Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 180

Chapter 180: Chapter 180: I missed you
Later that evening, Eric stepped out of the bathroom, towel draped low on his hips, water still clinging to his skin. The room was dim, the only light coming from the bedside lamp casting a golden glow across the sheets.

His gaze landed on Agnes.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her silk nightgown slipping off one shoulder, hugging her body in all the right places. The fabric clung just enough to tease, dipping low to reveal the curve of her cleavage.

Eric’s jaw tensed.

Desire stirred immediately, dark and hungry.

No matter how many nights they’d spent tangled in these sheets, he always wanted more. The way she writhed beneath him, her moans muffled against the pillow, the way she let him take and fill her—it made him feel powerful. Sated.

Satisfied.

Because in those moments, when her breath hitched and her nails dragged down his back, he could close his eyes and pretend she was Winter.

That thought alone made his skin burn.

He walked toward her slowly, the room quiet except for the soft thud of his footsteps. Agnes looked up, and for a moment, something flickered in her eyes—hesitation.

He sat beside her, one hand sliding up her thigh, pushing the silky hem higher. “You look beautiful tonight,” he murmured, his voice low, coaxing. “Why are you sitting all the way over here like you’re shy again?”

Agnes hesitated. “Eric…” Her voice was soft. “I’m just tired tonight. Can we—maybe not tonight?”

He blinked, momentarily thrown. She had never refused him before. Not once.

His hand stilled, though it didn’t pull away. “You’ve been tired a lot lately,” he said, watching her closely. “Something wrong?”

She swallowed, her fingers twisting the edge of the nightgown in her lap. “No, it’s nothing. I just—need rest.”

His brows furrowed, but before he could utter a word, Agnes climbed into bed and turned her back to him. Without another glance in his direction, she curled up on her side and closed her eyes, making it clear that whatever he wanted to say could wait.

Eric stood frozen for a moment, stunned by her quiet refusal. It wasn’t the reaction he had expected—and certainly not the one he was used to. Frustrated and restless, he turned on his heel and headed back into the bathroom, the tension beneath his skin demanding release. A cold shower did little to calm him.

By the time he returned to the bedroom, Agnes was already asleep. Or pretending to be.

He didn’t bother disturbing her. Instead, he moved to the other side of the bed and sat down heavily. That’s when his gaze fell on the envelope—the one the guard had handed him earlier when he arrived home. It was still resting where he’d left it.

His hand moved toward it, almost on its own.

There was no name on the front. No return address. Nothing to indicate who had sent it. That alone was enough to raise suspicion, but something about it had gnawed at him all evening. Now, with the silence pressing in and Agnes turned away, he couldn’t ignore it any longer.

Eric opened the envelope quickly and pulled out a thin stack of papers. His eyes scanned the first page, and his breath caught the moment he saw her name.

Agnes.

It was a medical report.

A frown creased his brow as he flipped through the pages, confusion tightening into unease with each passing line. Then, his eyes landed on the final page—and in an instant, his entire world tilted.

Pregnancy Test: Positive.

Patient Name: Agnes Greyson.

The words screamed at him.

Eric sat still for a long moment, staring blankly at the report as if willing the letters to rearrange themselves into something else—anything else. But they didn’t change.

Agnes was pregnant.

And she hadn’t told him.

***

“Done,” Gina texted Winter and shoved her phone back into her pocket before glancing up at Sean, who was still watching her with quiet curiosity.

She hadn’t planned on showing up at his place, but when he didn’t object and simply said yes, she wasted no time in coming over.

“I’ve never seen someone this happy over such a small victory,” Sean remarked, noting the smile on her face that hadn’t faded since she walked in.

“Small victories bring the best satisfaction,” Gina replied, shrugging casually. “Besides, I’ve been waiting for the right moment to get back at Agnes. And look—you helped me do just that.”

It was true. Gina had asked Sean to deliver the report to Eric’s place, and he had done it with such precision that even if Eric tried to trace its origin, all he’d find was a carefully placed lead. No loose ends. No suspicion.

Still, Gina knew the real impact hadn’t landed yet.

Those reports—though discreet—were enough to plant a seed of doubt in Eric’s mind. And that doubt, once it took root, could make him question everything, especially the woman he was supposed to marry.

And that was exactly what Gina wanted.

Sean noticed Gina drifting into her thoughts, her expression unreadable, and slowly made his way toward her.

“Now, let’s not waste any more time thinking about Agnes,” he said, his voice low and teasing as he sank down beside her. “Tell me, why did you really insist on coming here?”

Gina blinked, startled out of her thoughts. When she turned, she found him casually lounging next to her, one arm stretched across the back of the couch, his head tilted as he looked at her with that familiar, cocky curiosity.

She hesitated, caught off guard by the sudden closeness—and the intensity in his gaze.

The truth was, she’d been thinking about him all day. Missing him in a way she didn’t want to admit. And when the feeling became too much to ignore, she picked up the phone and called.

Sean raised an eyebrow. “Were you missing me?” he asked, his voice dipping just enough to make her pulse skip.

Gina rolled her eyes, but the blush creeping up her neck gave her away.

Sean chuckled, clearly enjoying her reaction. “You were,” he said, inching just a little closer. “Don’t lie.”

“I wasn’t,” she shot back, but her voice lacked conviction.

“No?” he murmured, leaning in until his mouth was dangerously close to her ear. “Then why are you blushing, Red?”

Gina inhaled sharply, trying to hold her ground—but the warmth of his breath against her skin wasn’t helping.

She wasn’t the shy type. She prided herself on being bold, in control, always two steps ahead. But with Sean, it was different. He had this maddening ability to unravel her without even trying.

Sean smirked as he watched her eyes flicker—flustered, but fighting to hide it. He liked that look on her, sure. But what he liked even more was the fire she usually carried. The sharp tongue, the fearless sass. She could burn a man down with a single glance.

But right now? She was soft. Vulnerable. And it stirred something in him.

“You could’ve just said you missed me,” he said playfully, his fingers brushing a loose strand of hair from her cheek. “I wouldn’t have minded.”

Gina looked at him, lips parting to deliver a retort—but he was too close now, his mouth hovering just inches from hers.

“Careful,” she warned, voice husky. “Keep looking at me like that and I might do something reckless.”

Sean’s eyes darkened slightly, the air between them charged with something electric. “Promise?”

Gina’s breath hitched at his reply.

“Promise?”

The way he said it—low, rough, daring—made her stomach flip.

She narrowed her eyes, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Sean.”

“And yet,” he murmured, leaning in even closer, “you’re still here.”

His fingers brushed her knee lightly, then trailed upward, just grazing her thigh through the soft fabric of her jeans. Not enough to be bold—but enough to make her heart pound harder. She didn’t stop him. Didn’t want to. Not tonight.

“I came here to talk,” she said, though her voice was breathier than she intended.

“You sure?” Sean’s gaze dropped to her lips, lingering there. “Because you look like you’re thinking about anything but talking.”

His words curled around her like smoke, heating her from the inside out.

Gina shifted slightly, her thigh brushing against his. She felt the tension between them coil tighter, magnetic, impossible to ignore. Her heart thudded, loud enough that she was sure he could hear it.

“I missed you,” she admitted quietly, the words slipping out before she could stop them.

Sean’s eyes flicked up to meet hers, and something shifted. His playful smirk softened into something deeper—something she almost wasn’t ready for.

“Say it again.”

She swallowed. “I missed you.”

That was all the invitation he needed. Sean closed the final inches between them and kissed her—slow and deliberate at first, like he was testing the waters, savoring the moment. Gina responded instantly, her hands finding his shoulders as she melted into him.

His kiss deepened, his hand slipping around her waist to pull her closer. She climbed onto his lap without thinking, straddling him as her fingers tangled in his hair, and all the tension that had been simmering between them for weeks came undone in a single breathless moment.

When they finally broke apart, Gina was breathless, her forehead resting against his.

“That didn’t feel reckless,” Sean murmured, his voice low and teasing. “That felt like a plan.”

Gina smiled, lips brushing his jaw. “Then maybe I should be more reckless.”

He laughed softly, his hands gripping her hips, keeping her close. “You’re going to be the death of me, Gina.”

She tilted her head, brushing another kiss to his lips. “Then what a beautiful way to go.”