Chapter 49: She Came Back for Her Daughter

Chapter 49: Chapter 49: She Came Back for Her Daughter

~Reynold’s POV~

"You like pushing your luck, don’t you?" he rasped against my ear, his voice rough and gravelly. "Tell me, little pet... do you want to get your ass fucked right here, right now?"

I didn’t hesitate, wrapping my arms tighter around his neck and letting a breathless smirk slip across my lips. "You don’t have to announce it, sir. You just have to do it."

Frederick chuckled softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You’re really getting bolder, little pet."

I tilted my head, looking up at him with an innocent expression. "You don’t like that?"

He stared at me for a long, quiet moment, saying nothing. The look in his eyes answered the question better than words could. With a slow, reluctant groan, he lowered me back to my feet, giving my backside a sharp, stinging slap that made me gasp before he stepped away.

For the next hour, the private gym echoed with the clink of dumbbells and the sound of heavy breathing. Frederick took charge, showing me proper form, adjusting my grip on the weights, and standing close behind me to guide my movements with heavy, grounding touches that sent shivers straight down my spine. Every time I lifted, his hands would brush against my waist or thighs, turning what was supposed to be a workout into a slow, delicious torture.

When we finally finished, our skin slicked with a light sheen of sweat, we took the private elevator back upstairs to the master suite.

We headed straight into the en-suite bathroom together, stepping under the dual showerheads to wash away the gym sweat. The water ran hot and soothing over our tired muscles, Frederick soaping my back and pulling me against his chest for a few quiet, tender moments before we rinsed off.

Afterward, we wrapped ourselves in thick towels and moved into the walk-in closet to get dressed. Frederick picked out a crisp, casual button-down shirt and tailored trousers for himself, while handing me a soft, well-fitted knit sweater and dark jeans.

Once we were both dressed and refreshed, we walked out of the bedroom side by side and headed down the grand staircase toward the main dining room for breakfast.

When we entered the dining room, the maids were already waiting nearby to serve us. Frederick walked to the table and pulled out my chair for me before taking his seat across from me.

Before the maids could begin serving, Frederick looked toward one of them.

"Has Lily come downstairs to eat yet?" he asked.

The maid dipped her head respectfully. "No, sir. Miss Lily called down and asked for her breakfast to be brought up to her room."

Frederick raised an eyebrow. "Has it been taken up to her yet?"

"Yes, sir. Just a few minutes ago," she replied.

"Alright," he replied.

The maid nodded and began serving our breakfast. I reached for my fork, but before I could take my first bite, Frederick’s phone suddenly rang on the table beside him.

He picked it up, glanced at the screen, and brought it to his ear. "Hello?"

I couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but I immediately noticed the change in his expression. His features became cool and guarded as he listened.

The conversation was brief. The moment he ended the call, he looked straight across the table at me. "Reynold, I’m sorry to interrupt your breakfast, but could you please go upstairs to the bedroom for a moment? The maid will bring your breakfast up to you."

I paused, my fork hovering over my plate. A knot tightened in my stomach at being asked to leave so suddenly, but the firm, uncompromising look on his face told me not to argue.

I swallowed the sting and nodded. "Alright, Mr. Corvin."

I pushed my chair back, stood up, and turned toward the exit.

But before I even reached the foot of the grand staircase, a loud, violent banging suddenly echoed through the mansion from the front entrance.

I stopped in my tracks and turned toward the foyer just as the maid hurried across the marble floor to unlock the grand double doors.

The doors swung open, and Eva stormed into the mansion, her face twisted with anger.

Instead of obeying Frederick’s instruction to go upstairs, I remained where I was, hidden from view, straining to hear every word.

Frederick didn’t waste any time. He pushed his chair back from the dining table and strode into the foyer, moving quickly to block Eva from going any farther into the house.

"Why are you in my house, Eva?" Frederick demanded, his voice cold as ice. "What do you want?"

Eva’s face was flushed, her chest heaving as she shouted back, "I’ve been calling your phone, Frederick! Why aren’t you picking up?"

Eva shook her head furiously. "I’ll keep calling until you give me back my child!"

Frederick’s expression hardened. "Eva, just leave my house."

"Give my daughter back to me!" Eva screamed, her voice echoing through the high marble ceilings.

Frederick let out a harsh, bitter laugh.

"What daughter? The daughter you dropped off when she was only five months old? Or the one you abandoned to chase your stupid dreams? The daughter you never came back to see, not even once? You never called. You never celebrated her birthday. So which daughter are you talking about? The one you used to make me feel guilty for years, convincing me that I was the one who had ruined your life by getting you pregnant?"

My breath caught in my throat. So Eva is Lily’s mother?

"You have no daughter here," Frederick continued, his voice filled with venom. "And trust me, she doesn’t want a mother like you."

"I’m sorry!" Eva shouted, her voice cracking as tears spilled over her cheeks. "I was only sixteen back then! I was too young!"

"I was eighteen," Frederick shot back, stepping closer to her. "I was young too, but I was ready to take responsibility. But what did you do, Eva? You took the money I gave you and left our infant daughter behind, claiming you wanted to chase your dreams."

"My family started looking for you after you disappeared because our daughter still needed you. And when I finally got the chance to speak to you on the phone, I told you I didn’t care about the money. I just wanted you to come back and take care of our daughter. I would fund your dreams. But you said those dreams were everything to you. You said I had ruined your life by getting you pregnant. I took responsibility. I asked you what you needed, and you told me you wanted to leave, promising that you would come back after ten years."

Frederick’s jaw clenched so hard that a muscle tightened in his cheek.

"You didn’t come back. You never checked on me, and you never checked on your own child. And all those years, I was still supporting you because I foolishly felt guilty for getting you pregnant so young, not knowing that you had been manipulating me the entire time."

Eva opened her mouth, but Frederick cut her off, his voice rising with fierce, merciless anger.

"Now, after seventeen years, you just waltz in here shouting like a lunatic and demanding your daughter back? You know what, Eva? Just leave and go focus on your precious career. I gave up on you a long time ago because you’re nothing but an ungrateful, selfish bitch."

The harshness of his words seemed to shatter whatever anger Eva had brought with her. Her shoulders sagged, and she stumbled forward, reaching for the lapels of his shirt.

"I’m sorry..." Eva sobbed, pressing her forehead against his chest as she tried to wrap her arms around him. "I was young. I didn’t know what I was doing. I’m ready to settle down with you now, Frederick. We can live together... we can be a real, happy family."

Frederick didn’t flinch. He grabbed her wrists, pulled her hands away from him with clear disgust, and shoved her back a step.

He let out a cold, hollow laugh. "It’s way too late for that, Eva." He pointed toward the foyer doors. "Get out of my house."

Eva stumbled back from his shove, her eyes wide with desperation as she reached toward him. "I know I was wrong, Frederick. I truly do! But please... think of our daughter. Can’t you forgive me?"

Frederick’s gaze turned cold. "It’s only because of our daughter that I even allowed you inside these doors in the first place," he said, his voice dangerously low. "If you don’t leave this house right now, I’ll have the bodyguards remove you and throw you out."

Tears streamed down Eva’s face as she clasped her hands together. "I know I was wrong. I know I messed up... but at least let me see what my daughter looks like. Please. I just want to meet her."

A bitter sneer twisted Frederick’s lips. "As a mother, you don’t even know what your own daughter looks like. Even if you wanted to chase your dreams, you could have still made an effort to be there for her. But instead, you chose to stay away and became a stranger to your own child. Now get out of my house."

I realized the conversation was finally coming to an end. Since Frederick had already told me to go upstairs, I quietly turned and began making my way up the staircase.

I had only taken a few steps when Eva suddenly looked in my direction.

"Is it because of him?" she shouted.

I stopped and turned around.

Frederick immediately turned toward the staircase as well. His intense eyes narrowed when he saw me standing there.

Eva suddenly lunged forward, trying to rush toward the stairs...