24. Derek’s Destiny

DESTINY

The day of the Jubilee had finally arrived, and Freedom Park was buzzing with last-minute preparations. The sun was beating down on us, casting a golden glow across the lawn as vendors did the last minute set up of their booths, sound checks blared in the distance, and the smell of freshly grilled food already filled the air. We were about an hour away from opening the gates, and I was running on adrenaline, darting between vendors, checking schedules, and making sure everything was perfect.

I couldn’t believe the day had finally come. Little Destiny, the girl who used to sit on the playground dreaming big, performing in the Juneteenth Parade, would be so damn proud of me right now. I stood there, taking it all in—the bustling volunteers, the vibrant decorations, the hum of excitement in the air. Everything was going exactly as planned. I’d done it. I’d actually pulled it off.

For a moment, I allowed myself to just…be. To soak in the success, the hard work, the sleepless nights. I looked around, my heart swelling with pride as I realized I’d made this happen. Me. The girl who used to wonder if she was capable of something this big, was standing in the middle of her dream. Everything was flowing smoothly, and I couldn’t stop smiling, the weight of this moment settling over me like a warm blanket.

I took a deep breath, letting the feeling sink in. This was it. My dream come true.

But in between all the chaos, I couldn’t stop glancing down at my hand. The diamond on my finger glittered every time the sunlight caught it, reminding me that this wasn’t just any other day—it was the first day I was showing up to the world as Derek’s fiancée. My heart fluttered every time I thought about it. I had to fight the urge to stop everything I was doing and just stare at the ring like a love-struck fool.

I was engaged. Engaged!

The ring was also a constant reminder that my life was about to change. As much as I loved Derek, I couldn’t help but wonder what this new role—his fiancée—meant for me. Could I handle everything that came with being linked to a global superstar? Was I truly ready for what came next?

“Destiny, we got the VIP seating all squared away for the front stage,” one of the coordinators called out, pulling me back to reality.

“Perfect! I’ll come check it out in a second,” I shouted back, forcing my mind to focus. There was still work to do—plenty of it—but every now and then, I’d catch myself touching the ring, smiling like I’d never been happier in my life. Because honestly? I hadn’t.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and when I pulled it out, there was a text from Derek: You good, Princess?

I smiled, my heart skipping a beat. Even in the middle of all this, when he was supposed to be getting ready to perform tonight, he was thinking about me. About us.

More than good…can’t wait to see you hit the stage, I texted back, sneaking another glance at my hand before shoving the phone away and getting back to work.

"Can you believe the big day is here? We worked so hard." Eden’s voice broke through the whirlwind in my mind, pulling me out of my thoughts. She stood beside me, her usual bright smile in place, but something wasn’t right. There was a shadow behind her eyes, a flicker of sadness that hit me like a gut punch.

"I know, I—" I started, but stopped short, really looking at her for the first time all day. Her eyes, normally sparkling with excitement, were clouded, distant. Something was off.

“Everything okay?” I asked, my voice soft but firm, already knowing the answer.

“Yeah!” She said it too quickly, her hand instinctively smoothing over her sleek bun as if that could hide the cracks in her façade. But she wasn’t fooling me.

“Eden.” My tone dropped into that big-sister mode, the one that let her know I wasn’t buying it for a second.

She looked at me, and for a brief moment, I saw her walls crumble. And then, suddenly, she broke. Her face crumpled as she fell into my arms, her body shaking with deep, heart-wrenching sobs. I held her tight, my arms circling around her, feeling the weight of emotions she’d been carrying but never let me—or anyone—see. Eden, who was always so full of light and laughter, who handled everything with grace, was bawling.

“Tell me what’s wrong,” I whispered, gently rubbing her back, trying to coax out the pain she was bottling up.

“Hakeem…” she whimpered through her tears, her voice cracking in a way I’d never heard before.

Her body shook against mine, trembling with the force of everything she’d been holding back. The sobs that came out of her were deep and raw, the kind that made her shoulders quake, and I could feel her desperation in the way she clung to me, like I was the only thing keeping her from falling apart completely.

“Hakeem?” I repeated, my mind racing, trying to piece together what had happened.

“He was so mean to me, Destiny. So, so mean,” she cried, her voice raw, like the pain had been festering inside her for far too long.

My mind spun as I tried to piece it all together. What could’ve possibly happened between them? They’d barely even interacted, right? Then it hit me—yesterday. Hakeem was at the office. Something went down, but what?

"Eden," I said, my voice shaking as I fought to keep my anger in check. "Did something happen when he was at the office? What happened?"

She didn’t say anything at first, just clung to me, but I needed answers. Now.

"Tell me, Eden," I pressed, my voice harder than I intended. "I need to know what he did so I can have Derek handle him."

Anger surged inside me like a tidal wave as the words spilled out, but confusion gnawed at me. Hakeem had always been a softie beneath his tough exterior—had I misread him? Had I trusted him in my home when I shouldn’t have? My heart pounded, protectiveness and fury swirling together. If Hakeem hurt her, if he crossed a line, he’d regret it. I’d make sure of that.

“I thought…” Eden’s voice cracked, and she pulled back just enough for me to see the tears streaming down her face. Her words came out in a rush, like she was trying to get them out before she lost her nerve. “I thought maybe he liked me. I mean, I liked him, and I thought maybe he felt the same way.”

My heart twisted at the pain in her voice. I’d never seen her like this—so broken, so unsure. Eden, the girl who always had a plan, always knew what to do, now standing here, falling apart in front of me.

“I made him dinner,” she continued, her voice trembling. “I…I brought it to your house, thinking… I don’t know, thinking it might mean something. And he just…he was so mean, Des.” Her face crumpled, and the sobs came harder, like she couldn’t hold it in any longer.

“What do you mean, mean? What did he say?”

Eden shook her head, her whole body trembling as the words spilled out in a rush. “He looked at me like I was stupid. Like…like I was nothing, Des. He just brushed me off, like what I was feeling didn’t matter at all.” Her voice cracked, and she took a shaky breath, trying to keep it together, but failing. “He said he wasn’t any good for me, that I needed to find a lawyer or something because…because he’s not capable of love.”

I stood there, trying to make sense of it all. How had we even gotten here? When did Eden start liking Hakeem? They didn’t even know each other. This was a mess. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My sweet, always-in-control Eden, unraveling over a guy who never showed her more than a passing glance. This was too much.

I gently eased her off me and made her stand right in front of me, holding her by the shoulders, grounding her.

“Listen to me,” I said, my voice soft but firm. “You’ve got to pull it together right now.”

Eden’s wide, tear-filled eyes searched mine, nodding slightly as she tried to catch her breath.

“I know this hurts, I know it sucks,” I continued, squeezing her shoulders. “But we’ve worked too damn hard on this event. I need you to hold it together, okay? Just for a little longer. We’ll get through today, and then…” I softened, giving her a small smile. “Then we’ll grab some ice cream, order a pizza, and cry it all out while watching Pretty Woman. Deal?”

She sniffed, a tiny smile breaking through the tears. “Deal.”

“Good,” I nodded, pulling her in for one last quick hug. “Now let’s kill this Jubilee, alright?”

Eden and I hugged once more, her breath shaky as she pulled back and wiped her face. Just as she seemed to steady herself, I caught a glimpse of Hakeem lingering a few feet away, his eyes darting between us. The moment our eyes met, I shot him a glare and waved him off, not wanting Eden to see him right now. He thankfully got the message, retreating around the corner by the stage.

Eden pressed her clipboard to her chest, took a deep breath, and nodded before going back to her tasks, the professional mask slipping back into place. But as soon as she was out of sight, my smile fell.

I was pissed.

I marched toward Hakeem, each step fueled by the anger bubbling up inside me. When I found him hiding out beside the stage, I slapped him on the shoulder.

"What the hell did you do?", I asked him.

"Abuse ain’t in my job description, Mrs. Truth,” he groaned, rubbing his arm with a half-hearted pout.

"Don't play dumb with me, Hakeem. What happened between you two?" I demanded, my eyes narrowing as I crossed my arms over my chest.

He shrugged, completely unfazed. "She'll get over it."

I blinked, confused. I’d known Hakeem long enough to know he had his rough edges, but cruelty? That wasn’t him. I stared at him, trying to figure out what the hell had made him turn so cold.

"Hakeem, really? She was just crying," I pleaded, my voice softer, hoping to get through to him.

He rolled his eyes, shrugging again like it was nothing, like her tears didn’t matter. But I wasn’t buying it—not for a second.

"Eden's young, got a little schoolgirl crush on someone she has no business being with, that’s all," he said, his tone flat, almost dismissive. "Immature shit."

I narrowed my eyes at him, studying his face. He wasn’t joking, wasn’t being his usual playful self. No, this was different. He was hiding behind his words.

"You’re hiding something," I challenged, my heart pounding as I took a step closer.

"I’m not, Des," he insisted, but his voice wavered just enough to give him away. "I told her what it is—who I am and who I ain’t. She needs to stay away from me."

"Hakeem—"

"Anyway," he cut me off, his eyes shifting to the side, clearly not interested in continuing the conversation. "I came to check on Truth’s tent, make sure you got everything on his rider, get security set up, all that." He was side-swiping the whole thing, trying to brush it under the rug like it didn’t matter.

I was shocked, my frustration boiled over.

"I’m telling Derek," I said, like that was supposed to mean something, like it was some kind of weapon I could use.

Hakeem snorted, shaking his head. "Tell him what, Des? That I’m doing the right thing by Eden?" His eyes met mine, challenging, almost daring me to push further.

I stood there, torn between wanting to fix this for Eden and realizing Hakeem had drawn his line. Whatever was going on with him, it ran deeper than he was letting on, and I wasn’t sure how to dig it out.

I let out a long sigh, the kind that felt like it was dragging my frustration out with it. Without saying another word, I pointed in the direction of Derek’s tent, my hand trembling just slightly. Hakeem gave me one last look—cold, detached—before he turned and walked away, his shoulders tense, his pace deliberate.

I watched him walk away, questions swirling in my mind. Something was eating at him, and he was shutting everyone out. But what hurt most was how Eden got caught in the crossfire. Whatever he was hiding, it wasn’t over—and when it came crashing down, I’d be ready.

However, today wasn’t the day to untangle this mess. Today was for Juniper. The Jubilee was more than an event—it was my heart and soul, months of planning, sweat, and dreams all coming together. I couldn’t let anything take away from that. This was the day I’d worked so hard for, the moment I needed to stay focused on.

I took a deep breath, letting the weight of everything fall to the back of my mind. The sun was shining, the air buzzing with excitement as the gates were about to open. Juniper needed me, and today, I was going to give it everything I had. Whatever was going on with Hakeem and Eden could wait.