Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Chapter 150: That man isn’t someone I can trust
“What does that even mean?” Gina frowned, her brows knitting together once Lily’s words finally sank in.

Lily, however, was still struggling to process Roger’s claim herself. The determination she’d seen in his eyes lingered in her mind — it wasn’t something she could easily forget.

She knew Roger well enough. He was the kind of man who would let others steer his life, passive and compliant, until the moment he decided to take control for himself. And yesterday… she had felt that shift. He had made up his mind, and no one, not even she, could change it.

“Does Rita know?” Gina asked, her voice breaking through Lily’s thoughts.

Lily hesitated before shaking her head, uncertainty flickering across her face.

“I don’t know. If she did, why would she come to me? Unless…” she trailed off, a realization dawning on her.

“Maybe she does know.”

Lily couldn’t ignore the possibility — especially knowing how cunning Rita could be. The day Rita betrayed her, stealing the man she loved, Lily learned the hard way just how venomous her so-called friend truly was. She had befriended a snake, and deep down, she had always known it.

Silence settled between them, heavy and unspoken, until Gina finally broke it.

“And what do you plan to do?” she asked, her eyes fixed intently on Lily, studying her expression.

Lily had always been a woman who thought things through — calm, deliberate, and never one to make reckless choices. If she was even considering believing Roger, then it meant she had already measured her steps.

“If what Roger said is true,” Lily murmured, her voice low and steady, “then I need to find out exactly what Rita’s up to.”

A flicker of darkness crossed her eyes as she tried to piece together Rita’s motives. Her mind raced, calculating the reason behind Rita approaching her now, after everything.

And deep down, she knew — Rita never moved without a reason.

***

Beatrix had lost her means of support the moment Sylvester refused to help her. He hadn’t just declined — he’d subtly warned her, and the weight of his words still sent chills crawling down her spine.

Sitting on the worn-out couch, she racked her brain for a plan. She couldn’t bear watching her daughter march off to the police station day after day, only to return home angrier and more frustrated each time.

But today was different. Dianna was late — much later than usual — and the delay gnawed at Beatrix’s nerves. What was keeping her?

Dianna had refused to share the truth with her, and Beatrix knew there was no other way but to uncover her daughter’s plans on her own. The secrecy, the silence — it was all becoming too much.

“How am I supposed to know what’s going on in her mind?” Beatrix snarled to herself, the bitterness of being shut out turning her frustration into sharp anger. She couldn’t stand her daughter’s negligence, especially now.

She had spent years crafting her schemes, keeping Sylvester tangled in guilt, using him as her personal lifeline to run the family. But now, with his cold rejection, she doubted he’d ever play along again.

Even Rita had started keeping her distance, focusing entirely on her own survival. And Dianna? Beatrix had no clue how long her daughter could keep herself safe, especially with the walls closing in.

Another tense hour dragged by, and then — at last — the front door creaked open. Dianna stepped inside, her face pale, her body slumped with exhaustion and distress.

The moment she sank onto the nearest chair, Beatrix rushed to her side, hovering over her like a shadow, the questions already burning on her tongue.

“I went to meet Sylvester — and he refused to help.”

The moment those words left Beatrix’s mouth, Dianna’s head snapped up, her glare sharp enough to cut through steel.

Beatrix swallowed hard and instinctively inched back, her confidence shrinking beneath her daughter’s piercing gaze.

“Why would you do that, Mom?” Dianna’s voice was low, controlled — but trembling with fury. “Haven’t I told you not to do anything without my permission? Then why?”

The sharpness in her tone made Beatrix flinch, her heart pounding against her ribs.

“W-What was I supposed to do?” Beatrix stammered, her voice cracking under the pressure. “Everything’s falling apart! You want me to just sit here and watch us lose the only lifeline we have?”

Dianna stood straighter, her eyes burning with barely restrained rage as she stepped closer, forcing Beatrix to meet her glare head-on.

“Do you even understand what you’ve done?” she asked, each word slow and deliberate, like a blade sliding between ribs.

Beatrix felt the blood drain from her face, her hands turning cold as panic settled deep in her chest.

“You ruined it for me, Mom,” Dianna hissed, her voice low but venomous. “You going behind my back — it’s landed me in trouble. You’ve just made everything worse.”

Beatrix’s mind reeled. She had no idea what Dianna meant, but the sting of her daughter’s accusation was too much to bear.

“I was trying to save us,” Beatrix snapped back, her voice rising in desperation. “What do you expect me to do? Just sit here and watch you destroy every chance we have at surviving?”

Dianna clenched her jaw, her fists curling at her sides. “What I needed was time — and you’ve just signed it away,” she whispered coldly.

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension. For the first time, Beatrix realized her daughter wasn’t just upset — she was scared. And whatever trouble she was in, Beatrix had only made it worse.

Beatrix was terrified now, but before she could ask her anything further, Dianna storm away from there leaving her stuck in her thoughts.

***

During lunch, Winter and Gina met at a small restaurant not far from their company. The atmosphere between them was light, their conversation flowing easily — until Winter set her fork down and leaned back slightly, her eyes narrowing with quiet curiosity.

“Why are you suddenly so interested in Eric?” she asked, her voice calm but pointed.

The question hung in the air, slicing through the casual mood like a blade. Across the table, Gina froze, her hand pausing mid-reach for her glass. The stillness in her posture didn’t go unnoticed.

Winter’s gaze stayed fixed on her, waiting.

Gina gulped and reached for her glass of water, slowly taking a sip, but her eyes never left Winter — and Winter, sharp and unyielding, refused to look away either.

It wasn’t like Gina to bring up Eric. In fact, it had always been Winter who vented about her trashy ex, tossing his name around in frustration or regret. But lately, Gina had asked questions, careful ones — and ever since she first inquired about Eric’s background, something about her curiosity had unsettled Winter more than she wanted to admit.

Setting the glass down, Gina exhaled and finally met Winter’s gaze head-on.

“I came across something that piqued my interest in him,” she said, keeping her tone deliberately neutral. “I just wanted to know how much you actually know about him — or his family.”

Her calmness, her choice of words, sent a ripple of unease through Winter, enough to make her brow arch. The truth hit her then — she didn’t know much about Eric at all. Not really.

When Winter remained silent, unsure of how to respond, Gina decided to ease her into the truth. Or at least, part of it.

“I saw him,” she continued slowly, “with someone I know. And I have reason to believe… there’s something fishy going on between them.”

The words landed like a cold slap, leaving Winter momentarily stunned. Eric wasn’t part of her life anymore, and yet Gina’s careful, calculated revelation pulled him right back to the forefront of her mind.

She stared at her friend, trying to piece together the motive behind all this. Gina wasn’t the type to keep tabs on people without a reason — and Winter couldn’t shake the feeling that this was more than just a casual observation.

No matter how much she wanted to brush it off, Gina’s words refused to let her.

“And who is that someone?” Winter asked, her voice steady but laced with quiet urgency. She watched closely as Gina’s expression shifted, turning guarded in an instant.

Winter had known Gina long enough to recognize the signs — the way her lips pressed into a thin line, the subtle flicker of hesitation in her eyes. Gina wasn’t the type to hold back unless it was something she truly wasn’t ready to share.

That alone made Winter want to retreat, to give her space. But the lingering mention of Eric and this mysterious person gnawed at her curiosity, pulling her back in.

Still, she kept her tone soft, almost coaxing. “Gina, if it wasn’t important, you wouldn’t have brought it up. Just tell me. I need to know.”

Gina sighed, sensing Winter’s persistence wasn’t going to fade so easily. Leaning back in her chair, she folded her arms loosely across her chest, choosing her words with care.

“Let’s just say,” she began slowly, “that man isn’t someone I can trust. And his connection to Eric… it’s unsettling.”

She let the words hang there, hoping they’d be enough to make Winter understand the seriousness of the situation — even if she wasn’t ready to reveal everything just yet.