Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 73

Chapter 73: Chapter 73:Every attack that happened on you, it was Dad.
Winter was still in the middle of listening to Lilac when her phone suddenly rang, pulling her attention to the screen.

Her brows furrowed when she saw Hayes’ number flashing, and without hesitation, she answered the call.

“Miss, the master… he is back.”

Hayes’ words froze her in place. Her breath hitched, and for a moment, she couldn’t move. But soon, her eyes welled with tears, and her lips curled into a faint yet content smile.

“He wants to meet you,” Hayes added.

Without wasting another second, Winter grabbed her purse.

“Lilac, can you bring Seren home? I have somewhere to go.”

Lilac nodded without hesitation, but before she could ask where Winter was heading, she was already gone.

Winter quickly hailed a cab and headed straight for the hospital, unaware that another car followed her discreetly from a distance.

“Keep a safer distance. We don’t want to raise suspicion,” Agnes instructed the driver, her sharp eyes fixed on Winter’s cab. She watched in silence as the vehicle weaved through the streets until it finally pulled up in front of the hospital.

“Hospital?” Agnes murmured, her brows furrowing as she watched Winter rush inside in a hurry.

Curiosity gnawed at her. Without hesitation, she stepped out of the car and followed Winter through the hospital corridors, her pace quick but calculated. She stopped outside Byron’s ward just in time to see Winter slipping inside.

At that moment, a few hospital staff exited the room, their hushed conversation catching Agnes’s attention.

Her breath hitched as she processed their words.

“Grandpa is back.”

The realization sent a shockwave through her, leaving her momentarily frozen. But she couldn’t afford to linger. Without wasting another second, she turned and swiftly made her way out.

***

[Inside the Ward]

“Okay, now stop crying, little girl. Your grandpa is safe and healthy,” Byron murmured, gently patting Winter’s back as she sobbed into his embrace.

Winter couldn’t stop herself from breaking down the moment his arms wrapped around her. It had been over fifteen days since she last heard his voice, since she last held onto the hope that he would return. The reassurances from the doctors had kept her going, but now that he was here alive and awake, she could no longer hold back.

Byron smiled softly as he continued to soothe her, waiting until her cries subsided. When she finally pulled back, she sniffled and wiped her tears away.

“You really scared me, old man,” she muttered, her voice still thick with emotion.

Byron chuckled but didn’t comment. Instead, his gaze swept across the room. “Where is Seren?” he asked, realizing his great-granddaughter was nowhere to be seen.

“She’s with Lilac.”

His expression shifted slightly. “Lilac?”

Winter studied him carefully before replying, “Kalix’s sister.”

A flicker of understanding passed through Byron’s eyes, followed by a sudden wariness.

“You know who Kalix is, don’t you?” Winter asked, her tone calm, yet her gaze sharp as she observed him.

Byron exhaled, nodding. “About that, Winter—” He paused, hesitating as he saw her expression turn unreadable.

He knew she wouldn’t approve of the decision he had made for her. But he also knew it was the only way to protect her. He had to do what was necessary, no matter how much she resisted.

“I’m all ears,” Winter said, patiently waiting for Byron to speak.

But before he could open his mouth, the door swung open, and Hayes walked in, his expression tight with worry.

“Master, I just received a call from the office,” Hayes announced. “The CEO is withdrawing his shares from the company.”

Winter exchanged a cautious glance with Byron and watched as his expression darkened.

“That bastard!” Byron cursed under his breath. “How can he betray his own father?”

“Just like he didn’t hesitate when trying to take your life, Grandpa,” Winter said, her voice steady but sharp.

Byron’s head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing. “What?” His voice wavered slightly. “H-He tried to kill me?”

“Not just once,” Winter confirmed. “Every attack that happened on you, it was Dad.”

Winter expected Byron to be in shock, outraged even but instead, she was met with confusion. His clueless expression made her frown.

“You don’t believe me?” she asked, her tone sharp with disbelief.

Byron met her gaze skeptically but said nothing.

Winter’s expression hardened. She turned to Hayes, who immediately looked away, avoiding her eyes.

“What’s going on here?” she demanded. “Hayes, am I wrong about this?”

She had been so sure. After discovering her father’s involvement in the attacks through Richard, she had concluded that he had been plotting to kill Byron for a long time. But now, their silence sent doubt creeping into her mind, unsettling the certainty she once had.

Had she been mistaken?

***

Winter left the hospital feeling disappointed. She had misunderstood; her father was the one behind the attacks on Bryson. However, the truth remained elusive.

Bryson might refuse to tell her everything, but she was confident Kalix could help. If Bryson trusted him enough to handle the attacker, then surely, Kalix would come to explain everything to her.

Upon reaching the penthouse, Winter headed straight for Kalix’s room, but James intercepted her.

“Master has yet to return home, Madame,” he informed her, halting her steps. Her gaze lingered contemplatively in the direction of Kalix’s room.

Her thoughts drifted back to the night he had come home drunk, the memory tightening her chest with worry.

With a silent nod, Winter walked past James and headed to her own room, where she found Seren fast asleep.

A soft smile touched her lips as she set her bag down on the couch. After a moment, she made her way to the bathroom to freshen up.

Winter lay on the bed, trying to fall asleep, but thoughts of Kalix kept invading her mind.

She did her best to push them away, but it was useless. No matter how much she tried, he lingered in her thoughts, making her restless. Eventually, she gave in and decided to check on him.

Her thumb hovered over the screen, ready to press the call button—but hesitation gripped her.

After how she had treated him at the office and his cold indifference throughout the day, she wasn’t sure if reaching out was the right thing to do. She had pushed him away, denied him, and now, she wasn’t certain if she had the right to be concerned.

Yet, his absence gnawed at her.

Letting out a deep sigh, Winter decided against calling Kalix and instead dialed Sean’s number.

The phone rang for a few seconds before he answered.

“Miss Winter! How can I help you?” Sean’s cheerful voice made her frown in confusion. He sounded almost… excited.

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, he started rambling.

“Oh, so you want to know where Boss is? Yes, he’s with us!”

Winter’s lips parted in disbelief.

‘Does he read minds? How did he know I was calling about Kalix?’

“Yes, yes, don’t worry,” Sean continued, his tone overly enthusiastic. “I’ll let him know you’re worried about him and ask him to return home as soon as possible.”

Winter blinked, caught off guard by his assumption. Something about his tone felt exaggerated, almost as if he was making a point to someone else.

“Actually, I wanted to—” She had just begun to speak when the line abruptly went dead.

Winter stared at her phone in disbelief, left hanging in the middle of her sentence.