Deborah sighed sadly, then gave her cheeks a firm pat and chastised herself. ‘Come on, now is not the time to dwell on the past. I need to focus on getting away from him.’She returned her focus to her work, and by 7 PM, she shut down her laptop and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner. Roger had said he wanted to talk tonight. As she finished setting the table, the doorbell rang, surprising her since no one visited at night. When she opened the door, she was startled to see Caroline and her husband, Christian.[Hello.] She greeted them with a smile that quickly faded when she saw their nervous and worried expressions."Good evening, Deborah," Christian greeted before stepping inside and closing the door quickly.[Is something wrong?] Deborah was puzzled by their behavior."You need to leave now, Deborah," Caroline said urgently.[What? Why? What's happening?]"You're in grave danger," Christian informed her."Sophia is pregnant," Caroline blurted.[What…] Deborah tremble
A little while earlier...After dinner, Roger took his beloved home, mindful that she shouldn’t exert herself in her current condition. Once alone, he turned on his phone and was shocked by the number of messages and missed calls from Fabian. Confused, he opened one message, and panic set in. He quickly headed back to the office.The message read: [Your father is here. Come back quickly.]This was a bad sign. His father hadn’t been to the office since handing him the presidency unless something serious was happening.Upon arrival, Roger noticed the employees avoided eye contact, which annoyed him. However, he couldn't react—it was likely his father’s doing. He strode to his office and found his father making Fabian work while reviewing the day's tasks.“Well, well… finally gracing us with your presence,” his father remarked sarcastically as Roger walked in.Roger frowned but quickly thought of an excuse to calm his father. “Sorry, Dad. I was delayed because I was taking Mom home.
“If you knew the truth, you wouldn’t call her that.”“What truth?” Roger asked, confused, as his father had always hinted at something when it came to Deborah.“I don’t know why you ask, since you should know,” his father said angrily. “Ungrateful child, you better stop this nonsense. You’re only ruining our name.”“I’m not ruining anyone or anything. If anything, it’s that mute who—”“Deborah,” his father interrupted, seething.“What?”“Is it so hard to call her by her name?”“I’ll never call her by her name, so you should understand how much I hate her.”“You do know that to fully inherit the company, your grandfather asked for a grandchild.”“Well, don’t worry, Dad. I have great news: you’re going to be a grandfather soon,” Roger declared happily.“What…? Is Deborah…?”“No, of course not,” he said with disgust.“What… but you said…” His father’s eyes narrowed. “Wait, are you saying your mistress is pregnant?”“Yes, and that’s why I’m divorcing Deborah to make Sophia my
“Wow… this place is beautiful,” Caroline said, awestruck.Deborah was equally amazed by the private neighborhood Jayden had brought them to.“I’ve heard about these private houses. They’re like something out of a dream,” Christian commented, observing the spacious homes around them. The air was filled with a familial atmosphere, and the environment felt safe with security guards patrolling the streets and the neighborhood entrance.“My father calls them ‘homes for the “not-so-rich” rich,’” Jayden joked. “This was my first project as president. It’s for people who are wealthy but don’t want to live in a huge mansion with servants. They want security, but also privacy and a sense of community. Here, you get a private space, a community of neighbors, some local shops, and strict security 24/7.”“I’ve heard about this concept. They call them 'homes for the rich poor' on TV,” Caroline said excitedly.“Yeah, it was a big hit when it launched and it’s still popular. Our properties have a
“What do you mean, prepare? Prepare for what?” he asked, confused.[It’s a secret.]“Oh… how mysterious,” he chuckled. “Hey, Deborah, do you think that, um… well, you know… when you’re officially divorced, maybe you and I…”[Jayden, I see you as a good friend.] Deborah smiled sadly.“I know, but… could you give me a chance?”[Well, I…]“Hey, don’t worry. I know it’s early, but I want you to consider me in the future because you seem like a perfect woman, beautiful inside and out,” he said, moving closer to gently caress her face with the back of his right hand.[Jayden…] Deborah blushed at his words as it was the first time someone had called her beautiful.“I understand it’s sudden, but my feelings are real. I even learned sign language and Morse code just to communicate with you naturally, instead of making you carry around a notebook all the time.”She felt a bit embarrassed by his confession, remembering the first time she met him when she knocked on his door asking for he
Deborah felt a slight shiver, but she tried to push her anxiety away from her mind because no one would come to yell at her anymore. She approached the mirror in the living room, where she smiled at her reflection.‘Don't be afraid, Deborah. This is the first step to finding your own happiness,’ she told herself.For the first time in a long time, she finally managed to sleep early and didn't set her alarm because there was no one left to attend to. The next morning, she woke up early, feeling a bit startled to find herself in an unfamiliar room, but then relaxed as she remembered it wasn't a dream... she had truly left that apartment and Roger behind.‘Well, today is my first day in my new life,’ she thought, smiling as she got out of bed to take a shower. Upon stepping out, she noticed the few clothes she owned, which were seriously old and worn out. She decided that if she was going to change her life, she should start with her appearance and wardrobe.With that plan in mind, sh
[It's not that.] Deborah said."Huh?" Jayden looked puzzled.[You've already done so much for me, so I'm the one who wants to invite you to dinner.]"Oh, well, in that case, I gladly accept," he said, using a flirtatious tone in his voice.[Is 8 o'clock okay for you?] Deborah asked."I'll be here punctually, neighbor," he said, winking.Just then Caroline arrived, so Jayden bid farewell to both before getting into his car and heading to work."You know, he's a handsome guy," Caroline commented, analytically eyeing Jayden.[Carrie…] Deborah complained, giving her a gentle tap on the shoulder. [You're married.]"And? Enjoying some eye candy doesn't hurt anyone. Besides, there are two 'buts' in this drama.""Two?""I love my Chris, and Mr. Eye Candy seems to care a lot about you," Caroline said.[I know... but I can't reciprocate his feelings as he wishes.] Deborah admitted."Hey, relax, even I know you'll need some time. But candidate number one has my approval," Caroline sa
Meanwhile, Roger was furious. He had a rough night and released his anger by destroying everything in his path. And, to worsen his mood, he noticed that his morning was very different from others because neither his clothes for the day nor his breakfast were as usual... realizing that maybe Deborah wasn't as useless as he thought—she was a good homemaker."Ugh... argh... why does everything have to be so complicated?" he complained, massaging his forehead after ending the call with Sophia. He truly wasn't in the mood, and hearing his beloved yell at him only made his headache worse."Um... Roger," Fabian called him nervously."What's wrong?" Roger asked."Well, I took care of that folder you gave me.""And?" he asked, raising an eyebrow."Unfortunately, it's legal, and we can't stop it or make it disappear because the lawyer she hired moved quickly, and it's already been filed.""WHAT?!" Roger exclaimed, standing up. "And how the hell did she hire such a good lawyer? I made sure
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