Chapter 160: Chapter 160: Preparing To Strike Back (Part 3)

The following morning, Don woke up to the sound of his alarm, his body stiff from an awkward sleeping position.

He rubbed his eyes and let out a long yawn, his mind still a little groggy. "Guess I overslept," he muttered to himself, stretching before getting to his feet. With a sigh, he started his usual morning routine, including his daily run.

By the time he returned home, it was just after 6:30, but the house was still quiet. No one seemed to be awake yet. 'They must've stayed up late watching movies,' Don thought as he recalled the faint sounds of the TV even after he had finished reading all the intel from Gary last night.

Shrugging, he quickly made himself breakfast, eating alone at the kitchen counter before heading back up to his room.

Once inside, Don grabbed his phone and immediately started typing out a message to Gary. "I had time to think the information over, and I think I have a plan."

He sat on the edge of his bed, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he detailed his thoughts and ideas. His message was long and thorough, outlining what he'd learned and the steps he wanted to take. After a few good minutes, he hit send, letting out a small sigh as he placed the phone down.

He then stood up, showered, and got dressed. Just as he was pulling on a fresh shirt, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen, expecting Gary, but was surprised to see Benjamin's name instead. Raising an eyebrow, Don answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, Don," Benjamin greeted. "Sorry to call so early, but I've got good news. You're in luck—Dr. Gadget had two androids ready for use, and Director Graham said they're yours to keep."

Don's suspicion was immediate. 'Mine to keep?' He thought, raising a brow. "That's… great," he said, but his tone lacked excitement.

Benjamin laughed awkwardly. "You don't sound too thrilled."

Don yawned, feigning grogginess. "Sorry, hard to get excited this early in the morning. But yeah, thanks for letting me know."

"No problem! Just call if you have any questions," Benjamin added cheerfully.

"Will do," Don replied before ending the call.

He frowned at the thought of getting two androids for free. 'What's the catch?' He wondered, already skeptical of the offer. "I'll just have to wait and see."

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Don crossed the room and opened it, finding Samantha standing there, still half-asleep and wearing a silk nightgown.

One of the shoulder straps hung loosely, causing her cleavage to draw his immediate attention. He quickly averted his eyes, clearing his throat.

"Good morning, Donnie," Samantha said through a yawn, rubbing her eyes groggily. "Did I wake you?"

Don shook his head, glancing away from her chest. "No, I was already up."

Samantha nodded, still rubbing her eyes. "I can't get used to the fact that you're now the earliest to wake up."

Don chuckled, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm still getting used to it myself."

Samantha smiled warmly. "Well, I was thinking… do you want me to make you breakfast?" she offered, her voice soft and kind.

Don was about to decline, but since he had nothing immediate to do while waiting for Gary's response, he changed his mind. "Yeah, that sounds good. Since it's Saturday, maybe we can lounge in the backyard after and enjoy some sun? You can tell me what you've been up to while I was away in Colombia."

Samantha shook her head playfully. "My life's really boring, Donnie. You don't want to hear about it."

Don smiled. "Well, looks like I'll be spending the morning bored with you then. At least I can say I hung out with a beautiful woman."

Samantha blushed slightly, genuinely flattered by the compliment. seaʀᴄh thё ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

She was used to compliments from strangers—some sweet, some not so much—but hearing it from Don, even as a son, made her smile. She gave him a playful tap on the shoulder. "Oh, you!" she teased, before adding, "You're going to be a problem in college, aren't you?"

Don grinned. "Maybe."

Samantha chuckled. "Alright, come down when you're ready. I'll just take a quick shower."

"Take your time," Don said as she walked away, closing the door behind her.

Thirty minutes later, Don made his way downstairs and into the kitchen, where the smell of bacon and eggs filled the air. Samantha was now dressed in a red, long-sleeved button-up shirt, the buttons undone, revealing a white vest underneath. The same vest was tucked into a pair of jean shorts, and she was busy at the stove, flipping the bacon and stirring something in a pan.

"Smells really good in here," Don said, walking in and grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Thanks!" Samantha smiled over her shoulder. "Take a seat by the counter. I'm almost done."

Don nodded, but as he was closing the fridge door, his eyes landed on a bottle of wine on one of the shelves. A mischievous smile crept onto his face as an idea sparked.

Don casually picked up the bottle of wine from the fridge, turning it over in his hands and raising it toward Samantha. "Is this for a special occasion?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as he held the bottle up.

Samantha glanced over her shoulder, noticing the wine for the first time. She sighed softly, her face showing mild embarrassment. "Oh… I don't even remember when I got that," she admitted, shaking her head. "Truth is, I'm not too proud of it, but I tend to overindulge in wine when I'm stressed. Which, well... has been most days."

As she said this, Samantha's mind drifted. 'Come to think of it,' she thought, stirring the eggs in the pan absently, 'since Donnie's come back, I haven't been drinking wine like I used to.'

A small smile crept onto her face as she reflected on how much lighter things felt in the house lately. Even Summer seemed to be enjoying herself more, especially during last night's movie marathon.

Samantha was lost in thought, her mind filled with warmth over how much Don had changed the family dynamic. Meanwhile, Don, unaware of the impact he was already having on his family, watched her curiously. "Mom?" he said, snapping her out of her daze.

"Huh?" Samantha blinked and turned to him, breaking free from her thoughts.

Don smirked slightly. "I was asking if it's not too important. We could drink it while lounging in the backyard, you know?"

Samantha shook her head, clearing the lingering thoughts. "Oh, sorry," she said with a sheepish smile. "I just remembered something."

Then, putting her hands on her hips, she narrowed her eyes at Don, feigning a stern look. "But isn't it a bit too early to be drinking, young man?"

Don shrugged, flashing her a playful grin. "Well, it's a rest day, and the whole point is to relax and chill, right?" He then put on an exaggeratedly sad face, letting out a heavy sigh. "Oh well… I guess I'll just have to go hang out at some random bars or clubs and take drugs I've never heard of…"

Samantha bit back a laugh, rolling her eyes. "Don't be so dramatic, Donnie," she said, holding back a smile as she flipped the bacon. "I didn't say no."

She shook her head, letting out a light sigh. "I can't believe my son is being a bad influence on me." Her voice was teasing, but there was warmth behind her words, the fondness of a mother amused by her child.

Don feigned shock, raising his hands in mock protest. "What? Me? A bad influence? I'm hurt, truly."

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Samantha then pointed the spatula in his direction, her blue eyes narrowing in a mock warning. "Just go grab the glasses and head out to the backyard before you suggest any more mischievous ideas, young man."

Don grinned, raising his hands in surrender. "I have nothing but great ideas, Mom."

"Uh-huh," Samantha said sarcastically with a smirk on her lips. "Shoo, shoo." She waved him away with the spatula before turning back to finish the breakfast.

Grabbing two glasses from the cupboard and clutching the bottle of wine under his arm, Don made his way out of the kitchen. As he stepped into the hallway, his thoughts shifted, and he started to wonder how best to use this opportunity.

'This could be a good chance to get closer to her again,' he thought, walking toward the backyard. 'But I'll have to be subtle since it's still day time, so I'll just see where it leads.'