Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Watching over you
“What! Did I say something funny?” Gina asked, narrowing her eyes at Lily, who was chuckling.

Lily exchanged a knowing glance with Gina before shaking her head. “Oh, nothing. Just amusing to hear you talk about things that are never going to happen.”

Gina rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Let’s just get this over with. There’s no way he’d disappoint our boss, so neither will I.”

Lily smirked but said nothing, and Gina turned her focus to the photoshoot. She strode onto the set, mentally preparing herself—until she saw him.

Her stomach twisted.

“What is he doing here?” she whispered to Lily, her voice sharp with disbelief.

Lily followed her gaze and winced. “Oh… I forgot to tell you. He’s the photographer.”

Gina’s eyes widened in horror. “You forgot?”

Before she could say more, a voice she hadn’t heard in months cut through the air.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the beautiful Gina.”

She clenched her jaw as Vincent’s cocky smirk greeted her.

Lily crossed her arms. “Vincent, stay in your limits. It’s strictly business, so keep your hands—and everything else—to yourself.”

Vincent chuckled, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement. “Relax, I’m just here to do my job. Besides, didn’t Gina ditch me after trying to get into my pants?”

Gina whipped around, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. “Vincent. Not here.”

He lifted his hands in mock surrender, but his smirk didn’t waver. “As you wish, princess. But if you ever change your mind, I wouldn’t mind picking up where we left off—outside the workplace, of course.” He winked.

Gina’s blood boiled, but before she could snap back, another voice cut through the conversation.

A deep, lethal voice.

“She’s not interested.”

The room tensed.

Gina turned her head sharply, and there he was—Sean.

He walked onto the set, his dark gaze fixed on Vincent, his presence commanding and dangerous. Sean wasn’t just standing there—he was looming, towering over Vincent like a predator studying prey.

Vincent, normally cocky and smug, shifted uncomfortably. “Hey, man. Just joking around.”

Sean didn’t blink. Didn’t move. “Then laugh.”

Silence…

Vincent swallowed. “Right. Well, uh, let’s get started, shall we?” He quickly turned toward his camera, suddenly invested in his work.

Gina exhaled, trying to steady herself. Sean didn’t say anything to her—but he didn’t have to. His presence alone was enough to settle things.

Lily nudged Gina with a smirk. “Well, that was interesting.”

Gina shot her a look but couldn’t ignore the warmth curling in her chest.

Sean wasn’t just watching over her.He was claiming her without a single word.

“Excuse me,” Lily said, flashing a knowing smirk before slipping away, giving Gina and Sean some privacy.

Sean watched her leave before shifting his gaze back to Gina. His tone was professional, but his eyes said something else entirely.

“I hope Miss Gina is comfortable with everything.”

Gina’s lips curled mischievously. “Of course. With you around, everything seems… just fine.”

Sean’s expression remained composed, but something flickered in his eyes—amusement, intrigue… something deeper.

He wasn’t expecting her to rattle him so easily. He’d barely been here five minutes, and already, she had him on edge.

“You were supposed to return after two days. How come you’re here so soon?” she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Her mood, which had been sour all morning, had shifted completely the moment she saw him. Gina wasn’t the type to care much about anyone’s presence, but with Sean? She found herself reacting differently.

She was still playful, still Gina, but something about him made her more… thoughtful.

Sean arched a brow, a flicker of surprise passing through his features. So, she had been paying attention to his schedule. He wasn’t expecting that.

“The meeting got delayed,” he said smoothly, “and here I am—watching over you.”

There was something undeniable in his tone, something subtle yet possessive, and Gina’s grin stretched ear to ear.

Sean’s gaze lingered on her for a second too long—long enough for her to feel it. Long enough for her pulse to quicken.

But they weren’t alone.

From across the room, Vincent’s eyes never left them.

He was staring—hard, his jaw tight, his fingers gripping his camera a little too forcefully. There was a lingering anger in his eyes, simmering beneath the surface as he watched Gina laugh so freely with Sean.

***

Winter walked out of the meeting room alongside Dianna, their heels clicking in rhythm against the polished floor. The discussion had been civil, but the underlying current of tension remained.

Winter had spoken, presented her ideas, but it was clear—Dianna still held the upper hand.

Not because of experience—no, Winter knew that wasn’t the case. It was control. The way Dianna commanded the room with silent intimidation, ensuring that the team followed her lead.

Winter had felt it. The way the marketing team had hesitated before acknowledging her suggestions, their eyes flicking toward Dianna for unspoken approval.

As they reached the hallway, about to part ways, Dianna abruptly stopped, turning toward Winter with a sharp gaze.

Her lips curled in something between a smirk and a sneer.

“What exactly were you trying to do in there?” she asked smoothly, though the steel in her voice was impossible to miss. “Did you really think you could overshadow me?”

Winter’s brows furrowed, but she stood her ground.

‘Just as she expected.’

Dianna wasn’t just dismissing her ideas—she was offended by them. And now, she was making it personal.

Before Winter could respond, a new presence made itself known.

A deep voice—smooth, commanding, and unmistakably male—cut through the tension like a blade.

“Is there a problem?”

Both women whipped their heads toward the source of the voice.

Kalix.

He stood a few feet away, leaning casually against the marble wall, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His dark eyes flickered with interest, but there was nothing casual about his presence.

Winter’s breath caught for a brief second before she regained her composure.

Dianna, on the other hand, visibly stiffened.

Kalix was not just a powerful man—he was the most powerful one in the building.

The fact that he had witnessed their exchange meant Dianna had lost the upper hand—at least for now.

Still, she wasn’t one to back down so easily.

Dianna let out a soft chuckle, flipping her hair over her shoulder as if the confrontation was beneath her. “Not at all, Mr. Andreas. Just a difference in perspective.”

Kalix’s dark gaze shifted to Winter. He studied her for a long moment—long enough that she felt the weight of it settle deep in her chest.

“Winter?” His voice was deceptively neutral.

Winter straightened, refusing to let Dianna’s presence shake her.

“No problem at all,” she said smoothly, though the flicker of challenge in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed.

Kalix didn’t break eye contact. His gaze was unreadable, but there was something in it—something knowing.

Then, without another word, he turned and walked away, his mere presence enough to shift the power dynamic entirely.

Dianna exhaled sharply, her nails digging into her arms. She wanted to snap at Winter, to put her in her place for acting innocent before Kalix—but instead, she clenched her jaw and turned on her heel, walking away before she lost her composure. This wasn’t over.

Winter sighed, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she headed back to her desk. The meeting had been exhausting, and the weight of Dianna’s resentment still lingered in the air. She could feel it.

She barely took a few steps when a strong hand grabbed her wrist and yanked her into a nearby room.

“What the he—” Her words were abruptly muffled as another hand covered her mouth, silencing her.

Her heart pounded violently, panic clawing at her chest—until her eyes locked onto the face in front of her.Her breath hitched.