Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 187

Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Can’t you just… forget it
This was the first time Winter had returned to Greyson International since the scandal with Agnes.

Her presence stirred a ripple through the building—staff she hadn’t seen in years whispering quietly as she passed, their eyes wide with recognition.

But this time, the whispers held something different.

Respect.

She was no longer just the daughter of the Greyson family. She was now the wife of Kalix Andreas—the most influential man in the country. And with that title came undeniable power.

Her heels echoed softly against the polished floor as she stepped into the private elevator.

She stood tall, her expression composed, but her mind lingered on the past—the headlines, the betrayal, the shame. That chapter might be closed, but the weight of it still echoed faintly in these halls.

When the elevator doors slid open to the executive floor, Hayes was already there, catching sight of her with a flicker of surprise.

“Boss is in a meeting with a foreign delegate,” he informed, approaching quickly.

Winter offered him a small, polite smile. “That’s alright. I’ll wait in his office.”

Without waiting for permission, she walked toward Byron’s door, her steps measured. She hadn’t come unannounced to be disruptive, but some matters—especially the ones that keep you awake at night—couldn’t afford to wait.

Byron’s office was grand, cold, and commanding—just like the man himself.

As Winter settled into one of the chairs across from his desk, she let her gaze drift across the room. It was her first time here, and yet the atmosphere was unmistakably familiar. Guarded. Stern. Steady.

Just like him.

She was lost in thought when the door creaked open behind her.

“Hayes said there is a problem—”

The voice froze. So did Winter.

She slowly turned.

Eric.

Time seemed to stutter in place. He stood there, dressed in a navy suit that was too sharp for the filth she knew lay underneath. His expression flickered from surprise to something unreadable as his gaze fell on her.

Winter’s body tensed, but her face remained composed. She rose to her feet slowly, each movement deliberate.

“I didn’t realize we were still letting ghosts walk around here,” she said coolly.

Eric’s jaw twitched. “You always did have a sharp tongue.”

“And you always had a way of proving people right when they said you were spineless.”

He stepped further into the room, but Winter didn’t move. If anything, she looked even more immovable than Byron’s office itself.

“You’re here to see him?” Eric asked, nodding toward the empty seat behind Byron’s desk.

“I don’t answer to you,” she replied, her voice low and cutting. “And if you have any sense left, you’ll walk out the same way you walked in.”

Eric’s smile was forced. “Still angry, Winter?”

She let out a short laugh. “No. Anger requires emotional investment. I’ve simply outgrown the trash I once mistook for shelter.”

That landed.

“About the phone call—I didn’t mean to—” Eric began, trying to justify himself.

Winter scoffed, her expression hardening. “You never mean to, Eric. And yet you always manage to do something that makes me want to beat the living hell out of you.”

The cold fire in her eyes replaced the faint smile she’d worn moments earlier. Now, she looked like a storm wrapped in silk—composed but deadly.

Eric swallowed, the intensity of her glare pinning him in place. He’d always known Winter was bold, fierce even. But now, with Kalix Andreas behind her? She was downright terrifying.

“I’m sorry, okay?” He said, feigning calm, though his jaw clenched. “Can’t you just… forget it?”

“Forgiveness?” she repeated with a dry laugh. “You better not even say that word in front of me, Eric. Focus on your life. I’m sure you don’t want another scandal dragging you and your precious image back into the mud.”

Something in her tone—low, calm, and cutting—unnerved him. Then it clicked. His eyes narrowed.

“You—did you…?”

“Yes,” Winter interrupted before he could finish. “I have enough to tear your mask off in front of your future wife and your doting in-laws. All it takes is one word from me.”

Eric’s face paled.

“I’m not someone you can fool, Eric,” she added, stepping closer. “So if you want to keep the little façade you’ve built, you’ll stay out of my way.”

Her voice was steady, lethal in its restraint.

Eric opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

The door flung open with force, and Byron stepped inside, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto the two figures in the room.

“Eric,” he said, his voice edged with suspicion. “What are you doing here?”

The air grew heavier.

Byron had rushed back the moment Hayes informed him Winter was waiting in his office. He hadn’t liked the idea of her being alone in the building—not when certain people still lingered like ghosts.

Eric straightened, trying to appear composed as his eyes flicked from Winter to Byron. “This file needed your signature,” he said, holding up the folder like a shield.

Winter didn’t say a word, her face unreadable. But Byron wasn’t fooled.

He walked in with a calculated pace, taking the file from Eric without breaking eye contact. “Next time, leave it with Hayes,” he said flatly.

Eric gave a tight nod, clearly dismissed—but still hesitant.

Byron turned to Winter, his tone softening slightly. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she replied, her voice calm but curt. “We were just… catching up.”

Eric flinched at her choice of words. Byron, however, didn’t miss the flicker of discomfort in his nephew’s expression.

“I’m sure you have work to get back to,” Byron said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Eric clenched his jaw but forced a polite nod before turning and walking out of the room, leaving behind the tension he’d dragged in with him.

As the door shut, Byron exhaled and looked back at his granddaughter. “I hope he didn’t say anything that would warrant a call to Kalix.”

Winter let out a low breath. “Not yet. But if he tries anything again, I won’t hesitate.”

Byron nodded slowly, pride flickering in his gaze. “Good.”

He sat down across from her and said, “So how can I help you?”