The billionaire's only desire-Chapter 67: First cooking video

Maya woke up feeling angry, and bitterness spread through her chest like a disease. The remnants of Charlotte playing the victim and making her appear to be the insecure, bitter girlfriend baffled her. She was also angry with herself for venting her anger at Dalton, who was not to blame. She can’t continue being consumed by this anger, but she can’t help it.

Now, there is no way to get Charlotte out of the house. If she succeeded in making her appear to be a loser girlfriend, Maya wonders what other stunts she can pull off.

Fortunately, today is her day off, and she doesn’t have to go to the restaurant in a glum mood.

She needs to start her day by making breakfast for the brothers, but for the first time ever, she is feeling too lazy to cook.

Maya buried her face in the pillow. Ah! She wanted to stay in bed all day, doing nothing. She didn’t feel like doing anything at all; she wanted to be a sloth. But, Maya was allergic to laziness, so she forced herself to get up and take a shower. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Afterward, she put on a lovely summer dress and styled her hair in a sleek ponytail, applying a little makeup as well. Her mood improved, and she felt ready to start her day.

"Good morning, Nana Rose," Maya greeted her. Nana Rose was tending to the garden, watering the plants. She has been staying at her elder sister’s house since Beatrice arrived, seemingly to avoid fights with her.

Maya wanted to speak with her before heading to the kitchen to make breakfast.

"Good morning, dear. No work today?" Nana Rose warmly inquired.

Maya nodded. "It’s my day off."

"That’s good. Working all week is bad for your health." Nana Rose squinted as she examined Maya’s face. "You didn’t sleep well. There are bags under your eyes."

Maya sighed; her makeup couldn’t hide it.

Nana Rose dropped the watering can. "Is Beatrice causing you trouble?"

Maya chuckled. "She is trouble, but her shenanigans don’t get to me."

"Then it’s the other one, Charlotte?" Nana Rose guessed.

Maya nodded slowly.

"Has she been trying to come between you and Dalton?"

Maya’s eyes widened in surprise. "You know?"

Nana Rose smiled wryly. "I raised all of them, including Charlotte, so I know she has been in love with Dalton since she was thirteen."

"Yes, Aiden mentioned that to me."

Nana Rose moved on to the next plant and began spraying it with water from the can. "Don’t let Charlotte get you worked up. She knows that Dalton’s feelings for her will always be brotherly, never romantic. The only thing she can do is try to make you leave him, provoking you until you break up with him. Don’t let her succeed," she advised.

Her words brought some comfort to Maya. "Okay, thanks. Your words were just what I needed." She hugged Nana Rose and soaked up the warmth, feeling normal again.

"Nana Rose, what do you want for breakfast?"

"Omelets."

"I’ll make that right away for you,." She decided to prepare crispy bacon and sweet onion omelets for breakfast.

Cheerfully, Maya strolled into the kitchen "Girlfriend!" she heard high-pitched girls’ voices filtering through the kitchen.

"What are you girls doing here?" Maya asked, looking at Haven and Laura with astonishment. She instantly noticed the glint of the camera lens reflecting under the ambient light in the kitchen. The camera was on a tripod, properly positioned in one corner, with Laura standing behind it, beaming at Maya.

Maya raised an eyebrow, a smile beginning to spread across her face. "Oh, the cooking video! How could I forget?"

"Wait, Haven. You’re here. Shouldn’t you be at the office?"

"I convinced Mr. Black to give me a day off. I couldn’t miss your first cooking video."

Maya grinned. "This is going to be fun!"

"Why is there a supermarket in the kitchen?" a grumpy voice asked. It was Natalia, leaning against the pantry door with her arms crossed.

Maya’s outburst, "Natalia!" she rushed over and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Where have you been? I’ve missed you so much!."

"I’ve been busy with my new job," Natalia replied coolly, fiddling with her red hair.

"I thought you were. I was right! I’m so glad to see you."

There was a clicking sound.

"You’re taking pictures of me? You should have told me so I could strike a pose!" Maya fumed.

Laura’s face lit up with a mischievous grin. "I want terrible photos of you so I can blackmail you with them later."

Maya pouted. "You’re evil for this!"

Laura laughed. "I’m just kidding! You are so photogenic that I’m yet to take a bad picture of you."

"Let’s get started. Natalia will be in charge of your makeup," Laura announced as she began to coordinate. "Haven will handle the organization and instruct Maya on what to do or say."

"Wash your face, and then we can begin," Natalia instructed.

Maya quickly washed her face at the sink.

Afterward, Natalia directed her to take a seat at the kitchen island, where she immediately began applying makeup to Maya’s face.

Haven took out a notepad and pen and began creating a checklist for Maya to follow to help her stay on track.

Meanwhile, Laura was setting up the camera and lighting to ensure that everything was flawless and ready for the shoot.

"Is my dress suitable for the video?" Maya asked anxiously.

Laura nods, giving her approval. "It’s perfect for your first cooking video.

This kitchen is beautiful; there’s no need to adjust the backdrop," Laura says as she takes photos of the kitchen.

"Okay, I’m done," Natalia says, handing Maya a small mirror to check her face.

Maya smiles broadly. "You did an amazing job; my makeup looks flawless. "

"What should I do next?"

"Introduce yourself," Haven said. "But first, we need to lay out all your ingredients on the counter."

"Oh, let me get them from the pantry," Maya attempted to but Haven stopped her. "I’ll do it myself; just write down what you want me to get for you." Haven handed Maya a notepad.

Maya wrote down all the ingredients needed for the Spanish Potato Omelets, and Haven went to the pantry to get them for her. Then helped Maya place the ingredients on the counter.

"We’re about to start shooting," Laura alerted Maya.

Maya felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she prepared to shoot her first cooking video. But, the lively optimism of Haven, Laura, and even Natalia helped boost her confidence.

Laura began filming; Maya took a deep breath and introduced herself to the camera. "Hello! I am Chef DeLuca. Welcome to my kitchen! I’m so excited to share this fantastic Spanish Potato Omelets recipe with you guys." Maya ensured her smile was sweet.

With each step of the cooking process, Maya felt more at ease. Laura captured every moment, while Haven kept the ingredients flowing and provided guidance and encouragement. Natalia, on the other hand, was busily snacking on anything she could find in the pantry. They laughed and joked, creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere that was evident on Maya’s face in front of the camera.

"What on earth is happening here?" Beatrice walked in, holding her chin high and her nose proud

"My son isn’t enough for you, so you’re joining those Instagrams whores to fish for rich men?"

Haven and Laura gasped in disbelief, while Natalia seemed unfazed, and Maya was accustomed to Beatrice’s dramatic behavior.

"We’re filming a cooking video," Maya replied calmly, even though she was struggling to suppress her laughter.

"Who are you trying to fool? No one is interested in the food you’re making; they only want to get into your pants," Beatrice snarked.

"I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you for calling me gorgeous," Maya replied with a grin, to infuriate Beatrice further.

Beatrice hissed, pointing her finger at Maya. "You! I will make sure my son doesn’t marry you." With that, she stormed off.

Once she left, Maya erupted into more laughter.

"Wait, was that Dalton’s mom?" Laura inquired, amused.

"Yes, that’s Beatrice Black."

Laura chuckled. "She’s crazy and hates your guts,"

Maya said, still laughing. "Yes, and she’s a deadbeat mother. Her sons hate her guts, too."

"Has she been making your life a living hell?" Haven asked with concern.

Maya shrugged. "Her antics don’t bother me. She is comical."

Haven laughed. "I agree. She is quite ridiculous."

"But she is also iconic," Natalia interjected suddenly, joining the conversation while sipping a can of Diet Coke.

Everyone turned to look at Natalia.

"She managed to have four children with wealthy, handsome men, and all of her children turned out to be more successful than their fathers. She didn’t stop there; she managed to trick wealthy men from around the world into marrying her, only to divorce them after a year and take half of their wealth. She is the gold digger bitch I aspire to be." Natalia’s eyes shone with ambition.

"Good luck catching the billionaire of your dreams!" Laura hyped her up.

Haven stared at Natalia awkwardly, as she wasn’t used to Natalia’s bluntness.

Maya shook her head, not surprised by Natalia’s admiration for Beatrice.

They resumed shooting. After a few takes, Maya had perfected the introductory and cooking segments. She felt a sense of accomplishment as she plated the finished dish; the Spanish Potato Omelets looked stunning on camera.

"It’s my omelets, ready!" Nana Rose strolled in.

"Oops, I forgot that the Spanish Potato Omelets aren’t just for the cooking video," Maya quickly dished up a plate for Nana Rose.

"Nana Rose, these are my friends," Maya said as she introduced Natalia and Laura. Turning to her friends, she added, "Guys, this is Dalton’s godmother."

"Nice to meet you, pretty ladies," Nana Rose smiled at them. Laura smiled back, and Natalia just nodded.

"I’ll eat in my room. Sorry for interrupting your video," she left.

"Guys, please help me serve breakfast to Dalton’s brothers," Maya requested. She dished four plates, including one for Charlotte.

Maya and her friends walked into the dining hall, each carrying a tray with a plate of Spanish Potato Omelets.

"Sorry, guys,"

"Finally," River groaned. He noticed Laura and Natalia, and a boyish grin spread across his face. "Gorgeous ladies," he muttered.

Maya shot River a glare. "They are off-limits, playboy."

River raised his hands in defense. "Chill, sister-in-law; it was just a compliment."

"Whoa, there are two of them," Laura said, pointing at Oliver and River.

" "That’s Oliver, a doctor, and River is the playboy," Maya said, introducing the twins. "I’m sure you’ve already met Aiden at the gentlemen’s club." She continued, "These are my friends, Laura and Natalia."

They exchanged handshakes with the twins. River being true to his playboy nature, greeted them with kisses on the cheeks and flirted with them.

"Who is the other plate for?" Aiden asked, his gaze fixed on the remaining Spanish potato omelets.

"It’s for Charlotte," mentioning her name made Maya’s mouth sour.

Aiden grimaced. "You’re too nice to her after what she did yesterday. I’ll eat it; she doesn’t deserve it." He added Charlotte’s Spanish potato omelets to his plate.

Maya wondered why Aiden despised Charlotte so much. It must be because of the prank.

Oliver spoke in Charlotte’s defense. "Don’t listen to Aiden. It was merely a misunderstanding. Charlotte will be grateful that you made breakfast for her as well."

Maya smiled flatly. "Where is she?" She pretended to care about Charlotte.

"She is working on a child trafficking case today." Oliver updates.

"Wow, that is a very heroic thing she is doing."

"Yes, she is a heroine," Oliver said, looking very proud of Charlotte.

"Yes, she is," Maya can’t deny Charlotte’s goodness, she still hates her, though.

Maya had noticed that Oliver was quite fond of Charlotte. They both seem to have a savior complex; Oliver is genuine, while Charlotte is doing that just for show.

Haven informed Maya as they headed back to the kitchen, "Dalton left early today. He has business to attend to in New York City."

Maya felt disappointed; she wanted to speak with him so they could make amends.

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l