The Royalties

Dei did not hear from Dwayne after their meeting, and this does not ease her. Knowing Dwayne, since he already confirmed that Charmaine is his daughter, Dei is so sure that he is not taking this sitting down.

Only after two days someone told her Dwayne flew to Malaysia for a series of trainings. This news makes her breathe for a while and continue with the work that she needs to do.

After several days she again received a viber message from Dwayne inviting her for a dinner and to discuss about Charmaine. "This is it." she told herself. The fact that he already mentioned Charmaine she knows the real issue begins.

Dei did not hide this from Richard and to her surprise he allowed her to talk to Dwayne, no questions asked. "We have to put an end to this so that we all could move on." Richard commented when she told him about the invitation.

"But I have to go with you, if you are to talk about Charmaine. You should not shut me off because whether Dwayne likes it or not, it is my name that appears in all documents pertaining to Charmaine's parental." Richard lies down his condition "If he complains because he does not want my presence, then nobody from this family will ever talk to him again. Let's just settle this in court." Richard firmly declared.

With that tone, Dei knows how serious Richard is. It was a relief for her when Dwayne agrees to meet with her together with Richard. She is so aware that this meeting will definitely trigger a bigger problem and that is "How shall I tell this to Charmaine." Dei worries.

///

Dwayne was already at the venue when she arrives alone. "Hi, why are you alone? I thought Richard would join us." Dwayne asked.

"He is on his way now. He just got stuck in traffic. He was unable to cancel his meeting in Alabang. Sorry I'm late I had a hard time booking for my ride since it is already rush hour." Dei asked.

"No problem, I went straight here from my meeting in Makati" Dwayne said. "I ordered Filipino food. I hope you don't mind. I missed Filipino food."

"No problem, Richard eats anything on the table. He is not a picky eater." Dei answered.

"By the way, let me apologize for my behavior last time when we had coffee. I did not mean offending you. I was just being honest." Dwayne apologized.

"Forget about it. But please don't do it again. I am happy with Richard now. I hope you understand." Dei replied.

"Yes, I can see that. The two of you had a unique connection which I believe we don't have. That is the reason why I have never been comfortable every time he was around when we were still together. Among those guys who show interest in you, I keep my eyes on him." Dwayne confessed "He is the only one capable of stealing you from me." Dwayne added.

"You are right, he was capable but he never did. Richard loves me very much, as much as prioritizing what he thinks would make me happy." Dei said bragging.

"How happy are you now?" He seriously asked.

"Yes I am very happy now with my family, Dwayne." Dei answered.

"Happier than when we were together?" Dwayne teases.

"I am happier today than when we were together. If that's what you want to know." Dei confidently replied.

"That hurts, but I guess I have to accept that." Dwayne said. "First and foremost your happiness is more important for me than anything else. That's how I love you, too."

"Thank you. That was sweet." Dei replied beaming.

"What is sweet?" Dei heard Richard asked from behind.

"Hi!" Dei immediately stood up and gave Richard a peck. Dwayne stood up too and offers his hand to Richard for a hand shake.

"Hello Richard. Good to see you again." He said. Richard accepted the shake hands and smiled. Dwayne signaled the waiter to serve their food while Richard chooses to settle down between Dwayne and Dei.

"I am sorry for being late. My secretary was unable to cancel my appointment this afternoon." Richard apologized

"It's alright, we just arrived, too." Dwayne replied.

"You come here together?" Richard seriously asked.

"No, your highness, Dwayne went straight here from his meeting in Makati. I booked my ride going here." Dei clarified.

Despite the tension, the three prefer consuming their food first before going in to the details of their meeting. They talked about different things, obviously avoiding the topic about Charmaine. Richard and Dwayne were having coffee, and Dei was having her dessert when Richard straightly speaks "Thank you for this nice dinner Dwayne, but I guess it is time for us to get into the point. What is it that you want to discuss about our daughter, Charmaine?" He asked.

"I want to meet Charmaine." Dwayne said.

"As long as you don't introduce yourself as his father, I don't have problem with that." Richard replied.

"That's another thing. I would like her to know. I am her father." Dwayne said.

"And why is that so?" Richard asked and quickly got annoyed.

Dwayne tried keeping his calm as he sees Richard is already pissed-off. In his mind, he could not get what he wants if Richard gets irritated. "You see Richard and Nicomaine. I am still single. I choose not getting married. I worked hard to get all I have now. Nobody deserves to get all that except Charmaine as my only heir?" Dwayne explained.

"Give it to charities. Your properties will be more useful to them than to my daughter." Richard firmly said, "Besides, Dei and I have huge savings for Athena and Charmaine. Also, with the properties and money that we have now, they can choose not to work and still live comfortably for four generations even if they marry a bum. Chairmaine does not need your alms."

"That isn't alms. I worked hard for it. I did not work hard to give the fruits of my labor to charities." Dwayne explained though he too is getting annoyed

"Then go and build your own family." Richard said.

"I wanted to, but you already took the family that I want. Your family now, that's supposed to be mine." Dwayne straightly told Richard.

"I have not taken anything from you, Mr. Dwayne Rivera. I gave you a chance, but you just blew it." Richard sternly said. Dei begins to get confused on where the conversation is leading to.

"What chance are you talking about? It was our future at stake that time. I need time to think about it." Dwayne explained.

"I never had second thought when I decided to marry Dei. I did that because I love her." Richard said,"Do you remember what I told you before? If you leave and will not take the responsibility, I will never give Dei back to you." He said.

"Wait, I don't understand, what are you talking about? Richard is there something I need to know? Your conversation is confusing me." Dei butts-in.

"Your highness, this asshole knew you were pregnant. I had told him a week before he left for California." Richard confesses while Dwayne remained dumbfounded.

"You knew my situation before you left and yet you did not bother to talk to me?" Dei teary eyed asked Dwayne "What were you thinking? I will stop you from leaving and force you to take responsibility of my pregnancy? How dare you belittle my love for you then, Dwayne?"

"It is not that Nicomaine. I just got scared and I don't know what I shall do." Dwayne said, tried to explain his side.

"You could have come to me and tell me that everything will be alright." Dei said "That's good enough for me, Dwayne, that's all I need in those times. But you did not to give it to me. And now, after seventeen years, you have the guts to ask me to tell Charmaine the truth? How do you want me to introduce you to Charmaine? Perhaps, 'Charmaine meet your biological father. I'm sorry you only get meeting him now, because it is only now that he got his balls intact to take responsibility as your father.' Is that how you want me to introduce you to her?"

"You should know by now, Mr. Rivera, I am keeping my word. I am not giving them back to you." Richard declared, "Thank you for the dinner, but this senseless talk is over. Let's go, your highness."

Richard and Dei were already near the door when Dei went back to their table. Dwayne stood up when he saw Dei approaching. "You come back." He said.

"Do not flatter yourself, Dwayne, I just forget something." Dei said and gave Dwayne a huge slap on his face. "Don't you ever come near my family or me, Dwayne. You do not know what I can do." She said and left.