A LETTER FROM DEREK HARRIS

My Journey To Destiny

To the Readers of Derek’s Destiny,

I’ve been thinking about everything you’ve read, everything I’ve lived through, and I gotta be real with you. This hasn’t been easy. Opening up about my mistakes, my regrets, and the man I used to be? That’s not easy for a man like me. But you’ve been with me through the toughest parts, and I owe you the truth. So here it is, straight from the heart.

When I was a kid, Destiny was my world. We were inseparable. Back then, I thought I knew what love was. It was simple, innocent, real. We were kids, just dreaming and promising each other forever. And for a while, that was enough. Until I fucked it all up.

When I signed my deal, that’s when everything changed. The fame, the pressure, the women—it came at me like a flood, and instead of staying grounded, I lost myself. I thought I could have it all, thought I could juggle everything, and I hurt the one person who ever truly mattered. I betrayed her. I cheated. I lied. And for a while, I thought I could get away with it—like I was untouchable. My ego grew with my bank account and visibility, and I didn’t realize that everything I thought I had was nothing compared to the love I was throwing away.

Losing Destiny? That was the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through. Those years after? They were dark. I thought I could fill the hole with money, fame, alcohol, whatever distractions I could find. But nothing came close. All I wanted was her. And I was willing to do anything to get her back.

It wasn’t just about love—it was about who I had become. I had to face the man I was and realize that he wasn’t someone I wanted to be. I wasn’t the man she deserved. So I made the decision to fight for her, to fight for myself. To become the man I always should’ve been for her.

The Jubilee felt like my chance. It was risky as hell, but I had to do it. I knew Destiny wouldn’t come back easily—but I was ready. I was fighting for more than just her heart. I was fighting for redemption. I had hurt her in ways I couldn’t undo, but I had to try. I had to prove to her that I could be different, that I was worthy of her love again.

I’d warned her parents ahead of time. I told them what I’d done, apologized for every mistake I’d made. But I also promised I’d changed. I wasn’t asking for forgiveness—I was asking for a chance. A chance to show her that I could love her right. I needed their permission for how hard I was about to go to get their daughter back, knowing my end game was marriage.

Things went better than I thought—until the Arnold and Johnathon bullshit. I’ll be honest, I’m not proud of the lengths I went to, but when you push a man to protect the one he loves, there’s no line he won’t cross. Those two thought they could play games with us, with Destiny. They didn’t know who they were messing with. It wasn’t just about love—it was about respect and protection. And I wasn’t about to let anyone destroy what I fought so hard to rebuild.

I’ll admit it—things got messy. I regret scaring Destiny in the process. Seeing her cry, seeing her worried about me… it tore me apart. But have you ever had that feeling, where you know you’re going too far, but you can’t stop? That was me, crashing out for the woman I love. And when my own mother warned Destiny that maybe I loved her too much, that our love might be poison, I felt like everything was slipping away again. But Destiny made her choice. She chose to step away from me. As hard as it was, I had to respect that. That night at her place had me ready to fucking lose it, but I knew I couldn’t force her to love me. I had to earn it back. And I was willing to do whatever it took.

I showed up in Palm Beach—another risk, but I wasn’t walking away without a fight. I was ready to ask her to take me back a million times if I had to. And after all that, when she promised not to take my ring off again, I knew we were gonna be alright. God willing, we’d make it.

And now? We’re married.

Every single day with Destiny feels like a blessing, like I’m living the dream I almost lost. We’ve been through hell and back, but we’re stronger for it. I’m the man I was always meant to be, and I’m proud to stand by her side.

Looking ahead, I see more than just a life with Destiny. I see us building a legacy. I see us raising a family—one that’s built on love, resilience, and never giving up. What we have is a reminder that love isn’t perfect. It’s messy, it’s complicated, and sometimes, it’s painful. But if you fight for it, if you grow for it, it’s worth every damn moment.

I want to be a daddy soon. Talk to her for me. Help me help her ease her fears so we can start Derek & Destiny’s Dozen sooner rather than later. Help a brotha out.

And you know what else? Hakeem got married before me—and looks like he’s about to be a dad before me too. Shit is crazy, huh? Him and Eden, out of nowhere. But I’m happy for him.

Thinking about all the wild shit we used to do on tour to now—he’s a husband, about to be a father and living in my hometown of all places. That’s crazy, but it shows you just never know where life’s gonna take you. Hell, even his cardiac arrest episode proved that. I’m just thankful he’s still here and living better than ever—thanks to Eden.

And then there’s Ant. My brother. We’ve had our moments, our tensions, but in the end, he’s my family. He stepped in when it mattered. He wasn’t just my older brother trying to protect me—he’s a man who understood what it really means to protect the ones you love. I’ll never be able to fully express how much I respect him for that.

To my brother, Ant—thank you. You don’t even know how much that means to me.

And to you, the readers, who’ve been with me on this journey—you’ve seen it all, felt it all. I hope you stick around for the next chapter, because Anthony’s Angel is coming, and it’s gonna be a ride you don’t want to miss. You thought my story was intense? Wait till you dive into his.

You’ll still see me and Destiny around, but now it’s time to dig deeper into the Harris family. We’re just getting started.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for following my journey, for believing in second chances, and for supporting us through it all.

With all my heart,
Derek “D-Truth” Harris

PS: I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t ask—what’d you think of my story? What parts had you feeling some type of way? Was there a moment you were ready to throw hands with me? And what’s got you hyped for season 2? How do you think it’s all gonna go down? Any questions you wanna ask me? Talk to me, drop your thoughts in the comments. I’m ready to hear it all.

And don’t forget to grab your D-Truth wallpaper. You got two options—Option 1 or Option 2. Pick the one that fits your vibe.