“Really?” Deborah now looked happy and confident.“I loved your idea of starting the event with the children making their own candy bags,” Eric said. “That way, we can see each child’s creativity.”“We can tell you put a lot of thought into this and considered many little details that turn out to be the most important ones,” Jayden added.“Well, that’s something I do at work—consider all angles before investing,” she said, feeling very pleased with the compliments.“It shows, my love.”“And I think we can make this a new tradition for the beginning of all our events because sometimes there were kids who didn’t bring a candy bag, and it was sad to see them not taking as much candy as they wanted because they couldn’t carry it,” Samantha added, grimacing as she recalled that fact.“Well, since it’s such an important event, it’s better to have extra bags. I saw online that there are many tutorials for making them with recycled materials, or even complex ones made with fabric.”The
The big day had arrived, and the decorations around the house were terrifying—in the best way possible. From the facade to the interior, every inch was covered in spooky décor that amazed both young and old. Even the reporters were giving glowing reviews, commenting on all the various setups and interviewing families who had come to enjoy the night.The haunted house, in particular, lived up to the expectations of even the toughest teenagers. A long line had formed to enter, and those who emerged were visibly excited.“Whoa… that was scary,” some teenagers exclaimed as they exited the haunted house.“Again?”“Yes!!!”Hearing these comments made Samantha and Eric smile. They had always dreamed of having a big family, but fate had only allowed them one child. When they tried for a second, they were met with the cruel news that it would not be possible, leaving a void in their hearts. To fill that void, they had poured all their love and attention into their little Jayden.They coul
“Don’t look at me; technically, your fight is with Debbie,” Jayden quickly said.“In that case, let’s make our bet and leave them to sort things out,” Brandon suggested, pulling a clown mask from his clothes.“Fine, this time, I’ll make you scream like a girl,” Jayden said, adjusting his zombie mask.And with that, they headed off to the straw maze, where the others were waiting for their nighttime scare game, leaving the two women alone to talk in private.“Um… Deborah…" Sophia began, noticing that Deborah still looked angry.“Come, let’s get something to drink,” Deborah suggested, moving towards the area where they were packing up the food that had been offered to the children. She grabbed two bottles of juice and handed one to the blonde.“Thanks,” Sophia said, accepting the juice.“You know, Sophia, I hated you from the moment I met you because of everything you did.”Sophia grimaced at that.“And you three didn’t stop hurting me until I said enough, and even then, you tri
The Halloween event was a huge success, with everyone buzzing about the various themes and the trending videos that captured the funny moments people had experienced there.What Deborah loved most was the following day when they delivered the leftover gifts and candy to the orphanage.It was a home that the Coopers had long cared for, and while the children there may not have lived in luxury, it was clear that they were in a warm and loving environment as they waited to be adopted. The home was supported by several foundations that provided medical, dental, and vision care for the children.“You know, love, I’m going to create something special for them,” Deborah commented as they said goodbye to the kids.“And I know you will. If you want, you can help us pick out their gifts because we do a Secret Santa with them for Christmas.”“Yes, I’d love to help.”"Ah… bl…"“Are you going to help us too, son?” Deborah asked, doting on James.“In that case, we need to buy James his elf o
“Ah…” James squealed with delight.“No, James,” Deborah said.“He already broke it, love,” Jayden said, amused.“James, flowers are for admiring and smelling, not for crushing.”“Ah!” James now whined because the white petals wouldn’t stay in place.“You broke it, son. That’s why it won’t go back to normal,” Jayden explained with a smile, seeing the pout on his son’s face.James held up the stem to his mom.“But you broke it, sweetie,” Deborah said, seeing that he was about to cry because he wanted his flower back.“Aww… how sweet,” David said, watching the little one’s tantrum.“Ta-da, it’s done,” the shop owner announced, showing them the completed centerpiece.“Waa…” James cooed.“I agree with my son,” Jayden said.“I love it,” Deborah said, admiring all the details.“The square vase with these colored pebbles gives it a fishbowl feel, and the gel pearls help keep the crystals in place, creating the illusion that they’re floating in water,” David said, appreciating ever
Little by little, everything for the wedding was falling into place. Thankfully, they managed to sort out all the details before Christmas, which was a relief for the couple.During those days, Deborah received a message from Elliot, asking her to visit the company because the special rings they had ordered were ready.“You know, remembering his previous designs, I’m really excited to see what he’s done for us,” Jayden said as they drove to the Peterson company.“I’ll be happy with whatever he’s made, even if it’s just a simple ring,” Deborah replied.“Aww… That’s why I love you. Hey, since we’re here, why don’t we check out some other jewelry for you to wear on our big day?”“But you can only buy one thing.”“Huh? What? Why?” Jayden pouted.“Because, according to your mom and Caroline, it’s part of the tradition.”“Huh?”“For the wedding day, the bride must wear something new, something blue, something borrowed, and something old,” Deborah said.“Oh… right. I think I heard t
“Why a butterfly?” Jayden asked, examining his ring closely.“Well, you both made a significant change in your lives by coming together, and together, you’ll continue to transform your lives into something more beautiful and lasting,” Elliot explained.“That’s a beautiful thought, Elliot,” Deborah said.“It’s a lovely message, and wow… you’re really impressive, using those tiny diamonds to create the butterfly wings,” Jayden added, still admiring the intricate work.“Thank you. It did take a bit longer because I had to find the right pieces to create the wing design,” Elliot replied.“Elliot never ceases to amaze me. It’s very challenging to work with diamonds that small,” George said, his pride evident in his voice.“Hehe, you really do have a great talent, Elliot.”“Thanks, brother.”“Ooh… Gaa…”“Hehe, when you’re older, I’ll make you some jewelry too,” Elliot said, tickling the little one.“Hey, speaking of talent, can I cheat a little and see the jewelry you’re launching
And so, in the blink of an eye, December had arrived—a month that marked the end of the year. With it, Deborah and Jayden were busy wrapping up the final tasks at the company before their holiday break.They were so focused on this that they put everything related to the wedding on hold. The year-end account closures took priority, and, unfortunately, their parents agreed with them. However, they made them promise to pick up where they left off once the new year began.At that moment, Deborah was in her office, finishing up her review of several important investment accounts for the month. But after staring at numbers for so long, she started feeling dizzy and stood up to gaze at the sky for a while.As she watched the clouds drift by, she couldn’t help but reflect on everything that had happened up until now.For her, living through these moments felt like some kind of dream; after all, this year had brought about such a dramatic change compared to the last.She had divorced Roge