Chapter 72

YOUR P.O.V.

*two weeks later*

Diggy- *sniffles and reads his speech* My.. my father was a great man. I can say a lot of things about him, but that's the only thing I'll always say *chuckles nervously* I'll always wish he was by my side to this day... When I was younger and trying to make it in the rap game, he always said I can put my mind to anything. I tried and tried, and I felt so competed against my brother, but my dad still told me to work so hard like him. *looks at his casket* *eyes fill up with tears*  I wanted to be like my father. I wanted his respect.. his approval and for him to say he was proud of me... *holds in his tears* The day I got married, he finally said that to me. He spoke to me privately and said he as proud of the man I was becoming.. and the father I was to my kids and everything I'd built around me. But all I wanted was to be even the tiniest bit of the man he was... *covers his face and starts crying*

Y/N- *wipes her tears*

Jermaine- *gets on stage and hugs Diggy tight* I know... I know.

Diggy- *mumbles and cries* I miss you dad...

*later that day* *at Jermaine's house*

Michelle- *hugs Jay and rubs his back*

Y/N- *walks in the room*

Michelle- *looks up and glares at you* 

Jermaine- *pulls away from Michelle* *looks at you* Oh hey (your initial) *stands up and hugs you* Kids asleep at home?

Y/N- *nods* Yeah.. I got Evie to watch them for the night. Thought y'al might have needed me here

Jermaine- *smiles* Thanks.

Diggy- *walks in the room*

Y/N- *looks at him* Come here.. *hugs Diggy and Jermaine* You know, I'm so proud of you guys for what you did today.. I know it was heartbreaking and emotional, I know. I'm so sorry y'all went through that

Jermaine- *wipes his eyes* Yeah..

Y/N- *pulls away and looks at them both* He is truly proud of you both.

Diggy- *nods* 

Y/N- I mean, I don't even know what else to say... what is here to say after this?

Diggy- *shrugs* All that's left is, what? What did he leave? *looks at Jermaine*

Jermaine-  I don't know. We have a lawyer coming in a few days with his will. I need you all there. 

Y/N- Not all of us. The kids.. they can't be here, they have school.

Jermaine- Oh.. yeah. Well, just us then.

Y/N- *nods* Okay. I'll leave you guys to talk, I know there's a lot you wanna go over.. *walks out and to the stairs*

Michelle- *follows you* Y/N.. can I talk to you real quick? In private?

Y/N- Um, sure.. *walks upstairs to the bedroom*

Michelle- *closes the door and folds her arms* So, what.. what happened?

Y/N- *looks at her confused* I don't understand.

Michelle- Between you and Jermaine before? Was it a romance? An affair?

Y/N- *sighs* Michelle it was a long time ago. It doesn't matter.

Michelle- It does. Jermaine kept this from me, and now you owe me the truth at least.

Y/N- *pauses* I never told you that I was married as a teenager.

Michelle- *blinks at you* Oh.

Y/N- It was abusive an I hated it. During that time, I'd met Diggy. He tried to get me out of that relationship. He and Jermaine weren't like the brothers they are now, they hated each other. Diggy tried to keep me away from Jay and his.. his, player ways. I met him by chance when Diggy brought me to his house, we got to know each other a little well.. It's really complicated.

Michelle- *raises her eyebrow* Keep going. 

Y/N- Once at a party, I was drunk, kissed Jay. Diggy had feelings for me and I felt the same but it couldn't happen. Jay was making advances. I moved out from my ex's house, moved in with Diggy in New York.. eventually got in a relationship with Jay but it didn't work out so we stayed as friends. Then I got back with Dig, eventually.

Michelle- Oh. So you had a relationship with him.. for how long?

Y/N- *shrugs* Almost two years

Michelle- *eyes widen*

Y/N- Michelle.. it doesn't matter. That was so long ago, way, way back. Before I had kids, before I went to London. It was so long ago. Like, a decade ago or something like that. H'es married to you. I see the way he looks at you and the way he treasures Xalia. Don't worry about me. I have my family and you have yours and it's beautiful.

Michelle- Yeah?

Y/N- Yeah. I'll always have love for Jermaine, but he's my brother-in-law now. He's family and always will be. He doesn't want or need me when he has you. okay?

Michelle- *nods* Okay.

*a few days later*

DIGGY'S P.O.V.

Lawyer- *clears his throat* ...The will states that the remainder of Mr Joseph Simmons's savings are to be left to his daughter-in-laws, Mrs Michelle Cole and Mrs Y/N Simmons and their children.

Y/N/Michelle- *look at each other*

Lawyer- All of Mr Joseph Simmons's estate is to be left to his eldest child and the executor of the will, Mr Jermaine Lamarr Cole.

Jermaine- Oh, okay *looks at Diggy*

Diggy- *looks down*

Lawyer- The foreign property, located on the island of St. Barths is also to be left to the executor and eldest child, Mr Jermaine Cole... And the business and all ventures, owned and founded by Mr Joseph Simmons are to be left to his second son, Mr Daniel Dwayne Simmons.

Diggy- *looks up* Wait, what?

Lawyer- The business and ve..

Diggy- Yeah, yeah I got that part.. but what business? He had a business?

Jermaine- *nods* Yeah.

Diggy- Well, what is it?

Jermaine- He owns a record label, Simmons Entertainment. Joint venture with uncle Russell and part of the Def Jam Group. Dad owned 1/3 of Def Jam, Dig.

Diggy- *eyes widen* Wow.

Lawyer- *clears his throat* May I continue?

Diggy- Yeah.. sorry.

Lawyer- And the remainder of Mr Simmons's net worth, investments and stock are to be left to all his grandchildren, Sia, Malik, Kelani and Xalia Simmons, in secure and untouchable trust funds with values of $500′000 each and the rest being donated to charities of choice by Mr Russell Simmons.

Michelle- Wow. Even the kids are covered.

Diggy- *blinks* Wait, he stated that was all of the children, right?

Lawyer- That's correct

Diggy- I contest that. That needs to be changed.

Jermaine- *looks at him weird* Why? All your kids are there.

Y/N- *looks up at Diggy*

Diggy- *looks at you then Jermaine* Y/N is pregnant.

Jermaine- *blinks* Oh.. my God *smiles*

*several months later*

YOUR P.O.V.

The busiest and most hectic few months of my life, probably. The death of dad was harder than ever. Keeping the information regarding his will, debts and financials was a little easier, but the press attention on everyone in the family was awful. I kept a low profile since my bump started to show. I kept my kids out of the spotlight and focused on just handling them while Diggy and Jermaine sorted the estates and ventures.

Diggy took over Simmons Entertainment, taking a whole roster of artists with him. I decided to work between Universal and Simmons Entertainment. Diggy expanded the labels, doing as much as he could to make good investments with his money.. and it was already paying off.. But he was getting so carried away, thank God I was here to hold him down.

Y/N- *feeds Xalia*

Xalia- *smiles and drops spaghetti on herself*

Y/N- *giggles* Xa, you're so messy, oh my God..

Diggy- *walks in the kitchen* Babe.. *sits at the table with papers and his laptop*

Y/N- *looks up at him* Good afternoon to you too, how was your day babe? Oh it was great..

Diggy- *smirks and gets up* *walks over and kisses you* Hi..

Y/N- *smiles* Hi.

Diggy- *pinches Xalia's cheek* *looks at you* I have something to show you, it's major. *grabs his laptop*

Y/N- Major doesn't mean the bathroom or the offices need refurbishing, remember that

Diggy- *chuckles* No.. I wanna expand my business ventures. I've been doing a lotta thinking so far, I've got dad's old label, the investments and charities.. and I found something amazing to add to them.

Y/N- Show me.

Diggy- *turns his screen*

Y/N- *raises her eyebrow* A club.. and bar?

Diggy- *nods and smiles* Yeah, it's perfect

Xalia- *stares at the screen*

Y/N- scrolls through the images* This is all demolished and.. what happened to it?

Diggy- It was damaged in a fire, but it can still be refurbished. A few tweaks and a bit of paint... It's the perfect opportunity

Y/N- Babe, that's a lotta work to do all this... And money too.

Diggy- Don't worry about that, I have the money

Y/N- Do you have the time?

Diggy- I can make time, you know me. This is great for the next step Y/N, just think about it. 

Y/N- I am. And I gotta remind you that I'm six months pregnant, I'm gonna pop soon... *cups his face* I respect your work ethic and your ideas, I really do. But you're so crazy with working all the time. I want you to do this when you can completely commit to it.

Diggy- Y/N, I can.

Y/N- You sure?

Diggy- Positive.

Y/N- *smiles a little* Okay. But.. of all places to set up a new club and whatever.. why this one? It's all the way back home in New Jersey, it's almost ruined...

Diggy- *chuckles* Babe, you know why?

Y/N- Why?

Diggy- It's the bar where we first met.

Y/N- *looks at him*