Chapter 8 8
“Blair! Open up! Don’t think saying no will save you!”
She pressed herself against the door, shielding Maverick. “No… please, not again,” she whispered.
The knocking grew louder, more urgent. He wasn’t asking this time. He was ordering.
“You’ve got two minutes,” Mr. Cole’s voice boomed, low and dangerous. “After that, I’m coming in. And you’ll regret it.”
Blair’s hands shook as she clutched Maverick. She looked around the tiny apartment — their few belongings, the crib, the little toys — all they had. Panic clawed at her chest.
Blair’s hands shook as she slowly opened the door.
Mr. Cole stood there, his expression sharp, eyes cold. “You’ve got some nerve, saying no to me,” he snapped. “I warned you, Blair. And now…”
He pushed past her without waiting for a response. “You and that brat have two hours to vacate this apartment. After that, I’m sending movers to clear out what’s left.”
Blair’s mouth went dry. “W-what? You can’t—”
“I can,” he interrupted, his tone final. “Don’t push me. You knew the terms when you moved in.”
With that, he turned and left, leaving a silence behind that was heavier than any words. The elevator doors closed with a cold ding, and Blair felt the world tilt around her.
Maverick clung to her hand, eyes wide and confused. “Mommy…?”
“I know, baby,” she whispered, forcing a calm she didn’t feel. “We’ll figure this out.”
Two hours later, they were standing in the street, their few belongings bundled into a small suitcase, the city moving on around them as if they didn’t exist.
Blair counted her money again — fifty bucks. Fifty dollars to feed herself, keep Maverick safe, and survive.
Her chest tightened. She had spent the day walking from office to office, asking about work, and every place she went had no vacancy. No one could take them in, no one could help.
Blair sank onto the curb, Maverick curled against her side, his little hands clutching hers. Her head throbbed from exhaustion and worry.
Then a voice hit her, sharp and clear, almost like someone speaking inside her own mind.
“Wait… Blair. The coffee company. The offer you turned down — the one with the huge pay?”
Her stomach twisted. Memories came crashing back — Lucas’s gray eyes, that night five years ago, the way he could make her body remember things she wanted to forget.
No… no, I can’t… she whispered in her mind, shaking her head. He’ll take Maverick away if I go near him again. I can’t. Not again…
But the voice came again, insistent, coaxing, and patient:
“He will never know you have his kid. It will pay your bills, Blair. Maverick won’t have to wait until Christmas to eat ice cream. You can keep him safe and cared for.”
Blair’s hands trembled.
The thought of Lucas being anywhere near her made her want to run, but the reality of hunger, cold, and no home for her little boy pressed on her chest.
She pressed her face into Maverick’s hair, feeling his small heartbeat against her.
“It’s… it’s just work,” she whispered to herself. I can do this. For him…
Blair didn’t even realize when she found herself standing in front of the glass doors of LB Corporation.
She tightened her grip on Maverick’s hand and took a step forward.
That’s when two large bodyguards moved in front of her, blocking the entrance.
“Whoa, whoa,” one said sharply, holding up a hand. “You can’t just walk in here.”
Blair blinked, startled. “I—I’m here for a job interview. The CEO—he approved my posting earlier .”
The taller guard looked her up and down, a smirk curling his lip. “Yeah? You sure about that, lady? Because this place doesn’t look like it hires…” His gaze flicked to her worn shoes. “…people who don’t even own an iron.”
The other one chuckled. “Maybe she’s lost. Or trying to sell something.”
“I’m not—” Blair started, her voice shaking. “Please, I just need to—”
“Ma’am, I said you’re not going in.” The guard stepped closer now, his tone sharper. “Don’t make a scene.”
Blair’s breath hitched. The humiliation burned behind her eyes. She wanted to explain, to fight, but every word caught in her throat.
“Mommy…” Maverick whispered, clutching her hand tighter.
The second guard crouched slightly, voice mocking. “Hey, kid, you sure this lady’s your mom? She’s about to get herself kicked out.”
Blair froze. Her chest tightened, tears threatening. She hated this — the judgment, the pity, the powerlessness.
Then, just as she tried to pull herself together, Maverick’s wide eyes caught movement from across the driveway.
Through the side exit, a tall man stepped out — black suit, polished shoes, dark sunglasses. The late-morning sun caught his watch as he adjusted his cufflinks.
Maverick’s breath caught. He looks just like James Bond from my comics…
The bodyguards’ voices turned sharper behind him — one of them grabbing Blair’s wrist as she tried to step back.
“I told you, ma’am, you’re not allowed in here—”
“Let go of me!” Blair gasped, trying to yank free.
Maverick’s heart thudded in his chest. His eyes darted from his mom’s frightened face to the man in the suit. He didn’t think — he just ran.
“Hey, kid!” one of the guards barked, but Maverick was already gone — sprinting across the lobby, his backpack bouncing behind him.
He rushed straight up to Lucas Brooks, his small voice breaking through the tension. “Please! Can you save my mommy from the bad guys? They’re bullying her! She only came for a job!”
Lucas stopped mid-step, lowering his sunglasses just enough to see the little boy’s wide, tear-bright eyes.
For a moment, the CEO of LB Corporation didn’t move. Then he turned his head slowly toward the entrance, his expression hardening as he saw the scene — Blair struggling against his guards.
“Sir, we’ll handle it,” one of the bodyguards said quickly, straightening his suit and stepping forward.
But Lucas lifted a hand — and the man froze mid-step.
“I’ll handle it,” Lucas said quietly.