The Daring Billionaire’s Wife by Lypstical
Chapter 103

Dominic

It might be because of my father-in-law's long trip. I can't really tell, but he actually looks exhausted while slowly approaching me with his assistant next to him.

As we meet in the middle and I get a closer look at him, he looks different from when he left. His skin almost seems a little pale and his face looks a little slimmer. He smiles at me, holding out his arms after stepping away from her.

"Thank you for coming, my son."

I gently pat him on the back as we embrace each other, glancing at his assistant, who just stands by with a half smile.

As soon as we break the hug, he looks over at her and says, "I'll be going home with him."

"As you wish, Sir. Please take care of yourself," she says.

"Of course I will. Shall we go?" he says to me with a smile.

Nodding, I lead the way, trying not to think too much of it but it gets so difficult that I can't help it.

"You really look exhausted. Have you been getting enough sleep and eating well? You seem to have lost some weight."

He sighs. "To be honest, no. I had so much to do."

"Which means you lied to us when you said you were taking care of yourself."

"I didn't want anyone to worry about me."

"That could explain why you look different."

"Is it that obvious?" He tilts his head.

"Of course it is. I was actually shocked when I saw you. Did you even eat before getting on that flight?"

He bursts into laughter. "Enough about me. I hope you still didn't tell my daughter about this."

"Not at all. I wouldn't want to ruin the surprise."

During the ride, he enthusiastically talks about all the investors he came in contact with and I'm actually impressed that he did so much work in just two weeks.

"I'm glad you're back," I say to him. "It's time for me to introduce you to the investor I've been talking about."

"That'll have to wait. I just want to take a few days off."

"Now that I think about it, you're absolutely right. It can wait. Do my parents know that you're back?"

"No, you're the only one who does. I can already imagine my daughter's face when she sees me. Despite how busy I was, I couldn't stop thinking about that caller who gave us all that scare about the accident. Your father told me that you've made great progress in replaceing her and the private investigators will be bringing her here."

The thought of it makes me tighten the grip on the steering wheel because it should have been today. At this point, I might as well just hire some actors or something just so I can put everyone at ease.

I know that if we keep talking about this, it'll only make it more difficult for me to avoid certain questions. With that in mind, I change the topic while reaching for my phone.

"I should replace out if my wife is home."

"I was just about to say that." He nods.

Vanessa

It's already been several hours since I slapped Shane and I still can't get over how good it felt. Part of me still regrets not slapping him some more.

Just as I wonder what his next move might be and if he'll actually do something stupid, Dominic calls, making me furrow my eyebrows. My first thought is that it has something to do with Shane, so I pick up quickly while sitting on my bed.

"Hello?"

"Hey, babe."

With wide eyes, my heart flutters. "Hmm?"

"Are you home?" His voice is gentle and loving.

"Uh... yeah I'm home."

"Great, I just wanted to make sure. I'm on my way back so please don't go anywhere, okay?"

My heart flutters even more, leaving me flustered.

"Why do you sound so sweet?" I ask.

"I love you too."

"What?" It takes me a few seconds and then I figure it out. "Are you with someone important?"

"Of course."

My smile fades. "I see. Who is it?"

"I'll see you soon."

"Oh...cool."

I nod in understanding. It seems he doesn't want to tell me.

After the call ends, I shove a pillow in my face as I painfully laugh at myself. How stupid of me to think that he just decided to suddenly become very sweet with me and tell me how much he loves me. I should've figured out from the beginning that he was with someone, but who was it? Why didn't he just tell me?

Thirty minutes later, I hear the engine outside while I'm in the bathroom.

Dominic sends me a message just as I sit down on my bed again, saying I should go downstairs immediately for something that I really need to see. Curious, I do as instructed and as soon as the elevator doors open, I spot my father on the couch and scream with excitement while rushing over to him. He rises to his feet, opening his arms for me.

While I embrace him, I glance at Dominic, who just stands there with a smile and it doesn't feel like he's faking it.

"Dad, I can't believe you're actually here!" I say to him.

"Hello, my child." Just as we break the hug, he says, "I actually called my son here in the afternoon and told him not to tell you. We wanted to surprise you."

Overjoyed, I run to Dominic, stand on my tippy toes and wrap my arms around his neck for a quick kiss on the lips. I suddenly stop, the bottom of my feet touching the floor again as I grow wide-eyed a little, thinking about what I've just done. He even seems a little surprised. I hope he takes it that I was just acting, even though the honest truth is that I wasn't. I did it in a moment of excitement.

I try to play it off by turning around to face my father, who speaks before I can do it.

"Tell me everything. What have you been up to? I know we've been talking on the phone, but tell me absolutely everything."

I get closer to him and now that my excitement isn't as intense as before, I pay more attention and something looks different.

"Dad, are you alright?"

"That's the same thing I asked him," Dominic chimes in from behind me. "He says he's been working hard. It turns out he hasn't been eating well and getting enough sleep."

"Really?" I shake my head in disapproval.

"I can't believe you're both scolding me as soon as I've returned."

"Just look at you." I pout. "I can't believe you've lost weight in just two weeks."

As he comes up with excuses and promises to eat better, I instruct the chef to prepare dinner and make it grand.

Now that my father is here, Dominic and I are supposed to put on a show, so we sit together and even hold hands. My heart keeps racing and for as long as we're in the living room, he keeps holding my hand. It's only when dinner is served that we loosen the grip keeping our hands together and let go.

The three of us dine together, bursting into laughter at almost everything that my father says. He gives brief descriptions of the times he was able to take some breaks while he was away and had quite some funny experiences.

After dinner, my father decides it's time to go home and rest, so Dominic and I are in the backseat, while he takes the passenger seat in front.

Since he constantly looks back at both of us while talking, Dominic and I sit close to each other with his hand over my shoulder. It's all so beautiful. If only it could be real.

We arrive at my father's residence twenty minutes later and all step out of the car.

"I'm so happy you're back." I hug him again.

"And I was so happy to see the look on your face when you first saw me earlier." He then looks over at Dominic and says, "I'll meet your parents tomorrow for some lunch."

Dominic only nods with a smile, then opens the car door for me despite having our driver present.

He joins me in the backseat and once again, we sit very close to each other as he talks about business with my father for a few seconds.

As soon as the ride begins and the windows are rolled up, we both move in opposite directions to get away from each other until I'm close to the car door on my side and it's the same thing for him.

A few minutes go by without saying anything to each other and I fiddle with my fingers, wondering where to start.

"Thanks for picking up my dad."

"I wasn't going to say no."

I nod in appreciation, then sigh heavily as I close my eyes.

"What is it?" he asks.

"I don't know. There's just something that I feel like my dad isn't telling us. Don't you think so?"