Owen didn't seem fazed in the slightest, irking Ava so much that she wanted to yell at him. "Did you hear what I said?"

"What right does Desmond have to say anything against my daughter? Does anyone know the number of mistresses he has been with while being engaged to her?" He growled.

Ava understood what he was implying, and it made her smile. "I'm not talking about rushing them into marriage so he doesn't find out about her affair. It's just so they don't completely drift apart." She also didn't think Desmond had the right to complain—not when he had the audacity to flaunt that witch in her face.

"The thing is, will the kids agree?" Owen was worried. Natalie might just disagree with the wedding.

Ava grabbed a grape to put in her mouth. "Those two trust each other very much. Our daughter knows best that her marriage to a Desmond would be beneficial to both of them and us as well. If she still tries to resist despite all this, I will make them marry."

Before her husband could scoff about how she would do that when Natalie was already slipping out of her control, she took out her phone and made a call.

"Alyssa, would you like to drop by this evening? I have matters to talk to you about."

While Ava spoke, she heard a soft clank of high heels and knew that her daughter was nearby. She hung up the call and brought up a random topic to chat with her husband.

Natalie knew that something was wrong but whatever it was, she didn't want it to bother her when she had more important things to think about.

___

Ava was relieved that nothing went wrong during the day. Alyssa joined them for coffee in the evening, and she urgently brought up the topic.

"You said that you have something to talk about?" Alyssa pried, since she had to go on with her business later.

"Yes." Ava ensured her daughter was not yet home.

"What is it?" Asked Alyssa. If it was something that made Ava restless, it had to be of extreme urgence.

"The kids. They have to be married as soon as possible. Of course, that's unless you are ready to welcome the mistress into your family." Ava said pointedly, and Alyssa immediately understood her. That damned man!

"Of course not! Thank you for not being mad. I was scared you would blame me for Desmond's debauchery." She was in relief when Ava talked her into rushing their marriage instead of yelling at her and starting an unnecessary round of drama.

Ava scoffed. "Don't I know men well enough? They rarely stick to one woman." Although that was what she said, she still didn't appreciate some annoying flu hovering over her son-in-law. "I'll need your help getting rid of that mistress."

Alyssa sipped on her coffee with a smile. "I know just what to do to her. Leave it to me."

While they chatted, Natalie arrived, a sweet smile plastered on her face. There was even a hint of blush. Before, Ava would be excited and think that her relationship with Desmond was progressing. However, she wasn't sure anymore.

" Miss Alyssa, you are here." She distantly greeted the woman who was opposite her mother, and she didn't need to think to know why they were together.

Alyssa flashed a smile and jovially took her hand to pull her next to her. "Dear, you can call me mother-in-law. I will be in a few days."

"I'll call you that when it happens. I'm sure that wouldn't hurt." Natalie suddenly chuckled

Ava glared at her then switched her expression to a doting smile as she scolded her daughter. "Nat, why are you so rude? Is it because I woke you up early this morning?" She found an excuse for her daughter, so Alyssa would not be offended by her sudden rudeness.

"It's alright. Natalie is usually so busy, she must be tired. Dear, don't exhaust yourself too much." Alyssa hid her displeasure behind a gentle gaze. She was just about to compliment her makeup that looked unique and dashing when she noticed something on her neck. It looked like a faded bite mark, one that must have been on Natalie's neck for a long time because it was starting to change its color.

She narrowed her eyes in horror. Last night, he was unable to get through to Desmond and she was certain that he was with the mistress. If Desmond was with the mistress, who was Natalie with? Was it Liam?

Her gaze narrowed in realization. No wonder Ava didn't blame her. It was because her own daughter was a cheating whore.

"My dear, has Liam been contacting you often?" She gently asked to pry for information.

"No, why?" Natalie didn't realize that her hair had moved away and exposed her.

"I think he has a falling out with Desmond." Alyssa made up a random excuse to ask about the young man who was not her son and who she had no business asking about.

"He hasn't told me a thing about it. We aren't that close." She had finally comprehended why Alyssa was asking her random questions and didn't like the sound of it. Why was she suddenly different from her usual self?

Alyssa couldn't comprehend why Natalie was suddenly distant either, so she decided to leave.

" I'll have a word with Desmond." Natalie promised superficially when she felt her mother's glare on her.

As expected, Alyssa nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you dear."

"What was that?" Ava lost the temper she had been holding as soon as Alyssa was out.

"How could you be so rude to your future mother-in-law?" Ava huffed in anger.

Natalie glanced at the door to ensure Alyssa had left, then she raised an eyebrow. "If she is going to have a daughter-in-law between the two of us, that would be me. Why do you seem more concerned about our interaction than I am?" A slap landed on her left cheek while she still spoke, and she had the urge to say something that would break the relationship between her and her mother forever. Holding back, she walked out.

____

Alyssa followed Desmond around and when she saw him enter a restaurant, she frowned. He must be out for a date with the mistress, and she went over with the intention of wrecking it.

"What are you doing here?" Desmond was displeased to see her. This was not the right time to argue about Zaria—no time was the right time to argue about Zaria or anything for that matter.

"We need to talk." Alyssa was more convinced that the latter was meeting up the mistress now that he was defensive.

"Go straight to the point." He ordered impatiently.

"Desmond, you have to get married as soon as possible. It's okay to keep a mistress but you have to hide her. How could you show her off? What will you do if Natalie gets mad?" She nagged the man who was not listening to her and was checking the time on his watch instead. When her gaze fell on that watch, she almost exploded in anger. What cheap item was that?! No need to ask, it must have been given to him by the darned mistress.

"Desmond! How could you let that woman influence you so much! What kind of rubbish are you wearing?" She exclaimed in disgust.

"This? The most valuable watch I own." He said to irk her, and also because it was true.

"Did you wait for too long? Oh, look who we have here." A female voice spoke from behind Alyssa, which was not Zaria's but it made her tremble and look back.

"Lucy!"

"Alyssa, it's you. What a coincidence." Lucy settled herself on Desmond's right side, which was on Alyssa's left. She placed her palms on the table as she glanced at Alyssa. "I see that you have never changed. You still advocate for hiding lovers instead of being faithful."

"What are you talking about?" Alyssa was enraged. Why did this woman appear from nowhere to meet her son, and why was she attacking her?

Lucy glanced at Desmond then back at her. "The fact that if Desmond was not so adorable as a kid, I would have thought he was not Marchal's child."

"You…"

"Get that word out and I'll ruin your perfect mother-son relationship right now." Lucy leaned over to Alyssa's ear to whisper her threat, knowing that Alyssa was about to call her a witch. "There are many things that Desmond would never imagine."

"What is this woman doing here?" Alyssa asked her son, her face paling in horror.

Desmond felt his temples start to throb. "Miss Roatta, if you please. I don't appreciate you invading my space nor do I like it that you are suffocating my mother as well."

"She's the one suffocating me. And that's not what I came to talk about." Lucy was here to talk about official matters, and didn't expect to bump into a ton of trash. Her eyes darkened at Alyssa. How dare she! "You seem to forget, Alyssa, that what you think of others is probably what you are yourself."

"How dare you!" Alyssa wanted to slap Lucy, who grabbed her wrist and twisted it.

"You dared to call my daughter a mistress. Are you saying that I cannot retaliate?"