IMDD CHAPTER 257 (Patreon)

Gage choked.

"Are you okay?" Gaia's voice was tinged with concern, her small brow furrowing in worry.

"I'm fine," he assured her, his voice rough like gravel yet trying to convey a sense of calm.

Gaia blinked up at him, and then her small hand reached for his back and started patting him. That little innocent gesture, was just… Gage couldn’t explain it. This was… new… so foreign to him.

“Better, daddy?” she asked, and he simply nodded. He could see the genuine worry in those large innocent eyes. He didn’t want to make her feel bad or feel how chaotic his emotions at the moment so he blurted, "Yeah, you can braid them. Yes."

Her response was a beam of pure joy, lighting up her face like a sunrise, and that reaction made his entire frame sag in relief.

"Yey! Thank you, daddy. I promise to make it so beautiful!" she exclaimed, her happiness bubbling over like a sparkling fountain. Gage, meanwhile, was facepalming internally, berating himself.

How had he, the master of manipulation and control, turned into putty in the hands of this tiny little being? The very notion seemed to upend the natural order of his existence.

He glanced at Eva again, catching her looking back over her shoulder. She was giggling.

In that moment, he realized the formidable power of this mother-daughter duo. The world could never bring him to his knees, but these two, Eva and her miniature counterpart, held a power over him that nothing else ever could.

“Mommy! Can I braid daddy’s hair in the living room?” Gaia asked her mother animatedly.

Eva's gaze met Gage's and she immediately sensed the silent plea in his eyes. She could just tell he wanted her to say something, anything, to make Gaia change her mind and do something else instead of braiding his hair.

But Eva acted as though she understood nothing in his gaze and offered a sweet smile instead. “Sure, deary, I’m sure your dad would love that,” she replied, her voice laced with a hint of amusement.

“Daddy, please put me down for a minute. I’ll go get my hair accessories kit,” Gaia announced. Gage, complying, gently set her down before they began their descent of the grand staircase. The moment his arms were free of her weight, Gaia dashed off, her voice trailing behind her. “Wait for me there, okay, daddy? I’ll be back very fast.”

Gage gave a nod, almost reluctant, his eyes following the little sprite as she disappeared from view.

Once Gaia was out of earshot, Gage turned towards Eva, his expression now suddenly grave. With a few swift steps, he descended from his previous position, closing the distance between them in an instant. “You really need to step in now before your child gets attached to me, Eva.”

Eva held his gaze for a moment. “It’s too late for that. I’m sure you already know, but she’s already attached to you,” she replied with a voice filled with certainty.

Gage, however, was not swayed. "No, it's not too late yet. I'm sure if you explained to her that I'm not her real father, she'd immediately pull away from me. In fact, I’m sure she’ll be the one to push me away on her own and never get near me again," he countered, and though his voice sounded hard, she felt like that last line was a little hard for him to say out loud.

“Gaia will never treat you like that, even if someone lies to her and tells her that. And I’m telling you this again, Gage. Gaia is your. real. daughter!" she asserted, her eyes locking onto his with an unwavering intensity. "We'll go get a DNA test right now, and once we get it, don't you ever say that again, Gage, never," she firmly said.

Just as Gage was about to respond, Eva continued. "Oh, not right this instant, actually. After breakfast, we will all go together. And… your daughter still needs to braid your hair."

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CHAPTER 258>> 

a/n: What kind of braid do you think Gaia will do with her father's hair? XD