Hollywood Zenith



" You guys go first. I have another pressing matter to tend to." Darren said suddenly.

" What's with you all of a sudden?" Samuel asked. He was already surprised Mayra and Darren knew each other, but why was he running away like this?

" That's a good idea; it will be good for him to bond with Elise," Mayra suggested.

" I knew it! I finally understand why she kept pestering me for years!" Darren became enthusiastic all of a sudden.

" What?"

" Don't try to deny it! She has your nose! How can you leave your daughter alone like this? I understand it might be a mistake fathering a child when you are a teenager, but-" Darren's monologue was cut short with Samuel's powerful chop on the head.

Samuel made sure Elise was not hurt while he was punishing Darren. But his worries were pointless. Elise giggled to show her support.

" What the hell are you thinking? She is obviously not my child!" Samuel exclaimed.

" How can you be sure? You were so close back then accidents happen-" He refused to believe him, which prolonged his suffering.

" Mayra, tell me!" Samuel turned toward the laughing Mayra, who was obviously enjoying it.

" He is right, we might have done it, but Samuel didn't know where children come from back then. I have to endure so many years trying to reunite them." She started a sob story to further fuel the fire!

" I consider you my brother! But this... I never knew you were this reckless! Your family might not have approved, but you could have come to me!"

These two rascals! Samuel was fed up with their misunderstanding; they were beginning to get attention from other passengers. From their perspective, it looked like two men were fighting for one girl's affection.

" Will you stop this?" Samuel asked her.

" What are you talking about?" She feigns innocence while suppressing her laughter.

" Oow oow... sorry....please...I was wrong..." Samuel mushed her plump cheeks to make her yield.

" Ab aa ab", Elise, still in his arms, suddenly began to struggle; she thrashed her arms, trying to stop Samuel from hurting her mother. Seeing her act like that, Samuel decided to let her go.

It took some time to get Darren on the same page, but he finally understood it was one of her wicked pranks! She was devious as ever, using a little girl to stir up some drama.

" Really, you haven't changed a bit!" He proclaimed in anger.

" Do you think so too, Samuel?" She grabbed his empty arm, knowingly pressing her chest.

" Yes, now let go of me! Is that how a married woman should act?" Samuel didn't like her usual openness because of it. It was passable when she was young, but she should act her age now that she has a husband and a kid.

" It's a unique service only for you!" She pressed herself further, giving him a charming smile.

" It seems you need another pinching!" Samuel threatened her, to which she immediately surrendered. But their back and forth seemed to calm Elise; she was cheerful again.

" I really need to go; Emma also took an early flight-"

" hoho, I see why you were in so much hurry! and I can't believe you were going to leave me in the hotel!" His two statements had different sentiments attached to them.

" Relax, we would have gone together now that Mayra is here. It's a great chance for me- I mean you to reconnect, right?" The bastard's thoughts were leaking out involuntarily, but it was not his place to keep him from happiness.

" Go, I will meet you-"

" No! You will be staying with us!" Mayra interjected and convinced Samuel to stay. He might feel weird if she were not married, and it was time he got to meet her husband. They also had a lot of catching up to do.

They parted ways. Samuel took his Ferrari 250 GTO, which was unloaded with priority, and drove it out of the airport with Mayra and Elise in the front seat.

...

...

...

Elise was dozing in Mayra's embrace while Samuel drove; she must have tired herself out, especially when their flight was early in the morning.

" You really got married? I never expected you to at such a young age." Samuel opened up the conversation.

" What are you disappointed? Fufu," She teased.

" What? No! I already told you I am not into nerdy girls! Do you even remember that horrible bob cut you had back in college?" Samuel was flustered. He didn't know the reason, but she was one of the people who could really push his buttons!

" I don't have one now. Can't you see a beautiful woman sitting beside you?" She moved her long hair back behind her ears, exposing her elegant neckline.

" Married! Beautiful married woman, besides, I don't know how your husband deals with your shenanigans." Samuel sighed. How could she be so brazen?

" So I am beautiful! That's the first time you said it! Hehe"

" If you keep this up, I will throw you out!"

" *sob* how can you ever do that to your daughter and wife..."

They kept their back and forth for a while; the airport was far from the city's centre, so they had plenty of time to resolve their differences.

" Actually, she is not my child. I started a non-profit a year ago geared toward helping children. She has been with us for a few months, but we only recently brought her home because of her condition." She said something serious for the first time since they met.

" Oh, I figured, seeing she is about the same age, we lost contact. Somehow I feel Darren's worries were justified." Samuel said reluctantly.

" Well, we can fix that."

" Fix what?"

" Having a child together? Are you up for it?" She said like she was not even joking.

" You- you really didn't change, huh?" Samuel didn't even bother to get mad at her ridiculous jokes. Moving on from that, Samuel asked her about Elise's condition that she was talking about; if there was something he could help with, he would be glad to do it.