Hollywood Zenith

Ritz-Carlton Hotel, third floor.

" Sir, I have arranged everything; please make yourself comfortable." The hotel manager took them to an exquisite Japanese restaurant famous in the city.

It was traditionally decorated and operated by a well-known Japanese chef they hired from the island country; the manager kept telling him about it, but before they entered the restaurant, Steve stopped him.

" Boss, I should just go and inform Jane about today. You know she worries a lot..so" Steve was cryptic about it.

" Go; I am sure she misses you too." Samuel teased. It\'s been years since they got together, but for some reason, they never showed it publically. They never hid it but never acknowledged it, which was strange.

" Boss, it\'s not like that.."

" Go, I will be fine. Arthur, you too, if they really intended to use the drugs on Liliana. I want them to suffer as much as they can, but legally. It shouldn\'t raise any suspicions." Samuel turned toward Arthur and asked.

" Alright, I will wait for you at the mansion. Will you be there?" Arthur asked.

" I don\'t know. I have to ask Liliana first."

" Very well." With that, Samuel was left alone as he entered the restaurant and greeted the head chef, who was already waiting for him.

" Sir, Can I know how many of you be dining here?" The chef asked after pleasantries. 

" I don\'t know, but I would like your recommendations for the menu." Samuel genuinely didn\'t know, Liliana sure, but he didn\'t know how many people were coming with her, namely Daniel and his men\'s numbers.

" Excellent, we have the best wagyu beef in town, but today we got our delivery for the Bluefin tuna." The head chef enthusiastically reported.

" I have checked the shipment personally; they are very fresh." The manager jumped in to make his presence known too.

" Good, I am expecting great dishes then."

" Yes, sir." They led him to the private room, and Samuel waited for Liliana and others.

Meanwhile, outside the hotel, Liliana talked with Daniel to invite him inside.

" What do you mean you are not coming?" Liliana was shocked when they denied the invitation.

" We are going back home; I have to report everything to the boss and also have to stop him from wreaking havoc because of it." Daniel was firm.

" But I heard they served the best steak in the city! Are you guys sure?" She was purposefully loud so that the people behind Daniel would hear her.

Daniel looked back, and he could see them drooling already! Fuck, did she have to mention that? They were always tight on a budget; hence, it had been long since they went to such fancy places.

" Enough! We are leaving; you are coming home tonight, right?" Daniel asked while leaving.

" Home? You mean Maywood?"

" Yes."

" Why?" She asked.

"Boss\'s orders. Bring Samuel too; he should pay his respects."

" No, last time was a disaster. Besides, he doesn\'t need to follow such traditions." Liliana flat-out rejected it.

" Boss explicitly asked for him. He has to come." Daniel was only told to bring both of them, he didn\'t know why, but he had some ideas.

" I don\'t think he has to follow my father\'s orders; he is already more powerful than the whole street combined."

" Hierarchy is not always defined by strength; he is with you, which essentially makes the boss his \'father\', which is why he has to come. I am done with this; you are making us late." Daniel walked away; he was too busy to fight with a little girl.

" Wait, we are not going! I am telling you now!" Liliana declared it as they were walking away.

...

...

...

" We should go."

" What!? Why?" Liliana was dumbfounded when she heard Samuel\'s answer.

" Why not? I like him, and he is your father. I never wanted nagging in-laws." Samuel smiled mischievously as it took Liliana a few seconds to process it.

" W-who said I was going to m-marry you? Humph." She lied through her teeth because her cheeks were starting to turn red.

" No? So you don\'t love me anymore..." Samuel put on his depressed face.

" I never said that! I was just...you know.." She was trapped.

" So you do love me-"

" Stop it! Stop teasing me!" Samuel started laughing while Liliana was embarrassed this hateful guy tricked her into professing her love for him.

" Alright, I will stop, but we are going. I also have a few things I like to discuss with him." Samuel said he didn\'t want to play with a maiden\'s heart.

" If you say so, don\'t tell me I didn\'t warn you."

" It will be fine. What about Rosaline?" Samuel asked.

" She is busy with the family business. Their finances are a mess as Uncle Rick didn\'t focus much on it; she is helping them get things in order before we start our venture. I think we shouldn\'t disturb her right now." Liliana said, but her intentions were a little selfish.

She wanted to spend some time alone with Samuel. That\'s why she was so adamant about not visiting her father earlier. As far as she could remember, they never got to be alone like this.

" I see. But what about today\'s event? If you tell her, she will definitely rush here." Samuel asked.

" It\'s not a big deal. I didn\'t get hurt, so I could tell her some other time." Liliana said it, but Samuel could feel slightly hesitant in her voice. Rosaline was her precious friend, so she didn\'t want to keep secrets from her, but if she did that, then she would miss this opportunity.

Seeing she was thinking about something, Samuel reached for her hand.

" Something on your mind? We don\'t have to go if you don\'t want to." he thought it was about the meeting.

" No, it\'s just.." she debated whether she should tell him. She looked at his crystal clear green eyes and decided to tell him.

" You are worried about that.." Samuel struggled to hold his laughter while she was embarrassed and angry at his behaviour. She was opening her heart out, but this idiot was laughing! Why did she have to fall for him this hard? She started whipping her hand around, trying to hurt him while they sat on the floor waiting for food.

" I am sorry. It\'s just too funny... You are so cute.." Samuel put his hand up, trying to defend himself while simultaneously trying to stop laughing.

" You bastard." She put a little more strength on her next strike, which made Samuel block and pins her down on the floor.

" I can\'t be in every place at once..." Samuel said while he was on top of her, intensely looking into her eyes as they exchanged breaths.

" But whenever you think of me, I will be there. You just have to ask." Samuel said sincerely, and Liliana felt it too; the room was strangely getting hotter.

She leaned in a little centimetres away from touching his lips when suddenly the door opened, and the waitress walked in on them. 

" I-i f-forgot some d-dishes." She immediately closed the door and fled the scene.

Next followed an awkward lunch and an even more awkward walk back toward the exit as everyone stared at the young couple.