Deborah was admiring her little one as she fed him, wondering if her mother had felt the same way when she first held her, feeling that special bond of wanting to give everything for this beautiful child."You know, I’m jealous," Jayden said, pulling her out of her thoughts."Huh? Why?" she asked, looking up at him."Because he got to be first, and I didn’t," he said, frowning slightly."What? What are you talking about?""He was the first to try," he said playfully, nodding toward James, who was nursing."Pervert..." she muttered, blushing as she realized what he meant."Well, I’ll get my turn later, right?" he teased, wrapping his arms around her from behind."No, it’s for your son.""But James will share with Daddy, right, son?" he asked, playfully caressing her back."No," she laughed, "behave yourself."Jayden smiled and kissed her bare shoulder, noticing that James was watching him."You’ll help me take care of Mommy, won’t you?""Ah..." the little one responded, mov
"Done, I’ve notified everyone," Jayden said."That was fast," Deborah remarked, smiling. "Take care of James for a moment; I’m going to the bathroom.""Do you need help?""I’m fine," she said, giving him a kiss on the lips before standing up and walking to the bathroom."James, your mom is very beautiful," Jayden commented, noticing the baby sleeping peacefully. "You know... I may not be your biological father, but I promise to love you so much because I was really excited to meet you," he said, gently caressing the baby’s arm. James stirred slightly at the touch, making Jayden smile.Deborah watched the interaction with a big smile, so she grabbed her phone to take a picture of them and sent it to her mother-in-law.Samantha: [Aw... they look so beautiful together.]Deborah: [Samantha, can you print this photo to put in James’s room?]Samantha: [You can count on me ;D]Deborah smiled at the response, knowing she had a surprise planned for her beloved. She set down her phone
"That would be better," Jayden said, pulling out his wallet and handing him some money. "Please get two sandwiches, some oatmeal cookies, an orange juice, a barley juice, and a cola. And if you want something for yourselves, go ahead.""Understood, sir. I’ll be right back," Max said, turning around to head to the cafeteria."We’ll be back, sir," Danielle said, offering him the balloons she had brought."Sure," Jayden said, smiling and taking what she offered before heading back to the room.Later in the afternoon, with all the paperwork done, the family returned home with Caroline accompanying them."I just sent a message to Christian, and he said he’ll be at the mansion in about 20 minutes.""He’s been really busy lately, hasn’t he?" Jayden commented."Yeah, with the big scandal of Deborah’s trials, he’s gained a lot of popularity and is now competing with the top law firms," Caroline said proudly."I’m happy for him because he’s a great lawyer," Deborah added.Caroline nodde
Everyone was gearing up to drop the bombshell of the latest gossip. A generous donation had been made to ensure that the scandal hit the morning news, sparking malicious rumors about the couple’s life. The goal was to rattle them enough to finally coax an interview out of them.Just as they were about to air the interview, someone arrived and stopped the show.Despite the protests, the program was immediately canceled. The reason? Someone had threatened that the Coopers would not only take legal action against the reporters, but also shut down the entire channel if any lies about the couple were broadcast.So, as expected, the reporters chose to return the donation and politely ask that they not be contacted again. They didn’t want any trouble.Of course, the ones who had schemed behind the scenes were far from pleased. It was clear that they couldn’t win this power struggle unless they found someone else to back them.“So?” Eric asked, sipping his coffee.“Our friend acted quick
With that plan in mind, they headed downstairs for breakfast, sharing the details with the elders, who fully supported the idea.“I’ve already called Ricky to help us with this,” Samantha said.“Seems like my daughter is quite the force to be reckoned with,” Eric commented in amusement.“Of course, Father. I’m not going to let anyone mess with you or my son,” Deborah said, her expression firm.“That’s the spirit! You know, I’ve got a suggestion for you too,” Samantha said, smiling slyly.“Of course, go ahead, Mother.”“Since we’re giving an interview, you should dress the part. We need to show strength and power through your appearance.”“She’s right. Nothing sends a stronger message than that. It tells the world, ‘Look what I have,’” Eric added.“I think I even have a cute outfit for James,” Samantha said excitedly.“In that case, let’s get changed,” Deborah declared, knowing that flaunting luxuries they could no longer have would hit them where it hurt.With that decided, t
"Wha… Debbie…"“In my defense, that combo tasted really good,” Deborah said, blushing slightly.“Haha, James was so demanding with his cravings,” Ricky teased. Just then, one of his assistants approached and handed him a sheet of paper. “Oh, look, we’ve got the first questions coming in,” he announced, reading the paper. “Alright, here’s one for Deborah: What inspired you to choose your baby’s name?”“Actually, Jayden was the one who picked the name, and I loved his suggestion. It’s the name of a character from a book I adored as a child.”“Are you talking about the book The Adventures of Young Duke James?” Ricky asked.“Exactly.”“I love that book too! It’s such a fun, lighthearted romance,” Ricky commented before glancing at the next question. “Okay, next up… Oh, this one’s a toughie. Jayden, are you really going to raise a child that isn’t your own blood?”Jayden’s expression darkened. “Of course I am. I’ve watched him grow, and even though we don’t share blood, I love him an
“Damn it!” Sophia screamed in fury as she continued to listen to Jayden talk about his plans for a grand, luxurious wedding, all because his beloved deserved nothing less.“That brat has lost his mind! How can he possibly welcome a child that isn’t his blood?” Isabelle complained.The two women had gathered at Isabelle’s house to watch the interview, curious about what they would say. Isabelle also wanted to see if that child was worthy of being called a grandchild or not… and she absolutely hated the boy at first sight. He didn’t resemble her son at all… maybe a little in the face, but he still had more of Deborah’s features.“It’s not fair that she’s getting my dream wedding,” Sophia whined, recalling how she once longed for all those luxuries. But even her parents had told her that spending money like that didn’t make sense… which frustrated her, considering they were supposed to be the kings of the underworld, yet they had to live like humble people because of appearances and to
"It’s all part of the role since Ricky’s a sensitive host who really connects with women by getting them into the latest gossip about stars, the rich, and the famous."“He’s a true professional,” Samantha remarked.“And I wouldn’t be anything without this amazing woman,” Ricky added, “She believed in my talent and paid for my education.”“Really?”“Yes, though he surprised me,” Samantha confessed. “I offered scholarships and support for those wanting to pursue design and building decorations. But when he came to me with such determination, asking for a sponsorship, I decided to make an exception.”“Oh…”“Thanks to Ricky, the Coopers made a lot of connections in areas not directly related to our main wealth,” Jayden explained. “Word of my mother’s support spread quickly, and soon, others came seeking opportunities.”“So, if you need anything related to fashion, film, TV, or radio, just let me know,” Eric said with a wink, “We’ve got well-placed friends in those circles.”Deborah
Extra 40: A Happy and Perfect Life Part 2That promise came to an end for one of them three years later, as Nicholas was the first to go due to his heart, which began to fail until it simply stopped beating one cold December morning.Despite the immense pain she felt, Deborah fulfilled her father’s last wish… so they buried him with the diamond pendant that had belonged to her mother and grandfather.It was a very sad time, and everyone came together to keep Deborah from falling apart, as she now felt alone, as though she had lost her family again.But her children reminded her that she wasn’t alone, and because of this, they tried to distract her by having her organize the Christmas party.The days continued to pass, and just when they were preparing for James’ wedding, Eric and Samantha Cooper passed away due to old age.That was news that covered all the media outlets, with the headline telling a beautiful love story, as they had gone to sleep together and passed away to the n
Extra 40: A Happy and Perfect Life Part 1Time began to pass quickly, bringing good, bad, and sad moments that gradually changed the family.One good thing that happened was that after much reflection, Roger managed to make peace with his father, asking for forgiveness for all the stupid things he had done when he was younger. He also apologized to his little brother for being such a jerk.Even though he didn’t want to, Elliot reluctantly accepted the apologies because his wife convinced him that holding onto grudges wasn’t healthy.Unfortunately, the Peterson family only got to celebrate being united for a short period of time because two weeks after that reconciliation… George passed away of natural causes.That was a tragic moment for everyone, one that shook his friends, reminding them of how precious and short life is. Those who suffered the most from the loss of their Grandpa George were Howard and Fiona. But their parents, uncles, and maternal grandparents showered them wit
Extra 39: Deborah and JamesAfter lunch, and taking advantage of when his father taking his little siblings to their extracurricular activities, James sought out his mom to talk with her.“Mom,” he called out when he saw her in her study, reading some papers.“Hey, come in,” she said, looking up and setting aside the documents for a moment.“More work?”“Not exactly. These are the reports of the current buildings for sale in the city.”“Huh… are you already looking into that?”“Well, son, your sister graduates next year, and a year is not a lot of time to start a company from scratch.”“Will it already be furnished for her?” he asked, taking the documents to read them.“Yes, that’s why I want to buy a warehouse to remodel or a vacant lot so you and your dad can work your magic to build it and make it just like Elizabeth wants.”“It’s a project I can’t wait to start,” James said excitedly.“Your little siblings are also helping me, looking into sewing stores to buy industrial
Extra 38: A Father’s FearsHonestly, it was a strange conversation for James, one he never thought he’d have… in fact, not even in his wildest dreams did he imagine having this kind of interaction with the man who was supposedly his biological father.After telling him a bit about his school life, James paid the bill and said goodbye to Roger, as he had to get back to the office; he didn’t want to be away from work for too long.When he entered the conference room, he saw his father talking to some other architects.“Great, we’re all set then,” Jayden said, dismissing them. “Son, how did it go?” he asked as James approached him.“Fine, but it was weird.”“So... has he started to feel his age?”“I think so,” James replied, making a face.“And what did he want?”“Well, he just started talking to me, apologizing for being absent, and now he wants us to meet up to talk because he wants to get to know me,” James said, scratching his head. “I don’t know… it seemed odd that he wants
Extra 37: A Late Talk Part 2“Wow, sorry for the confusion.”“Don’t worry about it. My family supported me, and thanks to learning the truth, I understood why we had three grandfathers.”“I imagine you became an architect because of Jayden.”“That’s right. My motivation was seeing how his drawings came to life… it excited me to the point where I wanted to do the same, and as the days went by, that desire grew stronger, so I decided to make it a reality,” he said, his excitement evident in his words. “Though I also saw that Uncle did something similar by turning his sketches into beautiful jewelry, but that didn’t impress me as much.”“I see, but didn’t my dad teach you the basics of the company?”“Yes, Grandpa showed me the trade,” James said with a smile. “In fact, I’m a good appraiser, and I know how to make jewelry because Uncle also taught me the basics of jewelry design and creation. But I see that as a hobby because the only jewelry I’ve made has been for my mom, my sisters
Extra 37: A Late Talk Part 1“I’ll ask you again. What are you doing here?” James questioned, frowning slightly.“James… I…” Roger stammered nervously, his words catching in his throat and refusing to come out.“Are you here to apologize on behalf of your daughter?”“Something like that,” he said, finally managing to speak, though he made a face. “Would you let me talk to you?”“To me?” James asked, confused, pointing to himself. “About what?”“Can I invite you for a drink so we can talk?”“What do you want with my son?” At that moment, Roger saw his longtime rival approaching and standing next to the young man.“Jayden, please let me talk to James,” Roger pleaded.The now platinum-blonde looked confused at his rival. It was the first time Roger had called him by his name, and he could see that Roger seemed genuinely sorry and defeated. Jayden let out a sigh. “James, go with him.”“What?” James looked at him, surprised and confused.“Are you serious?” Roger said, a note of h
Extra 36: Late Regrets Part 2The next morning, during breakfast, Roger was focused on his phone, determined to reach out to James and be the one to make the first contact.“Hey, Dad,” Cassandra called out, trying to get his attention, noticing he was more focused on his phone than his breakfast.“What is it?” Roger asked, looking up.“Well... hey, what are we going to do about last night?”“What?” he said with a frown.“Come on, Dad, aren’t you going to do something about Grandpa and—”“Casandra, enough... I think whatever happened last night should have made the situation clear.”“But…”“They no longer see me as family, and they never recognized you as such, so just forget about it because it’s only the three of us, no one else.”“No…”“Cassandra, enough,” her mother scolded. “I told you yesterday not to go, and all you did was humiliate yourselves in public,” she said, looking her daughter in the eyes. “Grow up already. You lost that boy because you chased something that
Extra 36: Late Regrets Part 1Roger didn’t return home for the rest of the night. He ignored the cries of his ‘daughter’ as he headed to the nearest bar to have a drink and try to clear his mind.Seeing his father defeated and exhausted had made him stop and think.While sipping his third beer, he raised his gaze and saw his reflection in the mirror behind the bar, realizing that an old man was staring back at him... which scared him. He now looked at his hands, which had more wrinkles than he remembered. When had he changed so much?His once beautiful hair was now streaked with gray, his face showed his age, and he had dark circles under his dull eyes.When had he gotten so old?And why did he look like this?He was supposed to age gracefully, but that wasn’t the case... because what he saw in that mirror was a shell of the successful man he once was.He thought back to James. That boy had surpassed him in height; he was the version of himself Roger had always wanted to be: ta
Extra 35: Total BreakElliot was furious to see Roger and his daughter at the party.“Why did you hurt my daughter?” Roger hadn’t recognized James and just wanted to help his princess. “Who do you think you are…?” Then he saw James and, how could he not recognize him? He was Roger’s spitting image, giving the latter the same hateful look Roger himself wore.“I should ask you the same thing, sir. Who do you think you are, crashing a private event?” James asked.Roger was about to respond, but…“What’s the meaning of this?” George asked, approaching them.“Grandpa, they attacked me, and…” Cassandra started to say.“Miss, don’t call my grandpa ‘Grandpa,’” declared Howard.“Tom, call security,” Eric ordered. “Get these two out of the party.”Among the guests, a blond young man recognized Cassandra but didn’t go to help her because his parents didn’t allow it. They didn’t want to end up caught in the middle of the problem and become collateral damage, nor did they want to fall out