Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 178

Chapter 178: Chapter 178: Does your grandfather knows what you’re up to
“No wonder he was at the summit. But then, why would he hide his identity?” Winter asked, frowning.

“That’s the real question—because neither we nor Grandpa have any idea,” Kalix replied, his tone grim.

Alexander had become the primary suspect, especially given his indirect ties to Eric. Still, there was something else—something off about him—that made him stand out as more than just a coincidence.

“Your father had multiple businesses, right?” Winter asked, leaning in thoughtfully.

“Yeah. Roger’s managing them now,” Kalix said.

“Has Roger ever come across anything that links back to Alexander?” she pressed.

“I don’t think so. When he took over, he rebranded everything—new names, new management. If Alexander was involved before, he would’ve known.”

Kalix had already combed through the records. He was confident Roger had no clue about the deals their father had been working on—or the ones he’d shut down—before his death.

Winter knew Kalix was right. If Roger were the one handling the businesses now, then he would’ve known something. And so would her grandfather.

Kalix noticed her silence and gently asked, “What is it?”

Snapping out of her thoughts, Winter turned to him. “Grandpa once mentioned another investor—someone who was supposed to collaborate with your father on a major project. Do you think it he might know him?”

She wasn’t certain, just grasping at threads, but the possibility nagged at her. If Byron could help them identify Alexander, then maybe—just maybe—they’d finally have a real lead.

Kalix’s eyes narrowed, his mind already turning over the implications. “Maybe he can,” he agreed, the pieces beginning to click into place.

But in the next breath, his expression shifted. A familiar mischief lit up his features. Without warning, he took Winter’s hand, pulled her forward, and in one swift motion, lifted her onto the table.

“My wife is far smarter than she gives herself credit for,” he murmured with a teasing smile, his eyes lingering on her startled yet amused face.

Kalix had a knack for finding slivers of light in even the darkest conversations, and this moment was no exception. To Winter’s surprise, she didn’t mind the interruption—it made her feel seen… admired.

Her lips twitched. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him closer.

Kalix leaned in, his palms braced against the table’s edge on either side of her. His face hovered just inches from hers, their breaths mingling.

“I know,” she whispered, her lips curving into a seductive grin, “and I like it when you notice.”

She tilted her head and leaned in, capturing his lips in a kiss that deepened quickly—slow, hungry, filled with the quiet urgency they hadn’t yet admitted aloud.

But just as things began to heat up, Winter’s phone buzzed loudly beside them.

She groaned against his lips, pulling back with clear reluctance. “This better be important,” she muttered, hopping off the table to grab her phone. She stepped away, answering the call.

“Hello?”

“Winter,” came Gina’s voice.

Winter’s lips twitched, an amused sigh escaping her. Somehow, Gina and Sean always managed to interrupt at the worst possible moments. But the amusement faded the second she heard Gina’s next words.

Her brow furrowed.

***

[Celestial Tower]

Lily stood in the sleek, glass-walled lobby, the morning sun gleaming against the marble floors. She pressed the elevator button and waited, lost in thought.

A soft chime echoed overhead, and the doors slid open with a quiet whoosh.

She stepped forward—then froze.

Roger stood inside, his tall frame leaning casually against the mirrored wall. Their eyes locked, and for a heartbeat, neither of them moved.

Before Lily could decide what to do, Roger reached out and caught her wrist, tugging her gently but firmly into the elevator. He hit the button for the ground floor without saying a word.

“What kind of behavior is this, Roger?” Lily snapped, trying to free her arm from his grip.

“I was waiting for my girl. Is that so wrong?” He said smoothly, not letting go until she finally stopped resisting.

Lily narrowed her eyes. The way he’d been acting lately—possessive, persistent, entirely unmoved by her attempts to set boundaries—had begun to feel like a mistake she couldn’t take back. Yet, despite the regret simmering beneath the surface, she knew it was too late to rewrite the past.

“I wanted breakfast made by you,” Roger continued, his tone far too casual for the tension between them. “But since I know you’re busy, I decided to take you out instead.”

Lily stared at him, stunned.

‘His girl? When did that happen’?

As if on cue, her subconscious, quiet for years, decided to chime in.

When you kissed him in desperation… and he agreed to be at your mercy.

Lily pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the flush of shame rising to her cheeks. He made it sound like everything had been a mutual decision, but in truth, she’d reached for him when she was at her lowest—and Roger hadn’t hesitated to step in.

They walked in silence through the lobby, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back as they headed to the parking area.

Roger opened the car door for her and she slid in without protest, still trying to make sense of the storm inside her.

As the car pulled out of the driveway, neither of them noticed the silver sedan that passed them on the way in.

Inside it was Rita, who came to confront Lily.

But the moment she reached Lily’s apartment, she realized it was locked.

Rita’s unease deepened.

Roger’s sudden reappearance had already left her on edge. No one seemed to know who he really was, and worse—no one even tried to explain. It was like he’d appeared out of nowhere, cloaked in silence and secrets.

Still, Rita doubted Lily was entirely unaware. In fact, she was starting to believe Lily knew exactly who he was.

But her suspicions only grew when she found no sign of Lily at home. Frowning, she headed back down to the lobby and pulled out her phone, calling her again.

No answer.

Anger flared in her chest, but just as it did, something clicked in her mind.

“Wait… Was that Roger’s car I saw leaving earlier?” she muttered, eyes narrowing.

She couldn’t be sure—but the timing matched too well to ignore.

“No,” she said firmly, shaking off the doubt. “I can’t just sit around waiting. I need to find out where she is.”

***

Meanwhile, Roger drove them to a discreet restaurant tucked away in the quieter part of the city—one of those places where privacy was a given, and familiar eyes were unlikely to find them.

He guided Lily inside, leading her through the elegant space toward a secluded booth tucked into a corner dimly lit with warm golden lights.

Lily glanced around, taking in the refined ambiance—the soft hum of jazz in the background, the gleam of polished wood, and the gentle clink of cutlery. Everything about the place felt too intimate, too deliberate.

Roger pulled out a chair for her, and though hesitant, she sat down slowly.

He circled around the table and took the seat across from her, watching her with a gaze far softer than she remembered.

“You don’t have to be this formal,” Lily said, her tone lighter than she intended. “I can take care of myself, you know.”

“I know,” Roger replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. “But let me take care of you anyway—just this once.”

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dropping just enough to make her heart stir. “I wasn’t good at saying things back then, Lily. But I mean them now. You’ve always mattered to me. Your presence—it brightens my life in ways I didn’t realize until I lost it.”

Lily felt her breath hitch. There was a sincerity in his voice she hadn’t expected. His words weren’t just charming—they were real. They cut past her doubts and landed somewhere deeper, where resentment hadn’t fully taken root.

Her gaze softened, and for a brief moment, she let herself wonder… what if?

Just then, his voice pulled her from her thoughts.

“So, what do you feel like eating?”

She blinked, flustered by the sudden shift. “Um… anything’s fine,” she said, quickly glancing away.

Roger chuckled softly, reaching for the menu. “Alright then. I’ll pick something I think you’ll like.”

And for once, she didn’t protest.

“Does your grandfather know what you’re up to?” Lily asked, her voice calm but probing. “And how long do you plan on staying at Celestial Tower?”

She was still reeling from the surprise of him ordering all her favorite dishes—small, intimate details she didn’t expect him to remember after all these years. But she refused to let that soften her. Not yet.

Roger didn’t answer immediately. He was watching her closely, reading the guarded expression on her face. Then, with a sigh, he chose honesty.

“No, he doesn’t,” he admitted. “And I don’t plan on leaving that place anytime soon.”

Lily’s brows furrowed. Her voice turned firm. “You know I’m not going to be involved with a married man, Roger.”

“Divorced,” he corrected. “Or at least, soon to be.”

She blinked, surprised by the quick response.

“I’ve already sent Rita the papers,” he continued. “If she signs them without any trouble, it’ll be over soon. But if she makes this difficult…”

He paused, his tone shifting—darker, colder.

“Then?” Lily prompted.

“Then I won’t hesitate to use the most ruthless way to break free from her,” he said quietly, the steel in his voice unmistakable.

Lily’s breath caught, unsure whether it was the certainty in his tone or the man he had become that unsettled her more.