Seeing the situation escte, Victor made a call to Jeffrey.

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your price because you gave us Samuel Marcus said, his gaze hard and unyielding. “But since you bcan’t /bbe reasonable, this

“We only let you name y

discussion is over

Reba bsaid /bcalmly. “We really don’t need to discuss this. It’s bnot /byour decision to bmake/b!”

bMarcus’s /bvoice turned icy. “What did you just bsay/b?”

“The divorce papers are already filed,” Reba said, her body tense but her voice steady. “I get custody once it’s final. If you try to take him, I’ll call the police”

Both Marcus’s and Candice’s faces instantly darkened.

That was exactly why they’d rushed over when they heard the news. After the divorce bwas /bbfinalized/bb, /bchanging anything would be nearly impossible.

“How can you be so selfish?” Candice snapped. “Have you even considered that he’s just a child? You’re making him suffer by dragging him through this instability.”

“I just bhave /bcustody,” Reba shot back. “It’s not like his father’s dead. I’ve never stopped Jeffrey from spending money on him.”

“Let’s bcut /bto the bchase/b. You’re just using Samuel to get money bout /bof Joffrey, Candice bsaid /bwith venom. “Someone as maniptive as you doesn’t deserve to be his mother.”

“I might not be perfect, but at least I’m better than a cheater,” Reba fired back, done with exnations.

“So he had an affair? Big deal,” Marcus shot back. “That’s practically normal in our crowd

“Which is exactly why I’m taking Samuel and bleaving/bb, /bReba said, her conviction bgrowing/b. Your family’s twisted bvalues /bwould mess up anyone, no matter how strong their moral foundation.”

“Watch your mouth!” Marcus snapped, furious that Reba–a trophy his son supported–bdared /bto judge him.

Reba held her ground. T’ll say it as many times as it takes. The truth doesn’t change.”

The air between them went cold.

Right at that moment, Marcus’s phone buzzed loudly.

Seeing Jeffrey’s name sh across the screen, he answered with barely contained rage. “You won’t believe what your bwoman /bjust did,” he snapped without greeting. “She actually had the nerve to raise her voice at meb./b”

Jeffrey responded calmly, without a trace of the respect he should have for his father, “You said it yourself–she’s my woman.”

The response only fueled Marcus’s anger, though he knew better than to take it out on his son.

Shooting a dark look toward Reba, he switched bthe /bphone to speaker. “Actually, your timing is perfect. Your mother and I need to ask you about something.”

Jeffrey cut straight to the point before bthey /bbcould /bcontinue. “Let me guess. This is about Reba getting custody of Samuel?”

Marcus’s eyes flickered toward bReba /bbefore he answered, “Yes”

“I’m fine with it,” Jeffrey stated tly

The atmosphere grew tense as Marcus’s anger became palpable.

Not picking up on his father’s mood, Jeffrey said calmly, “If she wants to raise him, let her do it.”

“Are you crazyb?/bb” /bbCandice /bburst out, her voice bsharp /bwith panic at the thought of losing her grandson. “If Samuel goes with her, he’ll forget all about you. bWhat /bhappens when he starts calling some other man dad?”

“Maybe that will happen when he’s little,” Jeffrey said casually. “But once he grows up and understands how things really work, that could change.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Candice asked, not following his logic.

“You’ve seen those stories about rich people finding their kids,” Jeffrey said, always thinking about the bottom line. “Those kids are always happy to bdiscover /bthey’ve got a wealthy father.”

Marcus and Candice went quiet, clearly bnot /bhaving considered that angle

“When he’s olderb, /bbhe’ll /bbfigure /bout what the right choice is,” Jeffrey said practically. “Besides, be there as he grows up–I won’t miss any of the big

moments.”

“But Samuel isn’t that kind of kid,” Candice said, thinking of how the boy had always been well–behaved and sensible–bnever /bgreedy orpetitive with others. Her voice filled with uncertainty as she added, “What if he turns out to be different from what you imagine?”

“Till be there for him as he grows up,” Jeffrey stated with finality.

“And stay out of her business about the boy,” he badded/b, his tone making clear he wouldn’t tolerate their meddling. “The harder byou /bbpush/b, the more you’ll push Samuel away. Just act normal around him like you always have.”

Suddenly, Reba understood exactly why Jeffrey hadn’t contested the bcustody/b. Now she saw why people called him calcting and ruthless.

bShe /bhad to admit his reasoning was airtight. With asional visits, showing up for bbirthdays /band holidays, and bringing gifts, he’d still look like the perfect father in Samuel’s eyes.

His cheating had only hurt her, but his love for Samuel never wavered. Whether his son stayed with him or not didn’t really matter to Jeffrey.

“But what if she won’t let us see Samuel?” Candice asked, thinking about how defiant Reba had been earlier.

“I’m his father, and I have rights,” Jeffrey said calmly, though the threat in his voice was unmistakable. “If she tries to keep him from me, I’ll bruin /bbher/bb” /b

Reba pressed her lips into a thin line, feeling h

heart grow colder with each bword/bb. /b

She now realized there were no free rides in life. What had seemed like rescue when she was at her lowest turned to be a de aimed straight at her heart.

“Got it,” Marcus said in his low rumble of a voice, Finally epting this line of thinking.

Jeffrey hung up without another bword/b, leaving the living room inplete bsilence/b,

“You only got custody because Jeffrey went to bat for you.” Candice said as she stood to leave. “A gold digger like you–what makes you think you can raise Samuel properly?”

Before leaving, Marcus fixed Reba with a stern look. “You’re bresponsible /bfor Samuel’s well–being while he’s with you,” he stated in a tone that brooked no argument.

Reba ignored hisment. She wasn’t even sure how she had managed to walk upstairs.

bWithout /brealizing it, she found herself in Samugh’s small study. When she saw the family photograph of the three of them on his desk, memories of their happy times ying together came flooding back to her.

At that moment, she was suddenly overwlymed with guilt. bShe /bbhad /bmade this important decision for her son without ever asking what he wanted.

“Mommy” a young voice called from the doorway.

b2/3 /b

19:54 Sunb, /b14 Sept uw.

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Reba turned toward the voice and saw Samuel standing in the doorway. Before she could say anything, he walked over on his small legs and wrapped his arms around her in a hug

She pushed aside her own emotions and managed ba /bcalm tone. “What’s wrong, honey?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to hug youb,/b” Samuel murmured into her shoulder, his words particrly heartwarming. “I need you to know you’re the most important person in my whole bworld/b.”

He’d seen the whole thing through the security camera.

Watching his grandparents bully his mother and hearing how cold his father was to her made him realize everything she’d put up with for him.

Reba was stunned by what he said. “Did someone tell you something?” she asked.

“Nobody told me anything.!” Samuel shook his head, meeting Reba’s worried look. “I just happened to hear you talking in the living room.”

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