Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 207

Chapter 207: Chapter 207:Ma’am has changed direction
Lily immediately pulled back, setting the plate aside as she carefully climbed off the bed. Her voice was polite, though laced with quiet tension.

“I’ll be outside,” she murmured, not wanting to intrude.

Roger looked at her, surprised, but before she could take a step toward the door, Sylvester’s voice stopped her.

“There’s no need to leave,” he said, his tone low. “Roger needs you. And I won’t be long.”

He still didn’t look at either of them directly—his gaze fixed somewhere just past their shoulders, as if eye contact might break what little resolve he had left.

Roger studied him, taking in the slight slump of his shoulders, the deep-set fatigue in his eyes. It wasn’t the image of the commanding man who’d always been in control. This was someone burdened by guilt—raw and human.

Without another word, Sylvester reached into his coat and pulled out a file, holding it out with both hands.

“She signed the divorce papers,” he said. “It’s done. You’re free now, Roger. Completely.”

For a moment, everything stood still.

Roger stared at the file, his hand hovering with hesitation before finally accepting it. Lily moved closer to his side, silently offering support, her hand brushing his.

Neither of them spoke. But the weight of what Sylvester had said—what he had done—hung heavy in the air.

“Grandpa, I—”

“You don’t have to explain anything, Roger,” Sylvester cut in gently, his voice low with regret. “It’s me who owes you an apology… for ruining your life.”

He exhaled slowly, as if the weight of his own words was difficult to carry.

“At the time, I did what I believed was right. I truly thought I was protecting this family. But I made a mistake—a grave one—by not seeking the truth for myself. I allowed myself to be blinded by what I wanted to believe… And for that, I failed you.”

Finally, Sylvester lifted his gaze and looked at Roger—then at Lily, standing quietly by his side.

“I’m sorry,” he said, the words raw and unguarded.

Roger was taken aback. In all his years, he had never seen his grandfather like this—so stripped of pride, so genuinely remorseful. And somehow, instead of feeling vindicated, he felt a pang of sympathy.

Because in the end, Sylvester had been misled too. Just like them, he had been ensnared in Rita’s web of lies. And beneath all his rigid expectations and domineering control, there had been a man trying to do what he thought was best for the people he loved.

They had all been victims of a truth hidden too long—paralyzed by trust misplaced and silence maintained.

Roger’s grip on the file tightened slightly, but the bitterness that once lived in his chest didn’t rise.

Because now… there was understanding.

And perhaps, the beginning of healing.

“Also,” Sylvester added, “I’ve had Richard moved to the Rosewood Mansion. The doctors will continue his treatment from there—under our supervision.”

Roger’s eyes narrowed slightly. “So Kalix was right. Aunt Beatrix… she was giving him something. Something that slowed down his healing?”

Sylvester nodded grimly. “Sedatives. Just enough to keep him dependent and passive. She was manipulating his condition to retain control. Kalix brought it to my attention. I should’ve seen it sooner.”

Roger leaned back against the pillows, processing everything. He remembered that conversation—Kalix had warned him, but he hadn’t expected Sylvester to act so swiftly or to take such decisive steps.

“What about Diana? And Aunt Beatrix? How did they even let that happen—”

“They didn’t,” Sylvester cut in firmly. “They weren’t given a choice. Both of them are being dealt with. Quietly. Effectively.” His voice turned steel-cold for a second before softening again.

“That chapter is over, Roger. Now, all you need to do is live your life—truly live it. On your terms. And with…” His eyes flickered meaningfully toward Lily, who quickly looked away, her cheeks flushed with quiet shyness.

Roger’s chest tightened—not from pain this time, but something much lighter. For the first time in years, he felt the crushing weight lift off his shoulders.

No expectations. No hidden strings.

Just a chance to start over.

He looked at Sylvester, not as the intimidating patriarch he had always tried to please, but as a man—flawed, regretful, but finally trying to make things right.

“I will,” Roger said, his voice steady with newfound resolve.

Sylvester gave a nod, his gaze lingering for a brief second longer, then turned and walked out of the room, leaving the couple in silence—together, and finally free.

The door closed and Sylvester’s expression hardened before he pulled out the phone and called his lawyer. “Continue the procedure; I want them out entirely.”

***

“Did you hear him?” Roger asked, eyes never leaving Lily. “He said I can now live my life with whoever I want.”

Lily’s gaze dropped, her cheeks turning the softest shade of pink.

Roger noticed instantly. It was rare—so rare—to see her blush. And every time she did, something stirred inside him. A rush, a pull, a need he still didn’t fully understand. Only that it always led him back to her.

Without thinking, his fingers reached for hers, warm and soft against his palm. He gave a gentle tug, pulling her closer until she stumbled slightly and landed beside him on the bed.

“Roger,” she gasped, half-scolding, half-flustered, “you can’t be—”

“I want to kiss you.” His words cut through her protest like silk through air—soft but impossible to ignore.

Lily froze. Her breath hitched. She blinked, her mind fogging under the weight of his confession.

There was a vulnerability in his tone, a question hanging on the edge of his voice, but there was also a simmering heat in his gaze. One that stripped away all the years they’d spent pretending they were just friends, just bound by circumstance.

His eyes locked onto hers, dark with longing but steady, waiting—not demanding, not assuming. Just hoping.

And Lily couldn’t look away. Not when he looked at her like that—like she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

His gaze pulled her in, stripping away every wall she had tried to build between them. Slowly, almost reverently, she brought her hands up to cup his face, her thumbs brushing the stubble along his jaw.

Then she leaned in.

Their lips met in a featherlight touch, tentative and tender, but that restraint didn’t last. A heartbeat later, she parted her mouth and deepened the kiss, pouring into it all the emotions she had suppressed for so long—yearning, frustration, and love.

The man who had haunted her thoughts, who never left her heart even when she tried to deny him, was finally hers. The hurdles that once stood in their way had fallen, and now there was nothing left but the truth between them.

She broke the kiss just long enough to whisper, “Do you want me to continue?”

Her breath mingled with his, her eyes searching his as she caught the undeniable heat darkening his gaze.

Roger’s hand slid up to the back of her neck, possessive and tender all at once. He smirked, his voice low and thick with desire. “When did I ever ask you to stop?”

And then he pulled her in again, kissing her like a man starved—deeply, fiercely, as if he were trying to make up for every moment they had lost.

And this time, neither of them held back.

***

Meanwhile, Gina returned home, her mind focused and unwavering. She was about to meet Alexander—something she had been preparing for with calculated precision. Every step she took toward him was deliberate, each move a part of a larger plan to infiltrate his guarded life.

After getting dressed, she slipped on her heels, grabbed her car keys, and headed out of the apartment.

But the moment she stepped outside the building, her eyes caught sight of the subtle presence of Sean’s men—disguised, yes, but not invisible to someone as observant as her.

They were positioned strategically, blending in, but Gina recognized the familiar signs. A slight nod. The glint of a concealed earpiece. The same model of car parked at a discreet distance.

She found it strange how visible they seemed but didn’t comment. A promise was a promise—and she had given Sean her word. He could keep an eye on her, and she would play her part with care.

With a composed breath, Gina slid into her car, adjusted the rearview mirror, and muttered to herself, “Let the game begin.”

Then, without a second glance, she pulled out of the driveway and into the evening that awaited her—and Alexander.

***

Sean sat in his office, eyes locked on the laptop screen in front of him. One hand held his phone to his ear as he spoke in a low, commanding tone.

“Keep following her. Stay discreet. Alexander can’t suspect a thing,” he instructed before ending the call.

The screen displayed a live GPS tracker, a small red dot marking Gina’s movements in real time. He’d had the tracker installed on her phone—not out of distrust, but out of necessity. He needed to be prepared for anything.

But then, the red dot flickered… and abruptly veered off course.

Sean sat upright, a crease forming between his brows. His fingers flew across the keyboard to zoom in on the map.

“Where the hell is she going?” He muttered under his breath, suspicion and concern mounting.

He immediately called his men again.

“Status update,” he snapped.

A pause.

“Sir,” came the voice on the other end, “Ma’am has changed direction. She’s not heading to the original location.”