Page 63 of The Billionaire's Off Chance

Chasmin and Eric leave the courtroom with me, heading out of the building, without catching a glimpse of Claudette. Her MO is running away when things get hard with no benefit to her. Outside the court building, we come face to face with a throng of reporters, who are excitedly setting up their cameras as they see us coming down the court steps. They rush to us.

Claudette is nowhere to be found. Regardless, I feel great that this time, she hasn’t succeeded in hurting me. I tell the press the good news about me retaining full custody of my son. Then I take Chasmin and Eric off the premises to go home.

We celebrate, and I pop a bottle of wine for the occasion. Eric drinks fruit juice, of course. I’m beyond relieved to know that my son is safe from the clutches of the evil Claudette. Chasmin excuses herself, to receive a call from her mom. It’s a while before she returns with a somber air.

“What’s the matter?” I rise from my seat, going to her.

She grabs my hand, looking at me with helplessness and fear. “It’s Paul. He went to the hospital and caused a scene in Mom’s room. She feels unsafe. I have to go to her.”

“I’m coming with you. Eric as well.” I say and she nods, relief showing on her features.

We set out from the house to the hospital. Arriving there as soon as possible, we find Anna in bed with a hand clutched to her chest while she sleeps. Our entrance disturbs her and she wakes up. All the machines plugged into her are turned off; she doesn’t need them anymore.

“Baby…” Anna croaks, hugging Chasmin.” I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do or who to call. Thanks for making it, Lance. I don’t mean to be such a bother.”

“Not at all. You’re family, and we take care of each other, no matter what.” I hold her hand, hoping she feels its strength and relaxes.

“What did Paul do? Did he…” Chasmin begins and grits her teeth, her eyes flashing with anger, “lay a finger on you?”

Anna’s eyes waver for a minute then says, “He destroyed the vase.” She points to the drawer where a vase used to be. “It caused a raucous and brought the nurses and guards in. Paul and I had an argument. I was expressing how hurt I felt at his actions. He took it the wrong way and flipped out.”

“He could have hurt you, that bastard!” Chasmin slams her fist into her palm.

“Please, dear. Paul is currently dealing with some issues, and he’s still your…”

Chasmin rudely interrupts her mom. “He’s not my father and never will be.” Her sharp voice echoes in the room for a second. She sucks in a deep breath to calm down. I embrace her, and she holds me tight. This situation is a touchy one for her. “Paul going through things doesn’t give him the right to hurt you in any way. You’re not going back home. You’re coming with us,” Chasmin declares. Eric holds the edge of the bed, tiptoeing so he can look at Anna properly.

Anna caresses his cheek, and he smiles. She rests her gaze on us. “I know the reality of my situation. For the moment, I can’t stay around Paul. I need to be safe from him. No, not your place. I’d hate to impose myself on you guys. That’s your home. I have some savings left, thanks to you, Chasmin. I’ll use it to stay in a motel till things die down at home.” She smiles, having thought out everything carefully. Being this close to her, it’s clear where Chasmin gets her character. Just like her mom, she’d rather solve her issues with what she has than ask for help.

“That’s not good enough, Mom. Motels are dangerous.” Chasmin says with a straight face. “I won’t force you to stay with us, but at least let’s find you something better and safer.”

I chip in, “I have that covered.” I text Igor; he replies while the women speak. He sends me the details of a beautiful apartment just a few minutes’ drive from my home. I ask him to reserve it . “I found an apartment for you, Anna. We should get you discharged and into your new home,” I say, interrupting the women. Chasmin smiles in appreciation while Anna gapes at how fast I had gotten her an apartment.

We quickly get her discharged. and I drive mother and daughter to the new home. The apartment is a condo on the top floor. It’s an open concept space, and well-furnished with comfortable couches, tables, and assorted decor. Overall, it’s cozy.

“This is nice, Mom. I’ll get you a Christmas tree so we can bring more life in here.” Chasmin says, pointing to a large space with a French window behind it, where the tree will stay.

“That’s nice, Chasmin, but this is temporary. I shouldn’t make big changes to this place. After all, it’s not mine,” Anna retorts from where she is seated. Her head is in her hands, with her eyes wide with appreciation.

“It's now yours. The realtor will be bringing the contract to you tomorrow. You should make this place as comfortable and homey as you please.” I sit beside Anna. Her eyes are a bit red, her forehead glistening with sweat. I pull her into an embrace, and she sobs softly. “You don’t have to cry, Anna. We’re here for you, and you can always reach out for help.”

“Thank you, Lance. I sincerely appreciate it. I don’t know how I’ll ever repay either one of you.” She pulls away from my embrace, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a chuckle.

“Mom, as long as you’re safe and sound, as well as happy, that’s thanks enough.” Chasmin squats in front of her mom, resting her hands on her thighs. The older woman takes Chasmin’s hand and squeezes it. They look into each other’s eyes, saying words I can’t fathom between them.

Eric breaks into the tender moment. “Yes, be happy. I’m also happy and feel very good. Don’t cry, ma’am, it will make you sad and tired.” He sits beside Anna and uses his shirt to wipe Anna’s already dry cheeks.

“Thank you, baby. I’ll keep that in mind,” Anna replies sweetly.

With Anna settled in, we return home, assured she’ll be fine. Chasmin is unable to keep the smile off her face seeing that she’s getting her mom slowly away from Paul’s control. When we are in our room, she pushes me onto bed.

“Lance, I don’t know what to say or how to thank you. You’ve been so good to me and Mom.” Her hair falls down the sides of her face as she gazes into my eyes and glances at my lips. “What did I ever do to deserve you?” she asks in amazement.

“You’ve made my life more than I ever dreamed it could be, dear. I don’t need your gratitude. I need your happiness. That’s what matters most to me,” I reply, pushing her hair behind her ears and touching her flushed face.

She groans and leans into me, pressing her lips to mine. It’s a soft, slow kiss that sends arcs of lightning coursing through my veins. Her small hands grip tufts of my hair as the kiss grows longer and deepens. I flip her under me, kissing and sucking on her full lips. I have her, and I don’t want to lose her. These thoughts fill my mind as I kiss her chin and neck and caress her body slowly through her dress.

“You...matter to me, Lance. More than you can imagine.” I feel like she wants to say more but holds back. She presses her face into the crook of my neck, kissing me as her warm breath tickles my skin. We embrace with our legs tangled. I don’t want to leave.

---