Chosen By My Mate's Father-in-law
Chapter 11: Mistaken Intentions

Chapter 11: Chapter 11: Mistaken Intentions

I froze. So did Gareth. Everything shifted.

He didn’t look at Michelle or the butler. He looked straight at me like I’d personally spit in his drink. His jaw was locked, his shoulders stiff, and that cold, sharp light in his eyes—yeah, I’d seen it before, when he glared at Elliot. But this time, it was aimed at me in full force.

“What is she doing here?” he asked tightly, voice low and menacing.

Michelle blinked, still holding onto his arm. “She’s my tutor. Isa hired her. Isn’t that great?”

He slowly peeled Michelle’s hand off his coat and stepped forward. His gaze never left mine. “Get away from my daughter.”

I froze. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he growled. “What the hell are you doing in my house?”

I opened my mouth, stunned, but he didn’t give me a chance.

“I told you to stay away from my family,” he snapped. “You think sneaking your way in through my daughter was clever? You think I wouldn’t find out?”

Sneaking? My heart dropped. He thought I planned this?

“Sir—” the butler began, clearly flustered.

“Silence,” Gareth barked. “Is this how you do your job now? Letting strangers into my home to play with my daughter? Show her out right now!”

“She’s not a stranger,” Michelle snapped. “She’s awesome.”

“Michelle, not now,” Gareth said through clenched teeth.

I could feel the heat rising to my face. I was getting very angry.

“I didn’t sneak in,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. “Your daughter hired me. She saw my resume, called me in, and your butler let me in through the front door.”

He scoffed and took a step closer, his voice low and sharp. “You really expect me to believe that? You had the nerve to come here after everything I told you?”

I reached into my bag and pulled out the folder Isa asked me to bring. My fingers trembled slightly as I held it out. “Here. This is my resume. See for yourself.”

He didn’t even glance at it. Just stood there, glaring like I’d spat at his feet.

So I set it down on a nearby table.

“I didn’t come here for you,” I said, my voice tightening. “I came here to work. I applied like everyone else. I got hired. That’s it.”

He stared at the folder for a long moment, then looked back at me. His expression didn’t change.

“You don’t belong here,” he muttered. “You’ve been a problem since the second you crossed my path, and now you’re worming your way into my house?”

Michelle, who’d been standing off to the side, frowned. “Dad, stop bullying her! You don’t even know her.”

Gareth shot her a warning look. “Michelle. Go to your room.”

She folded her arms. “No.”

His eyes darkened. “I said now.”

The butler gently placed a hand on Michelle’s shoulder, trying to guide her away. She yanked herself free and stomped toward the stairs, mumbling under her breath.

“You’re such a jerk.”

Once she was gone, Gareth’s gaze fell back on me.

“If I find out this was planned... if you’re using my daughter to get to me—”

“I’m not,” I said quickly.

He ignored me. “I’ll have you thrown in prison next to your father. And this time, no one will stop it.”

I flinched. With his power, it was too easy to turn that threat into reality.

My throat tightened, but I refused to look away.

“I didn’t know Michelle was your daughter,” I said quietly. “Or that Isa was your other daughter. I swear I didn’t.”

Still, he said nothing. The silence pressed against my chest like a weight.

I opened my mouth to speak again, but the butler stepped forward.

“Sir,” he said gently. “If I may...”

Gareth didn’t look at him but gave a short nod.

The butler straightened. “Lady Isabella was the one who placed the ad. It only said she needed a tutor for a strong-willed child. There was no mention of names or that the job would be here.”

That made Gareth pause.

“I didn’t know,” I repeated, softer now. “If I had, I wouldn’t have come.”

Michelle, who had been halfway up the stairs sulking, suddenly turned around and looked at me in surprise. “Wait. You wouldn’t have come?”

I glanced up at her. “No offense, Michelle. You’re fun. But your dad—” I looked at Gareth and shrugged. “He made it very clear he doesn’t want me near his family. And I don’t work for people who think I’m trash.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You don’t want my dad?”

I blinked. “What?”

“I mean—every woman wants my dad. They all smile at him and try to get him to notice them. They wear fancy perfume and pretend to be interested in me just to get to him.” Her eyes narrowed a little. “But you actually wanted me to like you.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. But the way her voice cracked a little... it hit me in the gut.

Gareth looked at her, frowning, then back at me. He still didn’t say anything.

“I’ll go,” I said quietly, heading toward the door. “It’s clear I’m not welcome.”

My pride was already scraped raw. I couldn’t stay in a place where I was treated like a criminal for existing.

“Wait—what?” Michelle rushed down the stairs again, panic rising in her voice. “You’re leaving?”

I stopped, “Yes.. Your dad doesn’t trust me. And I don’t want to stay where I’m not trusted.”

Her face twisted in frustration. “You’re the only good one! I don’t want another one of those fake tutors who wear lipstick and heels and call me princess like I’m stupid!”

“Michelle,” Gareth said sharply. “That’s enough.”

But she wasn’t done. She turned on him, fists clenched.

“You never care what I want!” she shouted. “You care more about your dumb reputation than about me!”

“Michelle!” he snapped.

“I said I like her!” Her voice broke, and her green eyes were wet now. “I want Jasmine to stay!”

I stood frozen. I hadn’t expected that.

Not from the same girl who threw a knife at me an hour ago.

Michelle wiped her eyes angrily. “ You’re always telling people what to do. You never listen to me. You always just pretend to care.”

“I finally found someone who treats me like a person, someone I like...and you just... ruin it. Like you ruin everything!”

Gareth went still. The butler looked like he wanted to disappear.

Michelle’s chest rose and fell fast as she stared at her father. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them away this time.

“If you fire her, I’m never talking to you again!”