CHAPTER 242

**WINTER**

Dad’s face flushed crimson, veins throbbing on his forehead. His fists clenched so tightly at his sides I thought he might crush his own hands.

“You… you love my daughter?” His voice roared, shaking the very walls.

“What a load of bullshit! You don’t even know what love is, Zion—you wouldn’t recognise it if it slapped you across the face! You’re nothing but a reckless, arrogant boy playing at being a man. A spoiled, selfish bad boy who doesn’t know the meaning of respect, commitment, or loyalty. You use women, chew them up, and toss them aside the second you’re bored. And now… now you dare to set your sights on my daughter?!”

His voice cracked with fury, spittle flying, his face dark red as his fists clenched tighter. 

“Not a chance. Not while I’m still breathing.”

He took a step forward, chest heaving, eyes burning with pure rage. 

“Do you have any idea what you’re playing with, you little—?!”

Zion’s smug grin vanished.

His jaw clenched, his eyes dark and unflinching as he stepped forward, closing the space with deliberate defiance.

“I’d shut your mouth if I were you, stepdaddy,” he bit out, his voice low, sharp as a blade. 

“You don’t scare me—you’ve never scared me. You think yelling makes you a man? Does throwing around your temper prove something? Newsflash—it doesn’t. So go ahead, keep calling me reckless, keep painting me as the villain, but don’t you ever stand there and tell me what I feel for Winter isn’t real. Don’t you dare. You..”

He leaned in slightly, his tone cutting like glass, eyes narrowed to slits.

“You weren’t there for her when she was growing up. You abandoned her. You walked away, and don’t you fucking dare deny it. And now you stand here, puffing your chest like some righteous protector? Like you care? Spare me the act.”

His words came out in a snarl, raw and unfiltered.

“You don’t know Winter the way I do. You don’t know what keeps her awake at night, what makes her laugh, what makes her cry. You weren’t there when she needed someone to lean on.”

He jabbed a finger towards Dad, fury burning hot in his voice.

“So say whatever the fuck you want about me—call me a playboy, a screw-up, whatever name you think makes you feel like a man—but don’t you dare act like you’ve got the right to tell me what she needs. Don’t pretend you know her better than I do. You don’t. You never did.”

His voice dropped, low and venomous, each word laced with contempt.

“You wanna know the difference between us, Stepdaddy? You look at her and see your daughter. I look at her and see my whole damn world. So if you think you can scare me off with your bullshit speeches, think again. I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever. And if you try to stand in my way…” 

He smirked coldly, tilting his head, 

“You’ll lose. Every time.”

My breath caught in my throat, my whole body going rigid as Zion’s words tore through the air like blades. 

He wasn’t just standing up to my dad—he was ripping him apart, piece by piece, throwing truths I’d buried years ago right back into the open.

I’d never seen him like this before. 

His eyes blazed, his voice sharp enough to cut, every word dripping with fury and conviction. 

And the worst part? 

He wasn’t wrong. 

Dad had left. 

He had missed years of my life. 

I glanced at Dad—his face crimson, his jaw clenched so tight a vein pulsed in his temple—and panic shot through me. 

He looked like he was about to explode, like he’d launch across the room any second.

“Zion—” I whispered, my voice trembling, my hand reaching out to grip his arm. My fingers dug into his skin, desperate, begging him to calm down before this spiralled into something we couldn’t come back from.

He took a deep, shuddering breath, raking his free hand through his hair, his chest rising and falling as though it was taking every ounce of control not to explode again. 

His muscles were coiled tight, his eyes still blazing, but when he spoke, his voice was lower—rough, raw, but steadier.

“Fuck,” he hissed under his breath, dragging a palm across his jaw as though steadying himself.

“Yeah… I was a fucking playboy,” he admitted at last, his words blunt, unflinching. 

“I made mistakes. I’ve been reckless, careless—but that’s not who I am anymore.”

He turned to Dad fully, his posture tense but controlled, forcing himself to respect the weight of who he was talking to. 

“I get it—you’re her dad. You’re supposed to protect her. You’ve got every right to want the best for her. But don’t mistake my past for who I am now.”

His gaze flicked to me, and for a heartbeat, everything softened—his jaw unclenched, his eyes gentled.

“I love her,” he said firmly, voice almost trembling with the truth of it. 

“I’m not playing games with her. I’m not toying with her feelings, and I sure as hell don’t take her for granted. I’m serious about her. More serious than I’ve ever been about anything in my life.”

He turned back to my dad, standing taller, calmer now, but no less certain.

“So before you judge me for the past, look at the present. Look at what I’m telling you now. I’m not the Playboy you think I am anymore. I’m the one who loves her. Plain and simple. I won’t apologise for that… and I won’t back down from it either.”

Dad’s chest heaved, each breath sharp and ragged, his eyes practically burning holes straight through Zion. 

Then, all at once, he snapped his head toward me.

The shift in his anger was like being hit with a blowtorch.

“Winter,” he barked, his voice rough and seething, 

“What have you two been doing while I’ve been gone?

Did he seduce you? Winter, I know this boy! He’s never had a girlfriend, he doesn’t know how to respect a girl! He uses them… tosses them aside when he’s done. You’ve seen it with your own eyes, haven’t you? Don’t tell me you… You love him too,” he spat, every word laced with venom. 

The very thought made him practically froth at the mouth. 

My hands fisted at my sides, heart pounding. 

“Don’t be lured in by his lies, don’t let him manipulate you!”

I couldn’t hold it back any longer. 

My hands fisted at my sides, nails digging into my palms as my chest heaved with every ragged breath. 

“Stop…” I said, my voice trembling at first but gaining strength. 

“Just stop! Yes, I love him, and I will not let you talk to him like he’s some kind of… player out to trick me. You don’t get to decide that. You don’t get to decide what I feel. I know exactly who he is, and I know what he feels for me. And I won’t let you make me doubt it.”

Dad froze, jaw tightening, clearly taken aback by my defiance. 

I stood tall, meeting his gaze, every ounce of fear I’d felt giving way to conviction. I wouldn’t let him speak about Zion—or my feelings—as if they were worthless.

Zion’s hand found mine instinctively, squeezing gently, grounding me. 

I leaned slightly into him, a silent reassurance that I wasn’t alone—and that for once, I was willing to fight for this love, no matter how furious my father became.

My heart was hammering, but I refused to back down. I couldn’t let him belittle Zion, not when my feelings were this clear, this real.

Dad’s eyes narrowed, jaw tightening, and he gestured sharply at Zion. 

“He’s your fucking brother?!” he barked, disbelief and fury mingling in his tone.

Zion’s expression darkened, a flash of irritation crossing his features.

“Stepbrother,” he corrected sharply, voice low but cutting.

“We’re not blood-related in any way, so don’t even try that argument.”

Dad’s face flushed crimson, veins standing out at his temples, fists tightening. 

“Stepbrother or not… You think that changes anything? You still have no right—”

“I have every fucking right!” Zion cut him off, stepping closer, eyes blazing like fire. 

“I’ve loved her since I was a kid!"

Dad’s face went an even deeper shade of red, veins standing out on his neck. 

“Loved her since you were a kid? You’re delusional! You don’t know what love is! You don’t respect women, Zion—you use them, and now you’re after my daughter?!
You’re arrogant, reckless, and—”

“I know exactly who I am. I’ve made mistakes, yeah—but Winter isn’t one of them. I’ve loved her for years. Long before you came into the picture, long before you even thought about who she’d be with. And I’m not some arrogant playboy playing games—she knows the truth, and I’ve never lied to her.”

He took a deliberate step closer, voice sharper, every word cutting through Dad’s fury. 

“I love her, fully and completely, and I’m not apologising for it. Not to you. Not to anyone. So don’t you dare lecture me about respect, or about what I am. I know exactly what she means to me, and I’m not backing down.”

“Dad!” I stepped between them, heart hammering, hands trembling but firm.

“You’re overreacting! I just told you I love him, and I will not let you talk to him like he’s some kind of monster. I’ve made my choice, and I won’t apologise for it—and neither will he.”

Zion’s glare softened slightly at my words, but he stayed tense, shoulders squared, ready to defend me if Dad made a move.

"Do you even understand what you’re saying, Winter? Do you have any idea the kind of man he is? What has he done? What he might do—” Dad started, fury spilling from every word, but Jenny’s hand shot out, grabbing his arm. 

“Stop! Both of you!” she snapped, voice sharp and commanding. 

“This is not the time to fight! You are acting like children. Focus! Right now, there are bigger things to worry about than personal grudges!”

Her glare swept over both of them, leaving no room for argument. 

Dad’s fists unclenched slightly, and Zion’s shoulders slumped a fraction, though his jaw remained tight.

Jenny’s eyes snapped to William, sharp and unyielding. 

“William! Listen to me. Right now, we need to focus on the stalker, Ethan being murdered, and our children being held in an interrogation room for hours. So put your anger away and concentrate. This—this shouting—is not helping anyone!”

For a heartbeat, the room went tense, Dad’s chest still heaving. 

“William… please. For me… calm down,” she urged, her hand lightly resting on his arm. 

“Take a breath. Think about what really matters right now.”

He froze, eyes locking on hers, and for the first time that night, the fury in his gaze softened. 

The rage that had consumed him seemed to ebb, replaced by something unrecognisable—tenderness, care, a quiet love that made my chest tighten.

Then he let out a slow, heavy sigh, his fists unclenching. 

Jenny reached out, gently touching his arm, and I saw him visibly relax, the storm in his eyes softening.

I blinked, taken aback. 

I’d never seen my dad calm down so quickly, not like this. His shoulders lowered, the rigid tension melting as if Jenny’s touch alone could undo hours of anger.

They exchanged a glance, subtle and quiet, but there was something in it—something unspoken that I hadn’t noticed before. 

Affection, respect… love. A softness that only appeared when she was near.

I stayed quiet, heart still racing from the confrontation, watching my parents find a fragile balance in the middle of chaos. And as much as the tension between Dad and Zion lingered in the room, I realised that Jenny’s presence wasn’t just calming the storm—it was grounding us all.