The Mysterious Mr. Miller

35. SNIPPETS OF THE PAST

"Tell me more." I said.

"Your father was a gangster but he wasn't evil. He had principles, unlike Dad. He treated me like his own son. Elijah was more of a father to me than my own father. I was 10 back then but I often wish I could have stopped him." His voice sounded sincere.

"How did your father die?" I asked, changing the topic from my Dad because even his mention hurt me.

"He...." Sean took a pause as he stared at the ground beneath. He wasn't expressive but in the few months we have spent together, ai have figured some of his tells. Like his pinky finger often trembled whenever he was angry or sad. "He shot himself a few years ago." He told me and a shiver shot through my spine.

I extended my arm and held his big hand with my small one. "I am sorry." I said sincerely. I hated that man but I knew how painful it is to lose your father and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies.

"Don't be. He deserved it. He was a psychopath." He tried to act tough but I know he must be hurt internally.

"He was still your father. You must miss him sometimes." I said.

His face hardened at my persistence and he pulled his hand away. "Let's go inside." He said in an emotionless voice and stood up. I didn't want to trigger him so I stood up silently and followed him inside,

**********

SEAN

No matter how much I push Penelope away, she somehow always manages to break my hard exterior. She makes me vulnerable and that's what scares me the most. I hate that she has this hold on me, that she can make me do anything using those big eyes of her.

My feelings for her were getting stronger and I was finding it difficult to hide it from her and the rest of the world. It was so unlike me to feel all mushy around a woman. That gender used to be just a way to let out my sexual frustration for me. In my world, there was no other use of a female. But everything changed every since I encountered Penny.

I annoyingly walked towards my room and once I entered, my eyes widened. I found Hailey sprawled on my bed, wearing just a pink lingerie set. She was holding her head up with the help of her elbow and throwing lustful glances at me.

"What are you doing inside my room?" I asked.

"I am your fiance. This is going to be our room soon." She smirked and hopped off the bed. She walked towards me and then wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me down.

"I am not in mood. Go away." I said and disentangled myself from her.

"What are you in mood for? Having another heart to heart session with that redhead?" She said, her voice laced with venom as her face contorted with jealousy.

"Stop eavesdropping on me." I said and walked towards my desk. "There's nothing between us."

I picked up a file from my cabinet and sat down on the chair to read it. But soon, it was pulled out of my hands. The nerve of this woman!

"Oh really. Then what were you doing in her room last night right after our engagement ring?" She snapped at me. "Do you think I'm fucking blind?"

"Hailey, don't create unnecessary drama. I'm not in mood." I gave her a hard glare, which didn't affect her at all.

My anger had the power to silence huge, muscular men but weirdly, these two hardly 150-pounds women in my life didn't fear me at all.

"Sean, don't fool me. I'm not stupid." She put her hands on her hips and growled at me.

"I am engaged to you now. What more do you want from me?" I shouted as I tried to control myself from throwing her out of the room.

I knew Hailey very well. A bitch would be a small word for her. She was a conniving, manipulative devil in the form of a woman. She was after Penny now and she won't stop unless Penny was out of here. But I wasn't going to let that happen in any way. Penny needed me and to some extent, I needed her so unless she was out of danger, letting her go wasn't an option.

"Hailey, if you are worried about Penelope, you don't have to be. She is not even my type and you know it." I lied to get her mind off her.

"Oh really? I have seen how you look at her." She argued, sitting across me.

"How exactly? Like any man of my age looks at any woman? Seriously, she is not my type. I may feel some lust towards her but that's it. I'm only dealing with her because of a safety threat otherwise I would have thrown that annoying girl out of here a long time ago." I said.

Each word of that sentence was difficult for me and I hated myself for being a hypocrite jerk but that was much needed. It would take her attention of Penny and thus, make Penny's life easier.

"You better not be lying." Her nostrils flared.

"I am not." I said. I was.

"So you love me then?" She asked, sliding closer to me.

"Don't push your luck." I rolled my eyes and her face flushed in embarrassment.

"Fine. Love is overrated anyway." She said and rested her hand on my legs, caressing my inner thigh. "We are both good at sex. That's enough."

"I'm seriously not in mood." I said frustratingly. I wanted her out of here but she wasn't taking any hint.

"I'll make the mood." She said and began unbuttoning my shirt.

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