Chapter 63: Don't Get Your Hands Dirty

Chapter 63: Don't Get Your Hands Dirty
Haden

"Here are the new files, your dad wants you to look over them," Rachel, Dad’s assistant, said as she stepped into my office, carefully keeping her eyes off the wall.

I barely looked up. She hadn’t liked coming in here since the portraits of Ella went up. Couldn’t even glance at them. Too raw, maybe. Too real.

"Thanks," I muttered.

She left without another word. The Door shut. Silence.

I flipped through the files, contracts, shipment routes, and loyalty updates. All routine, until my phone dinged.

A rare smile pulled at my lips.

Ella had sent a stream of pictures. Her and Logan. Morgan and Luca wanted a night out, kid-free, and Ella volunteered. Brave soul.

The last photo nearly made me choke on a laugh. Logan in her arms, both of them frowning, a fat glob of baby throw-up staining her shirt.

My Heart ❤️: I don’t think I want kids anymore 😩
Me: A little too late for that 😌
My Heart ❤️: Your fault ☹️
Me: Maybe. But you enjoyed every second of making them 🥵😌😉💦
My Heart ❤️: Whatever! 😝

I chuckled to myself just as the door opened again. Micah walked in like a storm cloud.

"Why’d you come in here sucking the happiness out of my space?" I asked, eyebrow lifted.

He dropped into the chair across from me, jaw tight, eyes tired. He didn’t answer, just looked out the window.

I put the phone down.

"How long?" I asked.

He didn’t need clarification.

"A few months."

I nodded. We both knew we were talking about Julia.

"I know it sucks," I said. "Not having the girl you want."

Micah scoffed, bitter. "How would you know? You got your dream. I’m tired, man. Tired of the meaningless sex. I want something real. A family. What you and Luca got. I want that."

"We know how good we have it," I replied. "That’s why we work hard not to fuck it up. But if Julia was your dream… then you’ve got a bigger problem than I thought."

His head snapped toward me, glare sharp. "What do you mean? She’s fucking beautiful. You were with her once."

"Yeah. As a placeholder. She never meant shit to me. Honestly, Micah? She didn’t love you. She loved the access. She stayed close, hoping to get closer to me. She hit on me the second she saw me. Then went after Ella when that didn’t work."

Micah’s jaw flexed. His silence said everything.

"You really think what y’all had was love? If it was, why keep it hidden? You knew I wouldn’t care. She asked you to keep it quiet. Why?"

He didn’t answer. Couldn’t. The realization hit him right in the gut.

"Trust me," I said, voice low but firm. "You dodged a bullet. You’ll find someone way better."

And I’ll make sure of it.

Micah looked up again, some of the weight shifting. He nodded slowly, scanning the room before leaning forward.

"Is this a safe space to talk?"

I gave a single nod.

"You really think Dante did it?" he asked, cautiously.

I didn’t flinch.

"I know he did."

Micah studied my face for a beat too long, but I didn’t give him anything else.

That was the end of it.

He leaned back, lips pressing into a thin line. Doubt flickered in his eyes, but he didn’t say it out loud.

"I saw the body," I said quietly.

And just like that, I was back in that moment.

The silence. The blood. The choice.

I could tell Micah had more questions. But with a subtle shake of my head, he closed his mouth and gave a swift nod. 

We sat quietly for a beat as the conversation with my nonna came to mind. 



Flashback

"What do you mean have Dante do it? That’s his dad. He won’t agree," I said, jaw locked.

"If he doesn’t agree, then you kill him on the spot," Nonna said without flinching.

The air went heavy. My thoughts ran loud in the quiet room.

She’d handed me the crown. But this... this was the weight of it.

"I can see your mind going," she continued. "You’re brilliant, Haden. You don’t need me to spell this out. You’ve already thought through every angle."

She paused, holding my gaze.

"From here on out, you’re in charge. The Cooper name is at the head of it all. You don’t get your hands dirty unless you absolutely have to."

She straightened her shoulders, spine like iron.

"You give orders. They follow. If someone steps out of line, a lower Capo handles it. You only step in when it’s your top players. Because they set the tone. They influence the ones under them."

She leaned forward slightly, voice firm.

"Dante kills his father, it proves loyalty. And he’s one of your top players. You need to know now."

I didn’t blink.

Neither did she.

End of Flashback

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3 Months Later...

Joella

I stared at the dress in awe. The design was exactly as I envisioned. My hand ran over the embroidered design as I looked up at the designer. She wore an anxious look on her face, so I gave her a beaming smile.

"I love it!" I exclaimed.

She released a breath. "I'm so happy you like it. The measurements should be right, but we'll do a final fitting after you've had the boys."

My hand rested on my stomach as a small smile curved my lips. I was now 20 weeks, and my baby bump was impossible to ignore. We found out early that we were having boys. Both of them had their legs proudly stretched wide open during the scan, no mystery at all.

Haden had worn a permanent grin the entire appointment. He’d been saying they were boys from the beginning. Of course, he was right. They kicked and squirmed constantly, like they were already wrestling each other for dominance. Hopefully not a sign of what’s to come.

We had finally locked in a wedding date. Haden wanted to get married within months of the proposal, but I didn’t want to be pregnant on my wedding day. With enough convincing and some well-timed affection, he agreed to wait until after the twins were born.

I was pulled from my thoughts by my mom's hand on my shoulder.

"This dress is beautiful. I can't wait to see you in it," she said, her eyes already glassy.

"Mom, please don't start crying."

She laughed, dabbing at her eyes. "You know how I get in your big moments. I'm just happy God blessed me to be here and see it. Your daddy would be so proud."

Her words made my throat tighten. We both laughed softly, brushing away the emotion before it got too heavy.

"I don't know how much of the baby weight will be gone, but I'm hoping a good amount," I murmured.

"Either way, you'll look beautiful. And I’ll make any adjustments you need," the designer offered kindly.

With a warm smile, I thanked her. Mom and I headed out of the boutique together.

"We still need to find your dress today," I reminded her, looping my arm through hers as we walked toward the car.

"Well, let’s go then," she said, suddenly energized.

I laughed as Tony opened the door for her. She stepped in gracefully, and I followed behind her. As Tony circled around to the driver’s seat, I glanced out the window, admiring the city skyline.

"Little one." I turned to Tony. "Where to?" he asked.

"Chanel."

Mom immediately scrunched her nose.

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"Chanel dresses are not my style."

I sat back in my seat. "Okay... then where?"

"Hanifa."

I nodded, unsurprised. Hanifa would create something stunning and unique.

"Okay, call her up."