THE BILLIONAIRE'S DESIRE

CHAPTER 26

He had no intention of pissing Daniella off, but it just so happened that he was on her bad side throughout the remainder of their relationship.

"Don't worry, Samuel will arrange an airtaxi for tomorrow morning, okay?" Marcus reassured her that she would see her daughter the next day, as they would follow her to Oslob quickly.

She wasn't sure whether what he said would alleviate her concerns. "Inform me, Marcus. Was it your idea to take the children away?" she queried, although he hoped not, lest she be very disappointed.

It was all Ortega's idea. Daniella was already prejudiced against him, and it would only serve to further isolate them, but there were times when he needed to be selfish. "No, that was Alexander's suggestion."

"You're a liar," she stated.

"I am saying the truth, Daniel." He explained and pleaded with the woman to pay attention to him. Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

"Do you feel compelled to ask me out as a result of our daughter?" Out of context, she ventured to ask him the one question that had been plaguing her since he reappeared in her life. It was customary for men to be courteous to the women with whom they had children, and Marcus was no exception. "You always tell me you want me back, but are you prepared this time?" She only wanted to make certain the danger of returning him was worth it, as dealing with a broken heart was not simple. He couldn't blame her for being dubious of his attempts, which felt shallow and out of character for Daniella. To be really candid, her feelings for the man were unchanged. She just pushed herself to forget about him, like he desired. He abandoned her since he was not yet ready

and it appeared as though his heart belonged to someone. As a Reyes, it was not in her nature to accept anything less than what she earned!

"May we discuss it over food?" When his stomach began to growl, he inquired. He was famished, and he was trapped inside the hotel room with Daniella.

She glanced at the wall clock, which indicated that it had already beyond their supper hour. "Oh, all right." She consented, despite the fact that she was also famished. Her entire afternoon was spent pouting and being angry inside her room.

"Would you want to visit the next resort's BBQ station?" The location he specified was in Dumaluan Resort, directly across from Bohol Beach Club.

She agreed because she like BBQ and everything cooked. Because the weather was presumably cool outside, she donned a sweatshirt over her blouse. The loose pullover hoodie in silky fake fur with a kangaroo pocket provided the ideal amount of warmth for her hands. "I'm ready, let's go," she remarked, taking the purse containing her money.

They went side by side along the beach toward the Dumaluan Resort's BBQ station. Although the distance was not great, the time they would spend walking would be considerable if they remained in silence. Marcus stepped closer to Daniella and held one of her hands in his. "I've always wanted to walk with you," he remarked.

Daniella was relieved that it was already dark; otherwise, Marcus would have seen how her cheeks flushed when he spoke such a thing. It was their first time walking together, and it felt fantastic. His large and rough hand encircled her, keeping her warm and comfortable. "Isn't it odd that this is the first time we're walking together?" she inquired.

"You are correct, and to believe we already had a child." He replied. His extensive experience with women had prepared him for Daniella's abrupt shifts in behavior, but then again, difficult women

were always the greatest to date. Daniella has always been a half-goddess, half-witch since he met her. If he had a tender heart, her frigid treatment of him would have pushed him in the opposite direction.

"So, can you now respond to my question?" Were you under duress as a result of AJ?" She enquired.

"I'm not going to call it pressure, Dani; I'm going to call it want. I want you back and I regret abandoning you previously. I was foolish to disregard your heart. Right now, I want you to fall in love with me again," he said.

"I never stopped loving you; I simply kept it concealed to avoid missing you every day." She told him the truth since it was pointless to take him for a ride when both of them were grownups. "However, the real question is this: Do you love me?" She didn't hesitate to ask him the most vital question she desired, since she would never accept anything less than what she deserved!

"It had been much too long since I had been in love with another lady. I'm not sure if the feelings I have for you right now qualify as love, but I miss you every day. I dream of you every night and haven't stopped thinking about you since the day I left." It was a lengthy confession, and by the time Daniella could respond, they had already arrived at their destination.

There were a lot of tourists queuing at the barbecue station, so Marcus first sought for an empty seat for Daniella to sit at before ordering their food. He placed an order for grilled belly, grilled squid, grilled fish, and a rice dish. He chose two bottles of Coca-Cola for their beverages. He was unsure whether Daniella would eat isaw, or grilled chicken intestine, so he ordered at least 10 sticks. "Are you alone, Miss?" He smirked as he returned to their table, Daniella looking distantly.

She raised her eyes to see who was asking and rolled her eyes when she saw it was simply Marcus. "Alone but not lonely," she joked. She didn't anticipate him knowing some of the clich��d pick-up lines at his age.

Daniella, as always, was humorous and astute. He sat down as they awaited the arrival of their supper. "So, will you give me an opportunity to demonstrate my worth?" He pursued his unresolved proclamation of love.

"How come not? You are honest enough, but first tell me who the other woman is." There was another lady associated with him at the time, and that woman was the reason Marcus was unable to love her.

Marcus shook his head incredulously in response to Daniella's statement. How did the lady transform from a lover to a calculating investigator? "Veronica is her name," he said.

"I see; then where has she gone?" While she waited for Marcus to respond, she kept eye contact with him. Daniella watched the man blinking his eyes numerous times before opening and closing his mouth to speak. Who was this woman Marcus was having difficulty letting go of? It must have been a heartbreaking break-up if he still found it difficult to speak about her. "It's all right; you're not required to respond." When he hesitated to inform her, she stated.

"She's...deceased," she's he responded.

When Daniella heard his remark, her eyes widened. "How did you say that?" She now felt horrible for secretly cursing Veronica in her brain. She desired to inquire as to how she died but was unable to do so after peering into his eyes. He seemed unhappy and distressed, and discussing his deceased lover must have been too much for him. "I apologize," she stated.

"Do not be; it occurred far too long ago." He continued.

"How much longer?" she inquired.

"More than a decade," he said.

It occurred almost a decade ago, yet he was still in grief for that woman. Daniella was aware that her feelings were improper, yet she became envious of the deceased woman. How could he still love her when she was gone? "You must have loved her a much," she remarked.

"I do, and I continue to do." Marcus responded without hesitation or regard for his date's sentiments.

"So you still love her," she remarked in a tone that begged him to explain why he desired to be with her when it was obvious that he preferred Veronica. What difference does it make if the woman was already deceased? It is preferable to have a living adversary than a dead adversary! How could she compete against a lady who was already dead? She kept a safe distance from him as they walked back to the motel. "You don't have to walk me up to the hotel," she eventually stated when Marcus failed to mention returning to his hotel.