Chapter 138: Outdoor Tease

Derrick looked gently down at Beth, wrapping his arms securely around her trembling frame.

He took a deep breath and said, “You deserve to know…”

He spoke softly, laying out the entire truth. He told her who the man outside really was, what he had done, and how he had ambushed Cassie to lure Derrick out and try to take his life.

“How can that be…” Beth whispered.

She froze completely in his arms, her eyes wide with total shock.

Her mind spun as she struggled to process the horrifying reality that the ruthless assassin who had just tried to kill them was her own biological father.

Seeing her standing there in stunned silence, Derrick felt a surge of sympathy.

“I can understand if you don’t believe all of that right away, or if you feel conflicted because he is your father,” Derrick said softly.

“Conflicted?” Beth exclaimed, her voice suddenly spiking with emotion. “I am furious!”

She gripped the fabric of his jacket even tighter, looking up into his eyes with absolute clarity.

“Derrick, I believe you with all of my heart,” she said, tears glistening in her eyes. “I always thought that my father was just a coward who didn’t have it in him to take responsibility for his actions… but I never knew he was a killer too.”

She swallowed hard, a wave of deep guilt washing over her face as she looked at Derrick’s bruised body and dirty clothes.

“I’m so sorry, Derrick,” she choked out, her voice trembling violently. “I’m so sorry for what he did to you and your sister…”

She shook her head repeatedly, her expression hardening with painful determination.

“I don’t want him in my life,” she said firmly. “I never want to see him again.”

The moment the words left her mouth, the heavy wall of strength she was holding up completely shattered.

She broke down in his arms and started sobbing uncontrollably, burying her face into his chest as her whole body shook with tears.

Derrick held her tight, gently stroking her hair and running a hand down her back.

After a long moment, Beth finally started to calm down.

She wiped her tear-streaked face against his shirt and looked up at him with a small, embarrassed pout through her red eyes.

“And… I’m so sorry,” she sniffled softly, squeezing his waist. “I’m sorry for ruining our date night…”

Derrick wiped away her fresh tears with his thumbs and looked down at her with a gentle smile.

“It wasn’t your fault, Beth,” he said softly. “None of this was.”

He leaned down and gave her a slow, lingering kiss on the lips, taking away the last lingering traces of her fear and fear-tinted guilt.

When he pulled back, his dark eyes held a warm glow.

“How about we get out of this place and go somewhere else?” Derrick asked.

Beth looked up at him, a faint blush returning to her cheeks.

She genuinely wanted to leave the ruined villa behind, but she glanced nervously at the shattered glass, crushed walls outside the room.

“I want to go,” she whispered nervously. “But… what about this place? Should we really just leave it like this?”

Derrick gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and chuckled softly.

“Don’t worry about it,” Derrick told her smoothly. “I’ve already contracted a construction team to handle the repairs, and Silly B is taking care of everything else.”

“All perimeter containment and clean-up protocols are fully automated and underway, Miss Beth,” Silly B’s cheerful voice chimed right on cue from the house console. “You two are entirely free to enjoy your evening.”

Derrick offered Beth his hand, a confident smirk touching his lips.

“See?” Derrick said softly. “We are free to leave.”

Derrick hadn’t told her yet, but the actual owner of this villa was none other than himself.

Because of that, he didn’t have to worry about any official fallout or property damage complaints from strangers.

He routinely rented the place out online to wealthy people who wanted a private getaway far from the city, charging a premium rate for the luxury location.

After making sure the house was completely secured by Silly B, Derrick guided Beth outside to his waiting car.

They settled into the plush leather seats, and as soon as the doors shut with a soft click, the vehicle started up smoothly and drove them away from the estate, heading toward their next destination.

As the ruined villa faded into the dark distance behind them, the cozy warmth inside the car began to melt away the rest of Beth’s lingering anxiety.

Derrick looked over at her, reaching across the center console to take her hand in his.

“This was actually the second spot I had in mind when I was planning our date tonight,” Derrick told her with a warm smile.

The car cruised smoothly down the winding roads, leaving the dark pine trees and broken villa far behind in the mountain mist.

As they reached a flat stretch of road, Derrick reached over, gently taking Beth by the waist and lifting her over the center console.

He set her down comfortably right on his lap, wrapping one arm around her waist to pull her tight against his chest.

Beth gasped softly at the sudden shift, but she didn’t resist. Instead, she leaned her head back against his shoulder, letting out a long, contented sigh as she rested her hands over his.

“Derrick…” she murmured, her cheeks turning a sweet shade of pink as she looked up into his eyes. “You’re going to spoil me if you keep doing this.”

“I am just paying for all the spoiling I intend to get from you later,” Derrick whispered close to her ear, his deep voice sending a pleasant shiver straight down her spine.

He rested his chin lightly on her shoulder, his hand gently tracing subtle circles on her hip while they watched the flickering city lights glow in the far distance down below.

The quiet warmth inside the sleek car completely dissolved every last remnant of fear from earlier.

After twenty minutes of smooth driving, the car slowed to a halt at the base of the mountain.

The car parked itself at an exclusive, deserted outdoor theater nestled right along the water’s edge.

Calling it a theater was an exaggeration.

It was a simple massive air screen projector standing on the ground with no one around.

The ambient lights from the moonlight reflected off the dark water, creating a stunning, shimmering view across the gentle waves.

Derrick pressed a button and without opening any windows, the fresh air of the lake outside suddenly entered the car.

“So… first the mountains and now…” Beth whispered, her red eyes sparkling as she looked out at the tranquil water. “An outdoor theater by a giant lake? You really put a lot of thought into this, didn’t you?”

Derrick turned her face toward him with two fingers under her chin, a smooth, playful smirk resting on his lips.