told him—not long ago, she’d mentioned Niko was just a friend, nothing more. He wanted to believe her. He needed to.

The traffic light flicked green, and with one last glance at the pair, Sean hit the gas, the car surging forward.

“Maybe she just had some work with him,” he muttered, trying to sound casual, though the tightness in his voice gave him away.

Stanley, however, wasn’t convinced. He arched a brow, studying Sean’s reaction—or rather, the lack of the explosion he’d expected. Instead of snapping or turning the car around, Sean drove on in silence, his thoughts clearly miles away.

The unexpected calm only made Stanley more curious.

Meanwhile, in the other car, Niko’s smile wavered as a flicker of doubt crossed his face.

“Why do I feel like I just saw Sean?” He muttered, more to himself than to Gina, his brows drawing together in confusion.

The moment his name left Niko’s lips, Gina stiffened, her heart skipping a beat. She quickly turned toward the window, scanning the street — but by then, there was nothing. No sign of Sean. No familiar car. Just the usual blur of traffic.

The mention of Sean’s name left her uneasy, her mind racing with questions, though the lack of any confirmation left her in silent doubt.