You have always been told that money can be the root of all evil.
But is it really?
Daniel Richardson has always been around wealth. Having been raised by rich strangers, living in a home where he was only spoken to when he was seen. Years later, th...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I do. It belonged to our father, and once Jonah here abandoned me, I was left to run it."
"You speak of that as if it were a difficulty," Jonah remarked as he reached for his wine.
"For a while, it was. But fortunately, I had Angela here to support me." He turned and gave his fiancée a kiss.
"So how long have the two of you been dating?"
"Not as long as you think," she replied in his place.
"Yes, my brother is a moron who disregarded the fact that he was head over heels for his secretary."
"I haven't word as Matthew's secretary in a long time."
Jonah laughed at his brother's expense and added, "I know Ang, but I just can't resist picking on him."
"How about you two then? I believe we were just out to lunch when you failed to bring up Daniel."
Maria turned to face the support she had been receiving for the previous two days. "A few weeks ago, we met. He approached me and wanted to sit with me in a coffee shop close to where I was working as a temp."
"You could say that the rest is history," Daniel continued.
"Simply like that?" Jonah questioned with his eyes narrowed on Daniel.
"You have, after all, met your sister. I was drawn to her the moment I first met her. It's tougher than I could have ever imagined to be without her, so yeah, just like that."
Maria's pulse was pounding. Even if she wasn't lying, it still felt dishonest. Daniel had his other hand on the top of her thigh and his other arm around the back of her chair. She was unable to determine if he was speaking solely for her benefit or if he was being sincere. She had been attempting to suppress her feelings for him ever since they first met, but if he shared her feelings, then perhaps this was more than just a passing fling. She allowed herself to daydream about what dating Daniel would be like as the discussion continued around her. Apart from their shared adoration of chocolate cake, they hardly shared anything else. He hardly ever spoke about himself, although she would discover everything about him if they kept up their relationship after the wedding.
"Are you sure you're not a Richardson from Palm Springs?" As they were completing their meal, Matthew questioned.
Maria observed Daniel's stiff body. "I am. I have a sizable amount of family there."
Matthew merely bowed his head and kept quiet. Angela's expression gave her the idea that perhaps the question involved more than she was aware of.
"Is there anything you need me to help you with tonight, Cleo? Maria questioned as she became aware of Daniel's discomfort with the course of inquiry. The conversation needed to switch topics."
I don't believe so, no. Today, we took care of everything. If you wish to get ready in our suite tomorrow morning, some of our friends will be stopping by early. Angela is also coming.
"Yeah, it's going to be a nightmare. Daniel, I'd stay clear if I were you, you're welcome to spend the day with me and Micah."
"If you don't need me for anything, that sounds nice. I have some stuff to finish up in the morning, though." He turned to Maria and remarked.
"No, I ought to be fine."
The remainder of the meal was uneventful. Maria was still perplexed as to why Daniel didn't want to discuss his family much, but given her background and the nature of her cousin Ethan's business, she could appreciate the need for some privacy. The girls left her and Daniel in the restaurant with Jonah and Matthew after the check was paid.
"Do you have a few minutes to spare so that the three of us can chat, Maria?"
She nodded in agreement to Matthew's question before asking Daniel if he wanted her to simply meet him in their room.
"No, I'll be at the bar waiting for you."
"We shouldn't need too much time," Jonah continued.
"If you need me, just let me know. I won't be far," Daniel assured Maria, turning to give her a loving kiss.
He shook hands with both of Maria's brothers before making his exit. Jonah slipped an envelope from his jacket pocket as Matthew continued talking after Daniel was out of earshot.
Jonah set the documents down in front of her and said, "I know you've been dragging your feet about this, but I think we would all feel better if we had this taken care of and behind us."
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I have work in like 2 hours so this chapter is a little short today
