The billionaire's only desire-Chapter 57: mother in law shenanigans

"Let me help you with that," Aiden politely offered as he watched Maya pack the smoky tomato, chipotle, and charred corn soup she had made for lunch into the insulated food delivery bag.

"I’m good," Maya replied, declining his offer as she filled the stainless steel thermos with the corn soup.

"My sweet sons," Beatrice’s coaxing voice could be heard outside the kitchen. "Where are you, my babies?" she sang. "Mummy is looking for you."

"Oh Lord," Aiden hissed, irritated. "I can’t take it anymore. Oliver, when do you think her heart condition will finally get her killed?"

Oliver nearly spat out the food in his mouth.

"Whoa, Aiden, dial down your psychopathic tendencies. That woman is annoying, but she is our mom," River chastised Aiden. The brothers were at the kitchen island, eating the same dish that Maya had made as Dalton’s lunch.

Aiden snorted. "She is as good as dead. That woman doesn’t deserve the title of ’mother.’"

"There you are, my babies," Beatrice said.

Maya cringed. Anytime she hears Beatrice refer to her sons as "babies," it makes her skin crawl.

Beatrice immediately launched into her daily nagging. "Your older brother is too stingy. He gave me just pennies as a three-month allowance. Can you imagine that?"

"How much did he give you?" River asked.

"Half a million dollars," Beatrice replied.

"What?" everyone exclaimed.

"That’s way too much. Dalton is being more generous than he should be with you," Aiden grunted.

Beatrice rolled her eyes. "Half a million is nothing. I could blow up that in just a week. I’m expensive."

"No wonder all your husbands left you," Oliver mumbled under his breath, but Maya heard it and let out a snarky laugh.

"What is funny girl?" Beatrice glared at her.

Maya shrugged. "Nothing," she said, diverting her gaze to Aiden to avoid Beatrice’s deadly glare. "Can we go, please? Dalton must be impatiently waiting for his lunch." She adjusted the insulated food delivery bag over her shoulder.

"I need a new fancy car to drive around the city. Could any of you, my precious ones, buy one for me?" Beatrice was particularly directing her question at Aiden since he owns a sports car company.

"Nope, my cars aren’t free. If you want one..." Aiden gestured with his fingers, "You need to give me cash."

Beatrice scoffed. "Your car brand is beneath me anyway. There are better brands."

She moved closer to River. "My beautiful baby boy," she said, wrapping her finger around his biceps.

River shook his head. "I’m as poor as a church rat. Dalton has frozen all my accounts."

Beatrice turned to Oliver.

Oliver stopped eating to turn down his mother. "All my money goes into my charity foundation."

"I have billionaires for sons, but none of them is willing to buy me a car!" Beatrice’s nostrils flared as she stormed off.

Everyone let out a sigh. Beatrice is quite a character.

***

Maya was extremely exhausted when she left the restaurant after a long day of cooking and managerial tasks as the sous chef at a five-star restaurant. She couldn’t wait to take a shower and then go to sleep.

Dalton won’t be coming home. He is off on another business trip, even though he told Maya that he had taken a month off. He just doesn’t know how to say no to work. Maya understands him, as she is a workaholic like him. She could have joined him on his trips to fulfill her duties as his chef, but Dalton knows she wouldn’t give up her job at the restaurant, which is why he has never offered to take her along with him.

Maya suddenly turned as she heard the screeching sound of car tires. A fancy, brand-new car pulled up in front of her. The driver’s side door burst open, and Soraya stepped out.

Maya’s eyes widened. "Soraya, what are you doing here?"

"I came to drop off my mother-in-law," Soraya said with a hint of arrogance.

Maya, let out an amused laugh. "Your mother-in-law? Beatrice?"

"Yes, my mother-in-law," Soraya replied as she opened the backseat door. Beatrice stepped out with an air of self-importance, dressed in a fancy outfit.

"I had a lovely time, dear. That is the best classy bar I have ever been to," Beatrice beams. "And I can’t believe you bought me this fancy car when my wealthy sons refuse to. You are the kind of daughter-in-law every mother deserves, unlike the gold digger my son has brought into this mansion as his kept woman ." Beatrice shot a hot laser glare at Maya as if she could pop Maya’s head off with her eyes that were filled with loathing.

"I’m not a kept woman, Beatrice!" Maya snapped at her. "Any money Dalton gives me is a salary for being his personal chef," she defended herself.

"Oh, you were only supposed to cook for him, but you decided to sneak your way into his bed," Beatrice snickered.

Maya let her anger subside. Arguing with Beatrice only exacerbates her migraines. This woman is quite a piece of work; ignoring her provocations is the best option.

Beatrice wasn’t done. "I learned from Soraya that you are the child from the scandalous affair Cecelia had."

Maya kneaded her brows together. "You knew my mother?"

"Of course! Who doesn’t know Cecelia, that adulterous whore?" Beatrice’s tone dripped with hatred.

"My mother may have committed adultery, but she was not a woman like your kind....." Maya bit back her words, realizing what she was about to do. She was going to mock Beatrice for her many husbands, resorting to slut-shaming. That would be so low of her. It will tarnish her good character.

Beatrice snarled, "Your dead mother would wish she were half the woman I am." A pleased expression crossed her face as she turned to Soraya. "I promise you, I will do everything to ensure you replace me as Mrs. Black."

Maya was fed up. She decided to quickly retreat to her room; she was not going to listen to Beatrice spew her nonsense any longer.

"Wait," Soraya said, stopping Maya. "I need to talk to you."

"Mrs. Black, could you please excuse my cousin and me? There is a crucial issue I need to discuss with her." Soraya sounded so sweet and kind that Maya might have believed her if she weren’t familiar with Soraya’s façade.

"Hmm, I see," Beatrice was hesitant to leave. However, when Soraya whispered something in her ear, it prompted her to go.

Maya decided to attack first. "Shouldn’t you be in Spain? I’m sure Dalton won’t be happy to learn that you’re in his mansion."

"So prideful. You think you have Dalton completely under your control. But you forgot that you need to win over his mother first, which I have," Soraya replied triumphantly.

"Oh please, you’re smarter than this. I’m sure you know that Dalton despises his mother. There’s no way Beatrice has any influence on his love life. Give it up, Soraya. You wasted Aunt Lily’s money buying an expensive car for Beatrice, and it was all for nothing."

"It’s my own money!" Soraya said defensively.

"Your own money?" Maya snickered. "Didn’t Dalton blacklist you from the fashion industry?" She struck where it would hurt Soraya the most, and it did. The pain was evident on Soraya’s face.

Soraya’s face tightened in anger. "You should be treating me nicely, considering that it’s thanks to me that you are alive."

Maya’s expression turned to confusion. "What on earth are you talking about?"

A smirk appeared on Soraya’s face. "Dalton didn’t tell you? I thought couples shared everything. If he didn’t mention this to you, I can only imagine what else he might be keeping from you."

Maya felt a pang in her chest as if something cancerous was spreading into her heart. Soraya’s words struck a nerve, but Maya shook it off. She refused to let Soraya manipulate her into distrusting Dalton.

With her chin held high, Maya pretended that Soraya’s words didn’t affect her. "How do I owe you my life?" she asked.

"I told Dalton where Uncle was keeping you. God, I wish I hadn’t. I could have gotten rid of you for good," Soraya bitterly lamented.

"Thank you for doing that. What a decent human being you are," Maya said sarcastically, causing Soraya’s face to flush with even more rage.

"So, what was the crucial issue you wanted to discuss with me?" Maya asked as she yawned. She was extremely tired.

"Valentina wants to sell the house. She needs your signature," Soraya informed Maya.

"So now you’re Valentina’s errand girl, huh? I thought you were her boss. You were the master, and she was the slave." Maya squinted at Soraya, then covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "Ah, the tables have turned, right? She lent you the money to buy that expensive car for Beatrice. As a result, she is now the master, and you are the slave," Maya taunts. With Frederick Hathaway and Terrence dead, her late mother’s wealth is now divided between Valentina and herself, and that wealth amounts to a crazy significant sum. Maya didn’t realize how wealthy her late mother was until she read the will.

"Go tell your master that our mother’s house will not be sold to anyone." Now, Maya is considering accepting Dalton’s offer to make her the sole owner.

Soraya seethes. "The tables will turn between us as well. You are right; Beatrice can not help me. But there is someone else I can use to make Dalton mine."

A malicious gleam flashed in Soraya’s eyes as she furiously typed on her phone. "Dalton cares about this person as much as he cares about his brothers. And she is on my side. She will be here soon and will send you packing out of Dalton’s life."

Maya tried not to be worried, but she couldn’t help but feel scared. Who on earth is this person?

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