Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 217

Chapter 217: Chapter 217:Someone like that doesn’t move without motive—or orders.

Without warning, Kalix flipped her onto the bed and hovered over her, caging her between his arms. His body blanketed hers, firm yet careful.

“What was that for?” Winter asked, startled by the sudden shift. Her breath hitched at his closeness, her heart thudding beneath his weight.

Kalix leaned down, his lips brushing her temple as he murmured, “No more thinking. You’ve done enough of that for tonight.”

Winter blinked up at him, half-annoyed, half-amused. “And you think I can sleep when you’re literally squeezing the life out of me?”

Kalix chuckled under his breath and immediately loosened his hold, allowing her to adjust in his arms. “Better?” he asked.

“A little,” she muttered, snuggling closer despite her words.

Silence fell between them, a calm after the storm. Then softly, Winter whispered, “I’m sorry for worrying you.”

Kalix tilted his head slightly to look at her. Her eyes, wide and sincere, glistened with vulnerability—the look of someone trying to carry more than she should.

“I just didn’t want you to blame yourself,” she added, voice wavering. “And I didn’t want Beatrix’s words to affect you… the way they affected me.”

Kalix exhaled slowly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Angel, you’re not to blame for any of this. Not Dianna. Not Beatrix. And no one gets to make you feel otherwise.”

His voice was low but firm, laced with conviction.

Winter watched Kalix carefully, noticing the subtle shift in his eyes—the way guilt settled in like a shadow, even though he hadn’t spoken a word. He blamed himself. She could see it as clear as day.

But was he the only one meant to carry that weight?

“She shouldn’t blame you either,” Winter said quietly, her voice laced with a calm certainty. “Her daughter didn’t die because of you. Dianna died because she chose to trust people who never had her best interest at heart.”

Kalix looked at her then, his expression unreadable, but something softened.

Winter sat up a little straighter, her gaze unwavering. “Beatrix fed her daughter with greed. Maybe if she hadn’t, they might’ve had a different life. A better one. But this…”—she exhaled slowly—”…this was never your fault.”

There was no venom in her voice, only a heavy truth. One that settled between them like a weight finally being put down.

Kalix didn’t respond right away, but the way his shoulders lowered just slightly—it was enough for Winter to know her words had reached him.

“But there’s one thing I need to confirm,” Winter said, her voice low but steady.

Kalix’s brows furrowed slightly. “What is it?”

She hesitated, her eyes flicking to the window for a brief moment as if weighing her decision. Then she turned back to him, her expression unreadable. “For that… I need to meet Beatrix.”

Her words hung heavy in the air. Kalix stilled, watching her closely—his piercing eyes searching for a trace of what she wasn’t saying. He could tell there was more beneath the surface, but Winter wasn’t ready to share it just yet.

Still, he didn’t push. Not this time.

After a few seconds of quiet tension, he gave a small nod. “Alright,” he said simply, his voice calm but laced with quiet concern. “But I’m coming with you.”

Winter’s gaze softened slightly. She didn’t argue—just offered a faint nod in return.

Something told him this meeting wasn’t just about closure. It was about answers. And Kalix intended to be there, no matter what they discovered.

***

The news of Dianna’s death spread like wildfire. Despite Kalix’s efforts to contain the situation, rumors still swirled in the shadows. Fortunately, Sylvester decided to intervene once he grasped the severity of what had happened.

As if managing that storm wasn’t enough, Kalix soon received a call from James—the one he had instructed to monitor the situation with Beatrix.

According to James, while Beatrix was being restrained and escorted away from the penthouse, she had suddenly collapsed. An ambulance had been called immediately, and she was rushed to the hospital.

The attending doctor later informed them that the emotional shock had overwhelmed her nervous system. Her collapse was not due to any physical injury but rather a psychological breakdown. She would need to be monitored closely for the next few days.

Sylvester had personally overseen everything at the hospital, ensuring Beatrix received proper care and that the media was kept at bay. Once everything was in order, he made his way to the penthouse to check on Kalix and Winter.

“Don’t let her words get to you,” Sylvester said firmly once he was seated across from Winter. “Beatrix is only lashing out because she can’t accept the truth—that it was her own actions that paved the path her daughter walked.”

They were the same words Kalix had spoken to Winter the night before, but hearing them from Sylvester—a man known for his stoic coldness—held a different kind of weight.

Winter slowly nodded, grateful yet quiet. For all his sternness, Sylvester had stepped in more than once now, and in ways she hadn’t expected. Their relationship, once strained and distant, was shifting—softening.

And ironically, it was all thanks to the chaos Dianna and her family had unleashed. In exposing their lies, they had inadvertently started pulling down the very walls that had long separated Winter from Kalix’s world.

“But I still insist on meeting Beatrix,” Winter said softly but firmly, her gaze steady.

Both Sylvester and Kalix exchanged a look—an unspoken conversation passing between them—before finally nodding in agreement.

“I’ll check in at the hospital and let you know once she’s awake,” Sylvester offered with a curt nod.

Winter gave a faint nod of appreciation before quietly walking away, leaving the two men alone in the room.

As soon as she disappeared down the hallway, Sylvester turned to Kalix with narrowed eyes. “Have you found out who it was?”

Kalix leaned back, jaw tight. “Yes. It’s a woman.”

Sylvester’s brow arched, but he said nothing, waiting for more.

“Unfortunately, her whereabouts are still unknown. Sean’s been trying to trace her since last night, but there’s been no update.” Kalix’s voice was low, tinged with frustration. “Ever since he confirmed it was a woman who carried out the hit, I’ve had him digging, but it’s like she vanished into thin air.”

Sylvester’s expression darkened. “A skilled female assassin infiltrating a corporate building in broad daylight and killing Dianna without a trace? That’s not just anyone. Someone like that doesn’t move without motive—or orders.”

Kalix nodded slowly. “Which means someone else is still pulling the strings. And until we find her, we’re flying blind.”

Sylvester’s lips thinned into a grim line, his thoughts quietly churning in response to Kalix’s words.

“Do you have doubts about anyone?” Kalix asked suddenly, his eyes fixed on the older man.

He hadn’t missed the way Sylvester went unusually quiet after learning the assassin was a woman. Kalix had been watching him closely, and that silence had not gone unnoticed.

“Not really,” Sylvester replied after a pause, though his voice lacked conviction. “I’m just surprised. How can someone be that precise? Clean enough to infiltrate a high-security building like J&K International and vanish without leaving a single trace?”

Kalix’s jaw tensed. The question had been haunting him too. It was nerve-wracking, maddening even, to be this close to danger and still be unable to touch it.

“But whoever she is,” he said grimly, “I’ll find her—and when I do, I’ll make sure we get everything.”

***

[Gina’s Apartment]

Gina sat tensely on the edge of the couch, her eyes flicking toward Sean, who stood near the window, phone pressed to his ear.

He was talking to Niko, but the tightness in his shoulders and the clipped edge in his voice said enough. Whatever update he was getting, it wasn’t good.

His tone grew heavier, frustration creeping into every word. Gina watched him quietly for a few more seconds before tearing her eyes away. She reached for the remote and turned her attention to the television.

The news was still flooded with coverage of Dianna’s death—speculations, theories, reporters milking every angle. The screen showed aerial shots of J&K International, followed by photos of Dianna and stock footage of the building’s security system.

It was overwhelming. Unsettling.

And when the coverage began to spiral into conspiracy theories and false claims, Gina had had enough.

With a sharp exhale, she grabbed the remote and turned the television off, casting the room in sudden silence, save for Sean’s muffled voice in the background.

Whatever storm was brewing, Gina could feel it pressing in on all sides.

Gina reached over and gently placed her hand on Sean’s arm. “You need to rest. You’ve been chasing this for hours with barely a break.”

Sean leaned his head back against the couch, closing his eyes for a moment. “I can’t. Not until I find out who she is. Dianna didn’t deserve to die like that, and Winter doesn’t deserve to carry the blame.”

Gina’s heart clenched at the sound of her friend’s name. “Winter’s strong. But even strength breaks when the world won’t let you breathe.”

Sean looked at her, his expression softening. “You’ve always believed in her. Even when the world was against her.”

“I still do,” Gina replied quietly. “But someone needs to believe in you too, Sean. Don’t forget to let someone carry your weight for once.”

Before Sean could respond, his phone lit up and vibrated across the table. Both their eyes snapped to the screen.

Niko.

Sean grabbed it immediately and answered. “Yeah?”

Niko’s voice came through fast and sharp. “I found something.”

Sean straightened, alert. “Go on.”

“There’s a security cam two blocks from J&K International, facing the alley behind the building. I went through the frames manually. She walked in there—possibly to get rid of any trace,” Niko said, his voice tight with urgency.

That was all Sean needed to hear.

He shot up from the couch, his stance alert. “I’ll get someone on that alley right away,” he said, already moving toward the door.

Without waiting for a response, he ended the call, his mind racing with possibilities. If the woman had gone into that alley to cover her tracks, there was a chance—however slim—that she missed something.

Sean grabbed his jacket, determination burning in his eyes. “If she made a mistake, we’ll find it.”

Gina stood up too, watching him with a mixture of worry and resolve. “Be careful. Someone that skilled doesn’t just walk into a trap.”

Sean paused just long enough to meet her gaze. “Neither do I.”

And with that, he was gone.