Much later, Devonte brushed his lips against Natalie's neck in gentle kisses and pulled away from the bed. "Want to join me in the bathroom?"

She shifted to a more comfortable position and although she missed his touch already, she didn't want him to be late for his shoot. "I might not be able to walk out of the bathroom if I join you."

He chuckled in response. "I can't promise that won't be the case. But then again, I can carry you wherever you want to go."

She laughed and playfully slapped him. "Such honeyed words. Is acting making you a sweet-talker? Those who didn't know would think you act romance movies."

"You know why I won't act those." He dragged her off the bed so she would get up. "It's all because a certain someone will explode in jealousy when she sees me acting lovey-dovey with other women."

"What's this got to do with me?" Natalie complained about being accused unjustly, though she had to admit that the thought of his obsessed female fans screaming fawningly to him often made her jealous. She would kill someone if she laid a finger on him.

"Just a quick shower." He tried to convince her and when she pushed him into the bathroom, he could only go on his own and they freshened up separately.

"How I wish we had more time to spend together." He pulled her into his arms longingly when they were done dressing up. He so badly wanted to claim her as his own to the entire world, to be with her without worrying about being considered as an adulterous couple by society.

"That depends on you." Remarked Natalie, who had just realized that she had to go home and pick something before attending a meeting that was only two hours away.

"I will not disappoint you." He promised and kissed her temples, then they left the hotel separately. Devonte was famous so it might be scandalous for him to be seen leaving a hotel with a woman, so he left through the VIP exit while Natalie took the main exit. After all, this was her family's hotel so everyone would assume that she was here for inspection.

…

Sparks Villa.

Ava had happiness written all over her face as she looked through the signed bills that she had received from Imperium Sparks Hotel.

"What's got you so happy, dear?" Her husband asked as he took a seat diagonal to hers at the dining table.

"Desmond and Natalie spent a night together. At this rate, we may become grandparents soon." Ava was delighted.

"That's not the main point for you." Owen picked up a slice of bread from the bread tray and buttered it as he eyed his wife since he knew her too well.

Ava placed the bills under her laptop and pushed the laptop aside to have breakfast. "Well, you know what happens when we have a grandchild—who is specifically Desmond's child."

Her eyes were full of longing.

"Forget about the wealth earned by Alyssa and Marchal. There is the clan too. Do you have any idea how many estates the old gizzer has? And his favorite grandchild is Desmond. He already signed a will with Desmond as the heir to all of them. The only prerequisite is that he has a son."

" That has nothing to do with out Natalie." Owen found her absurd.

"Well, not yet. But when they get married and have kids, who do you think will enjoy all that wealth? Don't forget the worth of Preston and Fort Group." Ava entertwined her fingers.

"You sound like a greedy woman right now." Owen chided as he ate his bread, to which Ava narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe. But do you know who this is for? It's our daughter. Owen, I'm not ready to see my only daughter suffer in future when I brought her up like a princess. Otherwise, I would have chosen Jaime as a suitor—he likes her too, and he is from the Fort family as well."

Owen didn't know what to say for a moment, then he simply sighed. "You told her so many lies. And that man…"

"Forget it. He likes Natalie. As for the mistress, I will take good care of her." Ava smiled as she grabbed an apple, but Owen's gaze was full of disapproval.

"Don't get yourself in trouble." He warned. He had only met Zaria once but he knew that there was nothing simple about her. If she were as easy-going as she looked, she would be long dead considering the number of enemies she must have.

As the couple spoke, Natalie arrived home.

"Good morning father, mother." She joyously made her way to the dining table.

"Aren't you brimming with joy? Tell us, what's the good news?" Ava asked, as though she didn't know the cause of her daughter's good mood.

"I feel like everything is finay falling into place." Natalie chirped, making Ava think that she was talking about how Desmond was no longer hanging out with the damned mistress and was spending time with her instead. The latter smiled smugly.

"I heard the mistress won the bid for the Su family's Royal Hotel." Ava sneered.

"And?" Natalie was displeased with her mother's name for Zaria but correcting her would only start an argument so she tried to ignore it.

"What do you mean 'and'? Go snatch it by all means." Ava was shocked by her daughter's nonchalance, while the latter was shocked by her mother's shallowness.

She was in no mood to argue with her so she shrugged it off. "Desmond is the final benefactor. I don't want to snatch it from him." She grabbed a pear from the fruit tray and stood up. "I have to go. Goodbye mother and father."

"But honey, you haven't eaten a grain." Ava tried to talk her into staying while gloating in the words that the latter had just said. Her daughter cared about Desmond! They really were a match made in heaven.

"This will suffice." She took a bite and left the dining room, not wanting her mood to be ruined by this greedy duo.

…

After planning out what to do with Jaime and Samantha, Zaria went to the bathroom only for Jaime to appear again while she washed her hands at the sinks.

"Do you have a thing for ladies' rooms? You really are a pervert." She nonchalantly scolded him as she turned to face him.

Crossing his arms, Jaime stared at the woman before him in interest. "You keep poking trouble even when you know that it might bite you back. If I didn't know, I would think you're ignorant but aren't you too brave?"

"You didn't come here to have a chat." She said conclusively. He was here to threaten her.

"It's good to know that you have a brain. One that functions better than everyone else's at that." He closed in on her. "Zaria, be a good girl and hand over the video."

"And if I don't?" She asked mockingly.

"You become the next Marchal." He laughed through his threat that meant that he would dismember her like he did his dad.

He thought she would be terrified but he was wrong. She found him funny and it annoyed the hell out of him.

"Jaime, do you want to know what I'm still in one piece despite having so many people's secrets on me?" She chuckled. Whether he wanted to know or not, she closed in on him rapidly and chopped her hand against his neck.

He almost passed out from the impact, but he remained unmoving and couldn't retaliate even though he wanted to.

"I didn't want you to pass out because I still needed to talk." She withdrew her hand as though she had done nothing.

"If you have a brain, you will stay away and not try to trouble me again."

"Girl, you are too gutsy." Jaime laughed and grabbed her hands to lock them behind her in a sneak attack, but he would never expect her to be swift enough to twist his hands and lock them behind him instead. "Don't be rude."

Jaime suddenly laughed, and Zaria wondered what was funny until she felt a familiar scent that made her blood go cold. Desmond was here!

"Desmond…" She quickly let go of Jaime and looked up at Desmond in panic. She then glared at Jaime. It was all thanks to this man's towering height that her vision was blocked and she couldn't see Desmond when he walked in.

"What are the two of you doing?" Desmond asked, his tone full of displeasure after having seen the position they were in.

"What else?" Jaime straightened his clothes smugly. "Zaria was just showing me the kind of bondage play she likes. If you didn't come in, she might have probably wanted us to go all the way.

"Don't believe his crap." Zaria huffed in anger. What was wrong with this man?