Jacquelin Thomas - Five Star Attraction

Her cell phone rang.

She answered and said, “I need to call you back. Give me ten minutes.”

“Why don’t you take your call now?” Ari suggested. “There are some questions I have for Ira. I can discuss them while you’re returning your phone call.”

Natasha glared at him before heading to the door. She could feel the heat of his gaze on her body.

In the hallway, she slowed down her breathing as she stepped into the elevator, forcing her body to relax. Natasha went down to the lobby.

She waited until she was out of the building before pulling out her phone.

“I didn’t mean to be so abrupt, but I was having a conversation with Malcolm’s son,” she said when Harold DePaul answered his phone.

“How is it going?” he asked.

“I did as you instructed, but I think you might have a problem.”

“I’m listening.”

“Malcolm Alexander is willing to take a DNA test. Harold, he is the spitting image of your uncle,” Natasha stated. “He is Robert’s son.”

Harold muttered something unintelligible.

“As much as the thought may detest you, Malcolm is a part of your family. It may be better to embrace him rather than become his enemy.”

“I just want what should rightfully and lawfully be mine—Uncle Robert’s estate,” Harold blurted. “I gave that man nothing but years of loyalty and dedication. He owes Malcolm Alexander nothing.”

Natasha didn’t agree but decided to keep her mouth shut. Harold DePaul had always been temperamental, a man who wanted to have everything his way. Although he and Robert often butted heads, they respected one another.

“I did what you asked me to do and left the proposal with Malcolm,” Natasha responded. “Just so you know, his son doesn’t want the properties sold. I’m not sure how much influence Ari has on his father, but he could be a problem.”

“Use your charm,” Harold suggested. “I’m sure a beautiful woman such as yourself can convince the man to do what is right.”

Natasha struggled to keep her temper in check. “I don’t work this way, and you know it.”

Harold was silent for a moment then responded, “I’m sorry, Natasha. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” she said tersely. “I told you from the very beginning that I would help you, but only if everything was aboveboard. I haven’t changed my mind about that. I am not going to do anything illegal.”

“The initial payment has been made,” Harold blurted. “This should put a smile on your pretty little face.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to play dirty,” Natasha replied, standing her ground. “You can have all of the money back if you try to change the terms of our agreement.”

“Natasha, I know that you need me as much as I need you right now, so let’s just try to get along,” Harold suggested. “We used to be good friends, you and me.”

“Until you showed your true colors,” she responded.

“I never meant to hurt you.”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Harold. Leave the past in the past.”

“I have faith in you, Natasha. You can convince Malcolm Alexander to do the right thing. We can’t let that hillbilly family mess up everything my uncle and I worked for. Those people have no clue how to run a multimillion-dollar-a-year luxury resort, much less a chain of them. Two insignificant hotels does not make a chain.”

“I will do what I can to help you, Harold.”

“That’s all I ask of you, Natasha.”

She ended the call and put away her cell phone. “I hope I’m doing the right thing,” Natasha whispered. She had no idea why Robert DePaul gave everything to a son he had never met, but she assumed it was mostly out of guilt.

He had spoken of his love for Malcolm’s mother, and his regret of not having a relationship with his son. Robert had confessed that he had loved Pearle Alexander more than he had ever loved another woman, including his late wife.

Still, Natasha was shocked over the news that the majority of the estate would go to Malcolm and not Harold.

Malcolm Alexander was not a man moved by money. Harold, on the other hand, enjoyed living a lavish lifestyle. He frequented star-studded galas, movie premieres, award shows and parties—he wanted to be on the Hollywood A-list. Robert DePaul loved the finer things in life, as well, but he was a very generous man who preferred to stay out of the limelight.

Ari watched as the lab tech swabbed the inside of Malcolm’s cheek. Ira had arranged for the DNA test to be done immediately, per his father’s request.

“You didn’t have to do this,” he told his father after the tech left the room. “Robert DePaul’s instructions were clear. If anyone in his family challenged his will, they would forfeit their share in his inheritance,” Ari stated. “Their portion would automatically revert to you. The man made sure his will was ironclad.”

“This is not about them,” Malcolm stated. “They have every right to be concerned, but I’m doing this for me. I thought you understood, son.”

“I hear what you’re saying, Dad,” Ari responded. “I just don’t get it. Do you really think Robert DePaul would’ve left you anything if he were not sure that you are his son?”

“We see the similarity now, but only because we’re looking for it,” Malcolm responded. “How many times have we looked at DePaul’s picture and never noticed that we have his eyes?”

“You’re right,” Ari muttered while staring at the huge portrait of his newly discovered grandfather. His dad was right. He had never seen the resemblance before news of the inheritance surfaced.

Ira and his assistant stepped outside the room.

“Dad, what are you afraid of?” Ari inquired when it was just the two of them.

Malcolm frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“You haven’t opened the letter yet. Why?”

“Because I know that everything I’ve ever believed is going to change. I’m not so sure that I’m ready for that.”

Ari broke into a grin. “Grandma adored you. That will never change. You and Grandpa—the relationship you had with him will never change.”

“Son, why is keeping this inheritance so important to you?”

“Because this is a chance to help our Aspen community in a way that we’ve always talked about. We talked about owning a chain of hotels…this just feels right to me, Dad. I will respect your decision, whatever choice you make.”

“We will hear what the rest of the family has to say,” Malcolm said.

Ari’s eyes traveled around the room. “Robert DePaul certainly had good taste. This is probably the best-looking conference room I’ve ever been in.”

Malcolm agreed.

“Is Natasha still on that call?” Ari asked. He wondered briefly if she were talking with the people wanting to purchase the hotel properties. Probably giving them an update, he decided. His father was a very intelligent man and had a head for business. He would not be easily swayed one way or the other.

“Must be.” His father pushed away from the table and stood up.

Franklin appeared with a tray of bottles decorated with Swarovski crystals.

Malcolm glanced over at Ari, who asked, “What are those?”

“Bottled water, sir,” Franklin replied.

“That’s some fancy bottle,” Malcolm commented as he took one. “Bling H2O. I never heard of this. Have you, son?”

“No, I haven’t.” Ari picked up his cell phone and began typing. “Franklin, would you happen to know how much one of these would cost? I’m just curious.”

“They run anywhere from thirty-eight a bottle to thousands of dollars. It really depends on the type of bottle, sir.”

Malcolm shook his head in disbelief. “Designer water…”