Jake
Seeing Laura's excitement as each surprise unfolded filled me with a sense of satisfaction I hadn't felt in years. She was radiant, her eyes shining with happiness, and it made every ounce of effort worth it. I'd always known I loved deeply, I wasn't the type to hold back when it came to relationships… well, until Moira happened and made me into the villain who wanted nothing to do with love. But then, Laura came into the picture and changed everything.
With her, it was different. It wasn't just love, it was a consuming need to make her happy, to protect her, and to ensure that no one, not even fate, could ever take her away from me.
As she gripped the steering wheel of her new car, beaming as she followed my directions, she had no idea that there was yet another surprise waiting for her. I watched her from the passenger seat, the soft glow of sunlight catching on her hair, and I couldn't help but smile. She glanced over and caught me staring.
"What?" she asked, her voice playful. "You've been grinning like a kid on Christmas morning."
I chuckled, leaning back in my seat. "Just thinking about how beautiful you look right now."
She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the blush creeping up her cheeks. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Robbins."
"Good to know," I teased, my heart swelling as she laughed.
A few minutes later, she pulled up in front of the massive warehouse I'd chosen. The sheer size of the building made her pause, and she turned to me with a puzzled expression.
"This is… impressive," she said. "What are we doing here?"
"You'll see," I replied, stepping out of the car.
She followed me inside, her footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. The high ceilings and polished floors gleamed under the overhead lights, and I could see her curiosity growing with every step. Finally, I stopped and handed her my iPad.
"What's this?" she asked, taking it from me.
"Just take a look," I said, trying to keep my excitement in check. "Scroll through and sign at the bottom."
Her brow furrowed as she started to read, and then her eyes widened. She looked up at me, her mouth slightly open. "Jake… what is this?"
"Keep reading," I urged, my smile widening.
She continued scrolling, and then her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped. "This… this can't be real. It's mine? This whole warehouse?"
"It's all yours," I confirmed, unable to contain my grin any longer. "I bought it for you."
Her legs buckled, and she sank to the floor, covering her face with her hands as she started crying. My heart clenched, and I crouched down beside her, gently pulling her into my arms.
"Hey, why are you crying?" I asked softly, stroking her hair.
She looked up at me, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why, Jake? Why would you do something like this for me?"
I cupped her face in my hands, wiping away her tears with my thumbs. "Because I want you to have something that's yours. I don't want you to ever feel like you have to depend on me or my name. You deserve to have your own empire, Laura, and I'll do whatever it takes to help you build it. This warehouse is just the beginning. Whatever product or business you want to start, I'll make sure it's stocked and successful. You're going to be a billionaire in your own right." I affirmed.
Her lips trembled as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."
"You didn't have to do anything," I said, pressing my forehead to hers. "I'm the one who's lucky. You're the missing piece I didn't even know I needed."
She threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. "I love you so much, Jake."
"I love you more," I whispered, holding her close.
We stayed like that for a moment until my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw a message. It was a video from her… my daughter. She looked so innocent, her big eyes filled with hope as she asked me to come see her. My chest tightened, but before I could process the emotions swirling inside me, my phone rang.
It was a call from the prison, and once I knew who it was from, my blood ran cold.
"Jake," the voice said, trembling with desperation. It was Moira.
I stiffened, my grip on the phone tightening. "What do you want?" I asked coldly.
Laura looked at me, concerned, and I hit the speaker button so she could hear. There can't be secrets between us.
"Please, Jake," Moira pleaded. "I know you hate me, and I deserve it, but I need you to listen. Our daughter… she's alone now. I'm in prison, and she has no one. Please, for her sake, don't abandon her."
"Don't you dare try to use my daughter's name," I snapped, my voice icy. "You lost the right to ask anything of me the moment you went against me and the woman I love."
"Jake, I'm begging you," she continued, her voice cracking. "She's just a child. She doesn't deserve to suffer for my mistakes."
I ended the call abruptly, my hands shaking with anger. Laura placed a gentle hand on my arm, her eyes filled with worry.
"Jake, what are you going to do now?" She asked while I looked into her eyes, and that was when I saw it. I couldn't even describe what I saw but I knew she had something on her mind that was bothering her.
"Baby, what's wrong? Don't tell me you're worried about this." I quickly chimed in while she exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair.
"Moira… I know she wants you to take care of the child. She's saying it's yours, but—" her voice broke, and she looked away, unable to say the words.
"But what?" I asked sharply, growing impatient really fast.
I clenched my fists, the betrayal still fresh even after all this time. "She lied to you, Jake. She and Kurt were having an affair, and that child isn't yours. She knew the whole time and let you believe you were the father."
My face immediately fell, and I crouched, not knowing how to react to the news. I wasn't really pained, maybe because deep down, a part of me had always known that she wasn't mine but I let myself believe the DNA results, and decided to take responsibility. No child of mine would get denied by their father.
Laura crouched too and reached out to take my hand. "Jake… I can't even imagine how much that hurts. But the child didn't ask for any of this. She's innocent."
Her words struck a chord, but the anger still simmered beneath the surface. "What do you expect me to do? Pretend like none of this happened and take care of her as if she's mine?"
"No," Laura said firmly. "I'm not asking you to forget what Moira did. But that little girl deserves a chance at a better life. And… I think we could give her that."
I stared at her, stunned. "What are you saying?"
"I think we should adopt her," Laura said, her voice steady despite the emotion in her eyes. "Bring her into our home and raise her together. She may not be yours by blood, but she could still be ours, Jake. We could give her the family and love she's never had."
Her words hung in the air, and I felt the weight of what she was asking settle over me. Could I really do this? Could I open my heart to a child who was the product of so much pain and betrayal?
But as I looked into Laura's eyes, filled with compassion and hope, I realized that maybe, just maybe, she was right…