Marriage with my daughter's father: Darling please be gentle - Chapter 213

Chapter 213: Chapter 213: You’re going to be okay
Meanwhile, inside the J&K office, Winter stepped out of the conference room, heading toward the small in-house café for a much-needed break. But she paused when she caught sight of Lilac storming down the hallway, her face flushed with frustration as she disappeared into her cabin.

It was rare to see Lilac visibly upset—at least not like this. Concern tugged at Winter, and after a moment of hesitation, she turned and followed her.

Inside her office, Lilac flung her bag onto the couch with more force than necessary and dropped into her chair. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, anger still pulsing through her veins. The soft buzz of her phone vibrating inside her bag only fueled her irritation—Stanley had been calling non-stop ever since she walked out of his apartment.

She clenched her jaw, willing herself to calm down, to think logically, and to consider Stanley’s perspective. But her mind was a storm of emotions—confusion, betrayal, worry—and none of it made sense anymore. The buzzing stopped suddenly, and that silence almost felt worse.

“Good. Maybe now you’ll finally understand how pissed I am,” she muttered, slamming her palm against the desk in exasperation.

“Is that directed at me or someone else?”

The unexpected voice jolted her. Lilac’s eyes snapped open to find Winter standing by the doorway, arms folded, brows raised in cautious amusement.

“Sister-in-law,” Lilac breathed, startled. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

“Clearly.” Winter took a step forward, her gaze softening. “Stanley called me just now. He said you weren’t picking up. He’s worried. Actually, he sounded more panicked than worried.”

Lilac groaned, rubbing her temples. “Of course he called you. He can’t leave anything alone.”

Winter gave her a knowing look. “Do you want to talk about it? Or should I stand here awkwardly pretending I didn’t just hear you yelling at your phone like it personally betrayed you?”

Despite herself, Lilac let out a short laugh, then sighed. “It’s Stanley. He’s doing that thing again… shutting me out under the pretense of ‘protecting me.'”

Winter nodded slowly and moved to sit across from her.

Something about her words felt personal and she couldn’t help but feel constricted in her chest.

“Let me guess—he’s in the middle of something dangerous and didn’t want to involve you, so he decided silence was better than honesty?”

Lilac gave her a sharp look. “That’s exactly it. How do you know?”

Winter smirked lightly as if mocking herself. “Because I’ve lived that story before.” Her voice dropped slightly. “You either pull away from the people you care about or let them walk into danger blind. Neither option ends well.”

Lilac leaned back in her chair, her anger beginning to simmer down.

“He thinks he’s shielding me,” she said quietly. “But all it does is make me feel like I don’t matter. Like I’m just someone he needs to keep out of the way, not someone he can lean on.”

Winter reached forward and touched her hand gently. “Then tell him that. Not over the phone. In person. Before he convinces himself he’s doing the right thing and loses the one person who would’ve stood beside him through all of it.”

Lilac stared at her, the ache in her chest softening ever so slightly.

Meanwhile, Winter made her way down the corridor toward Kalix’s office, her heels clicking softly against the polished floor. Her thoughts were focused, rehearsing what she needed to say, until her phone buzzed in her pocket, halting her steps.

She frowned and pulled it out. Dianna.

A ripple of unease passed through her. Dianna never called casually. And certainly not at this time of day. Winter hesitated, her thumb hovering over the screen just as it buzzed again.

Incoming Text—Dianna:

“I’m at the J&K International underground parking lot. Come and meet me there. It’s urgent.”

Winter’s instincts stirred with warning. Something didn’t feel right. But Dianna’s desperation to meet her made her intrigued.

‘Maybe she isn’t lying this time.’

After a beat of contemplation, Winter slipped the phone back into her pocket and pivoted toward the elevator.

Ten minutes later, the doors slid open with a metallic hiss, and Winter stepped out into the dimly lit underground parking lot. The cool air clung to her skin, and the low hum of overhead fluorescent lights flickered above, casting long, uneasy shadows on the concrete floor.

She took a few slow steps forward, the echo of her heels swallowed by the cavernous silence around her. Her eyes scanned the stillness—no sign of movement, no sign of Dianna.

Her brows drew together in suspicion as she reached for her phone and hit redial.

This time, the call connected. It rang… once, twice, three times.

Still no answer.

Winter pulled the phone slightly from her ear, glancing at the screen as if it might give her an explanation. The eerie silence settled heavier around her, her instincts on high alert.

Then she heard it.

A sound—faint, muffled—barely above a whisper. Her spine straightened. Holding her breath, Winter turned her head toward the source. The noise came again, clearer this time—a weak moan or perhaps… a cry?

She began walking in that direction, cautious but swift. The ringtone continued in her hand, echoing through the vast space, and the closer she got, the louder the overlapping sound became.

Until both stopped.

Her steps slowed near a dark SUV parked crookedly against the wall. Winter’s heart pounded as she approached. A strange metallic tang hung in the air.

She dialed again.

And then… the phone rang.

Not in her hand. But from just beyond the SUV.

Winter rounded the rear bumper, and that’s when she saw it.

A streak of blood trailed from the rear tire toward the shadows.

And then— her.

Dianna.

She was sprawled on the cold concrete beside the car, one arm limp beneath her, the other hand clutched weakly at her side. Blood pooled beneath her torso, seeping through her designer blouse like ink soaking paper. Her phone lay just out of reach, the screen still lit from the incoming call.

“Dianna?” Winter’s voice came out in a rush as she rushed to her side, dropping to her knees. “Dianna! What happened?”

Dianna stirred, her lashes fluttering weakly. “W-Winter…” Her voice was barely audible, hoarse, and broken. “It was… it was a setup…”

“Who did this to you?” Winter pressed her hand over the wound, trying to apply pressure, trying to stop the bleeding even as panic surged through her veins.

Dianna’s bloodied hand reached for Winter’s arm, gripping it with surprising strength for someone so weak.

“You… you weren’t supposed to come down here…”

Winter’s breath caught.

“What are you talking about? You called me”

Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed sharply through the garage. Heavy. Purposeful.

Winter looked up, heart hammering in her chest. She couldn’t see anyone yet, but whoever was coming wasn’t in a rush—and that was far more terrifying.

“Help is coming,” Winter whispered quickly, pulling out her phone to call security. “Stay with me, Dianna. You’re going to be okay.”

But Dianna shook her head faintly, eyes glazed with pain and something else—guilt. “I thought I was playing the game well, but I failed.”

Winter’s brows furrowed as she couldn’t really grasp Dianna’s words. And then her hand slipped from Winter’s arm.

“Dianna?”

No response.

Winter swallowed her fear and sprang to her feet, backing away from the body. The footsteps grew louder. Closer.

She didn’t wait to see who it was.

She ran until her mind went blank and all she could remember was Dianna’s pale face.

***

Things had taken a grim and unexpected turn with Dianna’s murder at the J&K International parking lot. Her death sent shockwaves through the entire building—employees whispered in hushed tones, rumors spread like wildfire, and the once polished air of the corporate tower now hung heavy with fear and confusion.

But no one was more shaken than Kalix.

The sharp wail of sirens still echoed off the concrete walls as Dianna’s body was carefully loaded into the back of the ambulance.

Flashing red and blue lights bathed the dim space in a surreal glow, distorting faces and shadows alike.

Winter sat on a metal chair near the scene, her clothes dust-stained and her hands trembling in her lap, while Kalix stood beside her, his hand wrapped protectively around hers, his grip firm despite the cold in her fingers.

She hadn’t spoken much since the officers found her—shock blanketed her like a second skin.

A uniformed officer, tall and stern-eyed, stepped forward, notepad in hand. The badge on his chest read Detective Malroy.

“Mrs. Kalix,” he began gently, crouching to her level. “I know this is difficult, but I need to ask—did you see anything or anyone suspicious before you found the body?”

Winter blinked, forcing herself to focus. Her gaze flickered to Kalix, whose jaw clenched tighter as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

She swallowed hard. “She asked me to meet her. She sent a message… said she was in the underground parking lot. When I got there, I couldn’t find her at first. I tried calling. And then… I followed the sound of her phone.” Her voice cracked, but she pushed through. “She was already on the ground when I found her. There was blood. She tried to warn me…”

Kalix shot her a stare, unsure of what he was supposed to make of her statement. Something he needed to know before she even dared to meet Dianna. But now all he could do was to stay quiet and connect the dots.

Malroy’s brows furrowed. “Warn you? About what?”

Winter hesitated. The echo of Dianna’s final words rang in her ears.

They’re coming for you…

“Officer, I believe my assistant can take it from here,” Kalix said calmly, his voice firm but polite as his gaze shifted to Sean.

Sean, already stepping forward with quiet efficiency, offered a subtle nod and smoothly took Kalix’s place, beginning to coordinate with the detective.

Without waiting for a response, Kalix gently placed a hand on the small of Winter’s back and guided her away from the scene.

The tension in her body hadn’t eased, and he didn’t need to say a word for her to follow. Together, they ascended back toward his office—each step heavy with unspoken questions and a storm brewing beneath the surface.