Zaria didn't know why she was uncomfortable with the idea of meeting the Sparks family with Desmond, but it didn't sit well with her. However, it wasn't like she had a choice to say no. She was his executive assistant and it was only right for her to accompany him to business meetings.

Smiling at her compliance, he glanced at her business outfit with a slight frown. "Would you like to change into something else? You could go for a dress the color of my suit."

"No need." She dismissed him. Was he a fool? Who would go to meet his fiancée's family while wearing matching attire with another woman?

When he left, she wondered whether she should have refused to accompany him. If she insisted on not wanting to go, would he have an intern or Liam go with him instead?

But what reason did she have to not want to go?

Noon came and she was yet to decide whether she wanted to talk him out of it. Shrugging, she decided to go with the flow. What harm could there be?

Imperium Royal Hotel.

Desmond had deliberately told the chauffeur to slow down the car. By the time they arrived, the Sparks were already there. Natalie waited for them at the parking lot and she walked over as soon as the two of them stepped down the car.

"I'm glad to see you here." Natalie greeted with a smile, something that was rarely seen on her beautiful face.

The woman was indeed happy; she was even dressed in a brilliant red dress, youthful makeup, and the lipstick that was of the same shade as her dress highlighted her pretty eyes and teeth when she smiled.

Desmond gave her a once-over. "You sure look happy to see me."

He emphasized the last word and Natalie laughed before flashing a smile at the woman who had accompanied him.

"Hey, Zaria. It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Hello, Miss Sparks." Zaria tried her best to keep her tone polite.

Natalie must have sensed that the woman was not particularly enthusiastic to have a conversation with her, so she tapped the man's arm to call for his attention. "Desmond, my parents have been longing to see you. I don't know what it's about, though I have a bad feeling. Can you make a guess?

"I can't, but don't worry. There isn't anything we can't handle together."

There isn't anything we cannot handle together. What a romantic statement. Zaria smiled and went towards the elevator, falling two steps behind them.

…

In the private VIP chamber.

The Sparks couple must have known that their daughter went to meet Desmond, so they were watching the door for their return.

When the two walked in, Ava smiled and looked relieved. "You look handsome as usual, Desmond."

The man wiggled an eyebrow in the slightest. "Is that so? You don't think I should have worn a red tie to match Natalie's dress or something? That's not right. Even if I wore a red tie, I would still pale in comparison to the most beautiful woman."

"Don't be silly." Ava smiled, and Natalie was relieved. The atmosphere had been tensed a moment ago and she was sure that her parents were going to put Desmond in a tight spot. However, she had thought too much. Desmond knew what to say at the right time to ease the tension.

There wasn't anyone who didn't like to hear their children getting complimented, and Ava was glad that Desmond still found Natalie to be the most beautiful woman. Although that was the case, Natalie merely smiled as she wasn't sure whether Desmond was referring to her.

"This is…?" Ava asked about the woman who had walked in after Natalie and Desmond. She looked strangely familiar.

Desmond tilted to glance at Zaria. He pulled her to his side to introduce her. "This is my executive assistant, Zaria."

"So this is your executive assistant. She is indeed pretty." Ava commented, a strange tinge in her voice as she glanced at Zaria.

"Good afternoon, Mr. And Mrs. Sparks." Zaria greeted so she wouldn't appear to be rude.

Ava no longer paid attention to the assistant who was said to have an affair with her daughter's fiancée. It was still an unfounded rumor at first, but she was paying attention to Desmond and she happened to catch the gentleness in his gaze when he introduced her. More than that, she noticed that Zaria had pursed her lips slightly by the way he had introduced her. It was as though she wanted to be introduced differently. From a woman's intuition, Zaria had feelings for Desmond.

On the other hand, Weston Sparks did not spare her a glance and waited for them to take their seats before getting to the point. "I called you here to discuss your wedding."

"Wedding?" Desmond and Natalie expressed their shock in unison.

Mrs. Sparks ran her skeptical eyes over the two of them. "Yes. Otherwise, is there something else you would like to do after getting engaged?"

She was right, engagement was the prelude to marriage, so it would not make any sense if they were against it.

"Mrs. Sparks, we are not in a hurry. Natalie isn't either." Desmond, who was sitting beside Natalie, was the first to speak up.

"Well, we are. I have already contacted a wedding planning agency. What type of wedding would you like to have?" Mrs. Sparks took out a small notepad to write down the important points. She was not letting them off this time.

"I would like to have a word with Natalie." He said before adding, "In private."

"So you can coerce her into convincing us that she is not ready for marriage and needs more time?" Ava glared at him. She had heard these excuses for too long.

"Is she?" Desmond retorted. If the couple had eyes, they would know that their daughter was not ready to get married.

"You either set a wedding date today or cancel this goddam engagement." Ava was losing her patience.

"Mother…" Natalie was stunned. It was rare for her mother to lose her temper. She was really mad this time.

"Not a word from you." She shushed her daughter before glancing at Desmond seriously. "What's it gonna be?"

"Ava, you cannot be rash. Perhaps they have a good reason." The middle-aged man at the table spoke up before focusing his gaze on Desmond. "Tell us. What is so bad about my daughter that you want to tarnish her reputation by dumping her when the whole world is expecting your wedding with her?"

"Dad, I already talked to Desmond about this." Natalie hooked her arm around Desmond's, and her parents noticed it.

The most awkward person on the table was Zaria. She had thought that this was a business lunch, not expecting to be a family banter meal of some sort.

Besides, she was neither part of the Sparks nor the Fort Family and that made her stand out like a sore thumb. She stood up with a slight smile. "I would like to use the restroom."

She stumbled out of the room, almost stumbling towards the exit instead. When she finally corrected herself and entered the restroom, she went to the sinks and splashed water on her face. She wiped her face with a sigh, and in that fraction of a second that her eyes closed, the image of Natalie and Desmond holding hands flashed through her mind. She slapped her forehead at the dull ache that she felt.

"They are a couple. What's wrong with them holding hands?" She berated herself in a mumble. It was already wrong of her to have unwanted thoughts of her boss. How could she feel jealous of his fiancée as well?

She had smudged her makeup, so she took out the makeup remover pads she had carried in her purse and wiped it off in the mirror. She looked dull because of her dampened mood, so she knew that she should reapply it.

"So this is my dear brother's new pet. How intriguing." A voice came from behind her and she raised her head to look at the person through the mirror.

Her blood ran cold and she had to turn sharply to confirm what she was seeing. Her breath hitched when she clearly saw him.

Jaime Fort.

The man towered over her with his generous height and looked down at her like a defenseless little animal.

It took a few seconds for her to stop the wild racing of her heart. When she was as calm as one could be in the presence of a cold-hearted psychopath, she finally spoke up as she held her small foundation tube between her fingers.

"I'm not a pet, I do not belong to anyone, and nothing is intriguing about me. If you'll excuse me." She turned around to continue doing her makeup and was done with her eyes when she realized that the man had not moved an inch. With her lipstick in hand, she frowned slightly through the mirror. "What I mean is, Mr. Fort, this is the women's bathroom. So unless you are a woman, please leave."