"I think I'll watch over this challenge you mentioned." Zaria crossed her arms as she declared. There was no way she would trust these two with each other.

"That's alright. We will not fight." Desmond promised. While it would be fun for his girlfriend to watch him take a challenge against her father, he didn't want to bother her. Besides, who was to say that Theodore wasn't horrible at the game? If he was, he would have to give in and let his future father-in-law win, which might come off as offensive to Zaria.

Theodore didn't want Zaria to watch either. He might end up kicking Desmond's butt and that would make his daughter think that he was trying to bully her boyfriend. "At least I'll try not to kill him." He promised.

Zaria was amazed that they finally said something unanimously for the first time. "That's great. But there's nothing better than watching a good challenge after dinner, is there?"

"No, there isn't." The men laughed.

She followed them to the living room and a servant brought the chessboard. She sat down and hugged Des, rubbing his coat rhythmically as the man sat opposite each other and tried to capture each other's pieces. It only took a few minutes to realize that they were both insanely good at it, and they had good strategies.

She had expected to see Desmond's pieces all captured within two minutes since she knew how good her dad was at indoor games. Surprisingly, Desmond was a pro too!

"Des, are you bored?" She gently asked when the puppy wiggled in her arms. He whined, making her chuckle. "I agree. I find them childish too."

"Hey!" Desmond complained. All he had done was play a game of chess. Could she explain which part of that was childish?

"Aren't you?" She crossed her arms and looked at him threateningly.

"Yes I am." He admitted when he thought about it. What point was he and Theodore trying to prove? They were both going all out just to make Zaria see that they were smarter than the other.

While he spoke, he finally managed to capture Theodore's pawn.

"Smart lad." Theodore cursed at his own mistake, but he had to agree that Desmond was indeed good at the game. "Forget the game. I'm not giving in." He corrected them before they could come into a conclusion about him conceding defeat. "What I mean is, let's talk about more important things. We all know what kind of family you are from. How am I to be certain that my princess will not be bullied by those aristocratic men and women?" he asked suspiciously. He had been with a woman who was not of the same social status as him before, and he knew how frustrating it could get when families came into the mix.

"I will protect Zaria with my life and ensure no one bullies her." He promised, and he meant it.

Theodore scrutinized his expression and ensured that he was not trying to make a fool out of Zaria.

"You love my daughter so much, right?" He asked.

"I do." He answered confidently.

"Then I want the two of you to get married. Tomorrow." He ordered.

"Dad!" Zaria was in shock.

"What is it, my dear? Could it be that he is not the man you want to marry?" Theodore asked. "If you do not want to be his wife, then why are you with him?"

"It's just too soon." Zaria explained. She had never even thought about marriage. How could she suddenly get married in a few hours? It was too much to take in even if the man was the love of her life.

"Is that so?" Theodore sounded disappointed and looked at Desmond. "Do you agree with her? Do you think it's too soon for the two of you to get married?"

Desmond thought about it and shook his head. "I would make Zaria my wife even right this moment. However, I cannot force her into something she is not ready for. I'm sorry Mr. Williams." He sincerely apologized.

Zaria let out a sigh. "Dad, why would you be in such a hurry to get us married anyway? Is everything alright?"

"Yes. I just wanted to know where he's heading with this relationship." He confessed.

Zaria slapped her forehead. "Dad…"

He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. "I know, princess. I'm sorry." His apology was directed at Desmond, who he had just tested out of the blue.

"I totally understand, Mr. Williams." Desmond nodded. He knew that Zaria was Theodore's life, so he couldn't blame him for his irrational actions.

"I guess I'll see Desmond out." Zaria stood and headed towards the door.

"Goodbye, Mr. Williams. I'll see you again soon." Desmond promised. It was impossible not to meet when they treasured the same woman, they may as well become friends.

Zaria led the way and just as they neared Desmond's car, she noticed someone walking in from the main gate.

"Ryan?" She was puzzled when she saw the incomer clearly.

"Hey Zaria." Ryan tried to hug her and was ignored. He glared at Desmond before ignoring him to focus on Zaria. "I came to check on Uncle Theo." He explained his unexplained arrival.

"What is he doing here?" Desmond asked in displeasure.

"He came to check on my dad." She repeated Ryan's words as she looked at him. "Go on, he's in the living room."

"And you let him in?" Desmond complained when Ryan entered the house.

"Do I have a choice?" Zaria frowned. Ryan already knew that it was impossible between them and that they couldn't be friends either. However, he was also Theodore's friend. She couldn't stop him from paying the latter a visit just because she was no longer his friend.

"Yes you do. I'll help you kick him out." He offered and made a step towards the house, just for her to grab his hand and drag him back.

"Don't be mean." She reprimanded him.

"Zaria…" He looked at her pleadingly.

"Desmond. Just leave, okay? I…" She sighed and stopped speaking when she realized just how mean her words sounded. He was looking at her in shock, not believing that she just kicked him out.

"I don't mean to sound rude, I'm sorry." She raised a hand and caressed the side of his face.

"You just have so much going on." He pulled her into a hug, understanding that she was overwhelmed. She was yet to solve the mystery of Zeus and still had to do her work, which had multiplied. On top of that, she was torn in the midst of many distressing matters, including the friction between her former best friend and her boyfriend.

"I know just what you need." He caressed her hair and kissed the top of her head.

"And what's that?" She looked up at him.

"A late night date." He smiled. "That's one of the most effective ways to cure a bad mood."

"What are the other ways?" She asked with a smile.

"Making out." He grinned. "Do you want to try?"

Her face flushed. "Count me in. For the late night date, I mean. I'll get changed really quick."

He laughed at her retreating back as she rushed back into the house, then came back wearing a pair of denim shorts and a blue t-shirt.

"Aren't you going to feel cold in that?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. That was not the kind of outfit he would expect anyone to wear in November, especially at night when the temperatures dropped a lot more.

"If I dress warmly, why would I need you?" She looked up at him with mischief in her eyes.

"Good point." He chuckled and took her hand. He noticed that she was wearing sneakers, which was the perfect choice since he was planning on going for a late night stroll.

"Do you think this is alright?" She asked as they walked through the park a few minutes later. "It's so late at night. Is it safe?" She asked. There was no one strolling around aside from them, which sounded like the perfect recipe for disaster.

"Don't worry, this part of the city is safe. Besides, my bodyguards are around." He reassured her as he led her to a bench.

She breathed in the cool air and eased herself into his arms. "I've never seen the city this peaceful. It's magical."

___

*Fun fact;

This is probably not 'fun' but it's a fact. Many authors' moods reflect the mood in the book. Not all authors, but it's the case for me. Unless you want the male lead to cheat or the villain to kill the female lead, please don't send hate comments. Lol kidding XD. I wouldn't ruin my book because of the negatives. However, the positives influence me a lot, which is why I appreciate your comments and reviews! Feel free to send as many of them as you would like and express your views on the book.