THE BILLIONAIRE'S DESIRE

CHAPTER 17

Daniella's room lacked a crib for AJ. Rather than that, there were two beds that, when united, could accommodate at least five people. She simply wanted additional sleeping space for herself and AJ.

A comfortable nursing chair was beside the window that viewed the seaside for her breastfeeding session with AJ. It was far too comfy, and the scenery was spectacular, so there was no reason why her kid would not fall asleep sucking at her breasts for sustenance.

Every time she is alone, she cannot help but think of the man who was once her everything. Though she had promised AJ that she would focus exclusively on her, she couldn't help herself. Moving on was simple to say...

While AJ was sleeping, she asked Patty to take over her daughter so she could check on Lilian, but when she found Lilian breastfeeding her infant in the living room, she opted not to bother her and returned upstairs undetected.

She grew depressed when she passed their living room upstairs on her route to her bedroom. It's where she used to watch television shows with Marcus, and, unlike the downstairs living space, it was cosier and more suited to long chats with family and friends. It included a flat-screen television, a home theatre system, a video gaming console, and a media player. Additionally, it features a large couch that seats two people and is ideal for lovers and couples. The six-seater sofa was likewise built to her father's specifications.

"Would you mind if I gave you a dime for your thought?" Lilian was on her way to her room when she noticed Daniella standing near the second-floor living room.

"Lilian! "I apologize; I was unaware you had arrived," she apologized. Lilian is probably on her way to her bedroom to comfort her sleeping daughter. "Why are you refusing to enter my room?" Lilian

was invited.

"However, Vanessa was asleep, and I'm sure AJ was as well," Lilian refused her invitation out of consideration for Daniella.

"I insist," she stated in response to Lilian's refusal.

Lilian arched her brows and followed Daniella to her chamber. To be sure, the woman possessed a strong personality and a keen sense of self-interest. When she eventually entered Daniella's bedroom, she was taken aback by its spaciousness. Although the united beds took up half of the living area, there was still plenty of room for virtually everything. "I heard your spouse went to Syria to combat terrorists," she explained, recounting the horrors she had heard from the workers.

"Yes, wasn't he a gentleman?" That is, not everyone is eager to be deployed abroad to fight," She spoke as though she were ecstatic about Marcus.

"I concur," Lilian stated.

Daniella lamented that being a single mother was not an easy assignment. Paloma proposed hiring a babysitter for AJ, but she was adamant about caring for her kid herself. Call it insecurities or what have you, but she didn't want AJ to grow up with a nanny. AJ and Vanessa normally played outside throughout the day and afterwards watched chuchu tv. While the children were occupied, the moms could chat about males.

"Will your spouse return home before AJ turns one?" Paloma questioned as they stood outside watching the children play.

Daniella was taken aback by Paloma's question. She was supposed to tell her stepmother of the annulment but utterly forgot. Lilian was the only one who was aware of the truth about her and

Marcus. "I'm not certain, Ma, but I'm hoping he can make it." Lilian cleared her throat as she listened to their chat.

"Since he was not there at your child's baptism, he should be present on her first birthday. Daniella was scolded by Paloma, "I'm advising you to call him." She was already upset with Lilian, who has refused to reveal Vanessa's father's name, and Daniella's husband, who has not visited their home since he left for Syria.

"I'll make an attempt to contact him later, Ma." She lied in order for Paloma to go on to the next question, if there is one.

"How about you, Lilian?"

Lilian pursed her lips when Paloma's gaze shifted to her and she stared at Daniella. "And how about you, Ma?" She was curious as to what Paloma had had for lunch to be so inquisitive.

"I'm referring to Vanessa's father." "Could you just tell me who the bastard was?" Her sixtieth birthday was approaching, and all she desired was to witness her two daughters marry blissfully.

"If you want me to commit a crime, I will assist you in locating him," Lilian responded cynically, further infuriating Paloma.

"However, what is your strategy now?" You're going to marry another man who is unrelated to Vanessa?" Paloma took a defensive stance and kept lecturing Lilian on her future plans.

"Ma, please give Lilian time to sort out her feelings for the man," Daniella pleaded in an attempt to save Lilian from the firing squad.

"Did you not learn anything from your ordeal, Lilian?" Yes, I was content with another guy who was not your father, but the relationship was incomplete since I am unable to bring you to live with us. "I

was afraid Greg might do something awful to you while I was gone," Paloma stated as to why she refused to let Lilian live with them.

Daniella listened to Paloma's speech but was taken aback to learn that the woman was fearful of her father abusing her loved child. "How are you able to say that, Ma?" Daniella lamented, "My father was a decent man." How could Paloma have anticipated something like this happening to Lilian?

"Pardon me, Ella; I was just attempting to protect her. You've seen the news reports of stepfathers who were spiteful against their stepdaughter. "I hope this makes sense," Paloma stated.

Daniella nodded, knowing that as a mother, she would do all possible to safeguard AJ. However, her father Gregory would never rape another woman's daughter if he had his own. She cast a glance towards Lilian, feeling empathy for the other woman. It must be excruciating for Lilian to miss her mother on a daily basis!

"If that is the case, then I do not require the presence of a guy in my life!" Daniella and Lilian both made declarations.

Paloma shook her head incredulously as she walked away from them and into her car to go shopping. She'd be in desperate need of a new gown for her forthcoming birthday! Communicating with Daniella and Lilian was similar to speaking with a friend on messenger, except that the messages you wrote were only viewed by Daniella and Lilian.

Patty handed Daniella a box from an unknown source the day following her tense conversation with Paloma and Lilian. When the box came, they were all in the living room. She was delighted to receive it since she was anticipating a delivery from Rainbow Tots.

"Stop!" Paloma yelled before Daniella could cut the tapes that were around the box. They had no idea who sent the package, so what if it contained a bomb? It might be her age, but Paloma has

recently developed paranoia.

"You're being very emotional, Ma." "Perhaps this is AJ's new dress that I purchased online," Daniella said, opening the package.

"Common sense dictates that it is better to be safe than sorry." Ella, please bring the gift outside and we'll open it together. "Patty, you look after the children," Paloma said as the three of them stepped outside to inspect the package. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Daniella raised her eyebrows but carried the package outside as Paloma directed. She gently opened the wrapper with a cutter. "Oh my God!" she said upon discovering the urn inside the present.

"Is that a vase for flowers?" "I didn't realize you had a suitor," Paloma pinched her brow, "but he should have sent some flowers, not just a vase." Paloma expressed her point of view.

Daniella removed the urn from the box and showed it to the others; she then discovered that it included a card and read it aloud. "He is no longer alive!" She informed everyone that Marcus had died and that the urn contained his ashes following his cremation.

"What? How did you become a widow at the age of thirty-one?" Paloma burst out laughing when she learned of Marcus' death and admonished Daniella about picking a military as a partner.

Daniella was at a loss for what to do if she burst into tears at the tragic news. She sent a silent gaze at Lilian and begged for her assistance, but the foolish lady shook her shoulders. She then collapsed.

"Ella!" Paloma shrieked as Daniella fell. She must be devastated to learn that her spouse perished battling terrorists in Syria. She cried out for assistance, and Peter rushed over to assist her in carrying Daniella inside the home.

Daniella had been out for around two minutes, and when she awoke, she was bewildered. "What transpired?" She enquired.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Ella, but could you please be strong for AJ?" Paloma broke the dreadful news gradually and advised her stepdaughter to be strong for AJ's sake.

"He has departed, Ma." Daniella's eyes were wet and she cried gently as she processed the dreadful news about her spouse.

Lilian was at a loss for words, and Paloma was concerned about Daniella. She was still in her twenties and had already been widowed at the age of thirty-one.

Paloma volunteered to arrange for the burial in the family mausoleum, which was built to allow both conventional and cremation burials. Daniella insisted on keeping her husband's remains in her bedroom, but Paloma protested, arguing that all remains, whether Marcus' or another family member's, should be placed to rest in a final resting place.

The next day, her husband's ashes were moved to the tomb, where they would rest in peace. For identification purposes, his name was etched on the vase, and a picture frame containing his photograph was put next to the urn.

Lilian approached Daniella surreptitiously while Paloma was occupied with something else. "I'm speechless! You submitted Vanessa's DNA for the paternity test first, and we're currently preparing for his burial. "What are your plans for the future, Ella?" She enquired.

"It's time to celebrate!" Daniella spoke in hushed tones to Lilian. When the moment was perfect, she would accompany her daughter to the tomb to pay her respects to her deceased father. The strategy was flawless from the start. She would take care of AJ entirely on her own and would defend her daughter with everything she had. Marcus, how about you? He could as well go to hell and never return! She silently prayed that their paths would never cross again...ever!

"You're insane!" Lilian stated, and Daniella responded with a chuckle. "But then, mother's birthday is coming, so don't you think it's a perfect occasion to celebrate?"

"Hmmm, sounds a good idea," Daniella agreed.

Initially, the idea of holding the party in a nice hotel appealed to her, but she quickly realized that she is already a senior citizen and that going a considerable distance would weary both her and some of the visitors.

Daniella was relieved when Paloma changed the location of her party since travelling with a newborn was exhausting and AJ was a bit overweight for her age. However, it was to be a one- week celebration with a variety of events taking place on their estate.

Lilian was in charge of transportation and accommodation set up for their visitors who were not from Oslob, whilst Daniella was in charge of decorating and flower arrangement. It was less arduous than Lilian's duty because she did not have to coordinate her efforts with others. The remaining chores required to guarantee a flawless celebration of their mother's birthday were outsourced to other staff members and the organizer. While their planner was capable of handling all-party logistics, she and Lilian offered to assist in order to make it more memorable for their mother.

Paloma's visitors were largely her friends, with a total of more than twenty confirmed attendees. Couples might share a room, while singles would be separated by gender. The east wing was designated for ladies, while the west wing was designated for guys.

"May I have a minute, Ella?" Lilian made her way to Daniella's greenhouse, where she was arranging flowers for the celebration. Previously, she was perplexed about how to greet guests who were single but accompanied by an escort.

Daniella began the floral arrangement early in the morning, as the celebration was scheduled for tomorrow. "It is, but what is it?" Daniella enquired.

"I'm not sure where to place Mr Marcus's escort," Lilian explained.

Daniella's attention was sparked upon hearing the name and she wanted to ask Lilian for more information, but then she remembered herself that there were possibly more than a thousand people in the nation named Marcus. "Married?"

"Nope, I'm not married. To be fair, I enjoy the sound of his name. Do you believe Marcus Edward was an alien?" Lilian sought Daniella's advice.

Lilian took offence at Daniella's failure to laugh at her joke. "Whatever. How are you going to snub my joke? Anyway, returning to the room assignment, do you believe his escort would object if they were unable to share?"

"I believe not! That is against our stringent policy, Lil. Only married couples are permitted to share a room. Is that all you wish to inquire of me?" Daniella wished she could punish her stepsister for her misbehaviour. Lilian was well aware that she was allergic to anyone named Marcus and yet she came to seek her advice.

Lilian rushed out before Daniella could express her rage. Indeed, she has another unwelcome guest. His name was virtually identical to that of the guy who had deceived her, or perhaps her imagination was running wild. Alexander and Alexis? No, they were two distinct individuals. Lilian shook her head in an attempt to clear her mind. She was OK throughout the last few months and made a concerted effort to move on.

"Hey, is there a problem?" Paloma inquired when she observed Lilian was so absorbed in her thoughts that she missed her daughter's approach.

When she heard her mother's voice, she was taken aback. "I'm all right. Are you on your way somewhere?" When Lilian noticed the vehicle key on her left hand, she queried.

"Yeah, just around the corner." Paloma responded. "By the way, has Alexander verified his impending arrival?" Although he confirmed his impending arrival in an email a few weeks earlier, she desired confirmation.

Lilian checked the guest list to see whether there was another Alexander and discovered that there was just one. Alexander Ortega was on the list, and he shared Alexis' surname. Suddenly, her heart began to race. "Are you referring to Alexander Ortega?"

"Yes, and I want you to give him the house's largest guest room." Paloma gave the command.

Lilian wrinkled her eyes when Paloma instructed her to assign Alexander the largest guest room, imagining the worst-case scenario. Could this Alexander have been Paloma's boyfriend? "Ella is not going to agree, Ma." The room in issue was Marcus Madrigal's when he was at home, and no one had dared to open or clean it until now. Following the burial, Daniella replaced the urn with another vase of similar hue and reintroduced his ashes to the space he previously occupied.

"Do not worry; I will speak with her before to leaving." Paloma was certain Daniella would grant her birthday request and proceeded to the greenhouse where she was employed.

Paloma, Gregory's wife, avoided frequent visits to the greenhouse since they reminded her of the lady who had stolen Gregory from her. When they were still dating in college, her connection with Gregory was kept a secret. Her family was not wealthy, and his parents arranged for him to marry Daniella's mother. Gregory defied his parents' wishes and abandoned her, and on the night of his wedding, she was drained by sadness and slept with a total stranger she met at a bar, and Lilian saw the world nine months later.

That was why she was unhappy with Lilian for not disclosing Vanessa's paternity; she was scared that her daughter had made the same mistake she had made years ago and had slept with a stranger as well. She slowly entered the greenhouse's entrance and noticed Daniella tending to the flowers. "Ella," she addressed her.

"Are you sure, Ma?" Daniella raised her eyes to find Paloma approaching her. Her stepmother's visit to the greenhouse was unexpected. As far as she could recall, she had never sought to be in her mother's favourite location.

"I am expecting a very important guest tomorrow and would want to accommodate him in the room that your late husband occupied," she informed her.

Daniella blinked numerous times, not wanting to say yes but also not wanting to annoy her VIP tomorrow. "Certainly, but do not move the furniture. "Simply get it cleaned," she directed.

"Thank you, my love; I'll see you later." Paloma was relieved when Daniella accepted since it indicated that she had moved on from the death of her husband.