CHAPTER FOURBeing fully aware of the type of mission he was to carry out, he had to tread carefully. "Roseline, why don't you go in, while I attend to something pressing outside," his excuses began. He had known that Roseline had fancied him but he had been too occupied to entertain it much.

But now that there was a chance, he now felt too unworthy to be with her. A billionaire in love with him? Certainly, people might want to connect him being a convict and try to tarnish her name.

It didn't matter that he was on duty and no explanation from him could put things straight, or rather, there would have to be no explanation from his end as he had signed his confidentiality.

So, things could get complicated and he wanted nothing of such, at least not too quickly.

"Why?" Roseline asked, her hands nicely placed in his. "No, I want us to walk in together. I want to get a chance to show you to everyone around me," bewilderment sang in her voice as she struggled to see things from his end.

"Honey, I can wait here for you to attend to any business. I wish to show you to my friends and brag about loving you." She tugged stronger at him as he tried to disengage. "Trust me, nothing's gonna go wrong".

David sighed tiredly, taking his palms to his forehead.

"Can't you see? What will people say when they see me, an ex-convict with the daughter of the city's chamber of commerce president?" While speaking, he went on to try pulling his arms from hers. "You're a public figure. One public figure that shouldn't get her name tainted for any reason.”

His insecurity that Sandra had taken care to plant, surfaced wickedly and wouldn't let him think with dignity.

"You're being too cautious," Roseline chastised with a frown. "You're everything I've ever dreamed of. Nothing can be compared to you. So, rather than being a disgrace to me, you're my pride," she explained calmly with love on her cheeks and happiness in her chest.

"But since we'll still have our time together, I'll respect your wish," she disengaged and planted a kiss on his lips before leaving the car.

And David despite himself, blushed, allowing Sandra's betrayal, if for a moment, vanish from his heart and get replaced by the brief unconditional love Roseline showed.

Gathering his scattered emotion in one, he got down from the car, ready to pick up his shattered pride and patch it up into confidence and dignity.

But whatever pride and self-confidence he had gathered, dissipated at the sight of his in-laws.

"Look who we have here?" His ex-mother-in-law exclaimed, clutching her designer silver purse in shock. "Did you break out of prison already?" She mocked, eyeing him warily as she moved closer for confirmation.

With that, David blushed, eyes tinkling with hurt. "I've been released early for good behavior. I wasn't found wanting in any way," he explained, praying more conversations didn't ensue between them.

"Well, it doesn't matter, does it?" She waved his reply off. "Once a convict, always a convict. Good thing the divorce has been finalized," she went on, barely giving her son-in-law a chance to butt in, in favour or against.

"How could a jailbird like you ever be worthy of her?" She snorted and rolled her eyes, looking at him beneath her almost closed eyelid.

"I heard Sandra compensated you, something I'm certain you forced her to do. Well, I won't let you play my sister a fool," Caleb, Sandra's brother chipped in, staring daggers at David. "Hand it over, or I'll hand you over to the police," he threatened fiercely, gnashing his teeth.

"No, I accepted nothing. It will interest you to note that," David tried to hide the irritation in his voice as he turned to leave before he added something else in his fiery anger.

But Caleb was hell bent on pushing the devil out of him. "Since you're not ready to give it up willingly, you shall give it up under compulsion," he sneered and stepped forward to grab David's shirt.

"Yeah. Make a refund, you gold digging fool. You think because the media knows you, that you're anything?" Sandra's mom spoke bitterly, her voice rising higher and attracting passersby. "You thieving bastard, you want to run away with our money?" She spurred the fight on while pretending to stand elegantly apart.

"Enough of all the embarrassment,” David cut them short. “ I've told you I got nothing from your daughter, you can call to confirm," David's level of disgust rose higher as he seemed not to understand how they could act so condescending, especially when VIPs were walking in and out of the hotel.

Just as he was about to move in, he halted in surprise, noticing the dangling pendant, the only heirloom his mom had given to him on Sandra's mom's neck.

"Wait, what? How did you get hold of this?" His earlier fury tripled and at once, he felt like ripping the necklace out from her neck. "Let me have the necklace now!!” he commanded, eyes dimming red with blood.

"No, it's my daughter's. You'd have to force it away from my neck," Sandra's mom spoke stubbornly and Caleb aggravated the scuffle, forcing his hands down through David's pocket.

The scuffle went on until Caleb, while trying to play the victim, tore out a part of David's sleeve and fell to the ground and security had to step in.

"Excuse me, sir, can I have your VIP card, please?" A tall broad shouldered security man putting on a monotone, stretched out his hands, already picking sides. "You would have to comply or you'll be accused of causing trouble, harassing customers, and disturbing business," the tight-faced security man threatened, eyes hard from lack of empathy and fist folded in readiness to deliver a punch.

"What?” David hesitated, stepping backwards.

"What good is being able to fight? Without money or power, you’re still beneath us! Be smart and hand over the money, or I’ll make sure you go right back to prison!” she mocked, before hissing loudly.

Just then, Roseline appeared out of the hotel, her face red and armed bodyguards trailing behind her. “Who said he needs to give you money?”