Damian ordered new clothes and shoes for Daniel, then placed orders for food, snacks, diapers, and even toys, wanting everything to be delivered within an hour, even if he had to pay multiple times the usual cost.
Occasionally, he glanced at Valerie, still breastfeeding their son with just a diaper on, despite almost 30 minutes of waiting.
"What's his exact age?" he asked.
"Guess," Valerie replied teasingly, as if unsure Damian could calculate their son's age.
Damian smirked, recalling how long he and Valerie had been apart.
"If you left me when he was just one month in your belly, chances are he's 16 months old," he said, raising an eyebrow. "Isn't that right?"
"Yes... You're good at counting."
"Don't doubt my ability to think..."
"I know you're smart, but you can't handle just one girl," Valerie started to tease.
Damian sighed and glanced at his phone. "I told you what happened with Clara was just a moment of weakness, I just want to take advantage of my last chance as a single, not about cheating... Not. I never loved her... never."
"So, you can have sex without love, like a slut!" Valerie cursed, letting Daniel hold her finger.
Damian remained silent, uninterested in arguing. He furrowed his brow when he saw a call from a contact named Angela, then declined it, and even blocked her. Hmm, who's Angela?
"Have you never dated another girl after that day?" Valerie asked.
"Why do you want to know?" Damian retorted, placing his phone on the table.
"I'm just asking... Because I don't know what to say..." Valerie shrugged.
Damian just smiled thinly, shifting his gaze to Daniel.
"He's a little lucky Bastard, he loves your milk so much...!"
Valerie immediately narrowed her eyes at Damian. "If you call him a Bastard again, I won't let you see him anymore!"
Damian chuckled.
"This is not funny!" Valerie exclaimed with a serious look. "Never say bad things near our son, he might imitate what you say. I don't want him saying negative things, especially when he's in school or daycare..."
"Okay, sorry, no more!"
"Oh my goodness...!"
A surprised woman's voice came from the living room, diverting Damian, Valerie, and even Daniel's attention. They saw Elena approaching with several paper bags, followed by a girl.
Valerie quickly adjusted her bra and shirt, while Damian stood up.
"Am I not mistaken? Valerie? Is it you?" Elena approached Valerie with wide eyes, then glanced at Daniel, who looked adorable with rosy and slightly moist lips. "You, we finally meet again!" She smiled fondly.
With an awkward expression, Valerie could only remain silent, not knowing what to say, recalling their last encounter near the elevator and how Elena had supported her wedding plans with Damian two years ago, only to disappear without an explanation.
"Mom, you're right, he's my son," Damian said proudly.
"Really?" Elena became even more excited.
Valerie nodded, smiling faintly, while Daniel stared with big confused eyes.
"Oh, my grandson!" Elena immediately took Daniel from Valerie, holding and hugging him. Tears welled up instantly, remembering how she had comforted the baby at the party, asking him to call her grandma, and it turns out that the baby was indeed her grandson.
Valerie stood up.
"Valerie, just so you know, God brought us together at Jerry's wedding party. Even God showed that he's my grandson by making him calm in an instant when he saw me!" Elena said excitedly, then looked at Daniel. "And he looks so much like Damian when he was a baby. When Damian said he saw you with a baby that looked like his baby photo, I immediately believed it was his son. But he said it was Samuel's son... I couldn't believe it... I went to Jerry's apartment to find you, but you were already gone... I was desperate, but now..." She hugged Daniel again, who seemed resigned.
"Sorry... I've confused you and kept you in the dark about him all this time, and about Samuel... I'm truly sorry. We didn't have a special relationship, and he lied because he thought I still had to hide from you," Valerie explained with an anxious look.
"You have to tell me the reason you hid!" This time, Elena looked determined.
Valerie nodded, then glanced at Damian. 'So he hasn't told me about why I left?' she thought.
"Now I want to play with him... But why isn't he wearing clothes?" Elena invited Daniel to sit on the sofa.
"His clothes are wet because he played with me..." Damian smiled thinly. "But don't worry, I've ordered clothes for him... They might arrive soon."
Valerie squinted at Damian. "You ordered clothes?"
"Yeah... I also bought snacks, toys, diapers, and food because I thought Anna wouldn't be back soon to cook," Damian explained casually, looking at the girl named Anna, who was a maid.
"You don't need to do that..."
"I'll do anything for him, I'm his father. It's something you can't avoid now!" Damian asserted.
Valerie shook her head, choosing to sit back down, but she canceled her intention as her phone in the blue pants pocket suddenly rang.
"Uh, I'll answer the call first," she said, quickly moving to the living room.
Damian frowned, looking at Valerie hurrying away, making him assume that it was Samuel calling.
'I won't let that traitor take her again. She's mine!' he thought with his cold gaze, following her immediately.
...
"Hello, Mom?"
"Valerie, Adriana has regained consciousness!" Dana said over the phone, sounding enthusiastic.
Valerie smiled in relief. "I can't wait to meet her. Please don't say that I'm back. I'll surprise her later!"
"Alright... When will you be back? Are they accepting you and Daniel?"
Valerie looked into the living room, finding Daniel playing with Elena, then Damian approaching.
"Um... I don't know when I can come back. Everyone here is so excited to welcome Daniel... It feels very unlikely to leave soon," she said anxiously, biting her lower lip.
"Okay... The most important thing is they accept you and don't scold you."
"Yes... that's the most important thing..."
"I will meet the doctor now."
"Okay, I love you."
"I love you..."
Valerie ended the call and turned to Damian, who stopped in front of her.
"Who's your love now?" Damian asked, his cold gaze seemingly showing jealousy.
Valerie immediately smiled thinly. "I think that's none of your business."
"It is my business!"
"Hey..." Valerie looked up with her arrogant gaze, her nose almost touching Damian's. "You're just the father of our son, not my husband, not my boyfriend, and not my fiancé... You have no right to know about my love life!" she whispered firmly.
Damian fell silent, feeling slapped and even more determined to conquer Valerie again.
"I have to explain to your mother about why I left. She has to punish you!" Valerie pushed him away, and then returned to the living room.