Honey, I'm home!

“Eviction notice? Are you kidding me?!" Silver barked at the caretaker who had just come to deliver the terrible news.

The portly man couldn't be bothered by her explosion. He wore a smug, self-satisfied grin, as if delivering bad news was his favorite hobby. 

“New owner, ma'am. We are willing to double your outstanding payment, but you must leave before the week ends. The building is not stable."

His mouth curved into a tight, near pitying smile, but his eyes told different stories.

Silver wanted to smack the smugness off his face, but she held herself.

“Right. The same house I've been staying in for the past three years is suddenly unstable. Who's this new owner?" She asked curtly, her words dripping with suspicion and sarcasm.

Silver didn't believe the bullshit story the man was selling her.

“Above my pay grade," He said calmly, but Silver could see the smirk he was trying to hide.

“Of course." She retorted.

Silver knew Burke was behind this. Who else threatened to ruin her life only a few hours ago?

He left her apartment after she forcefully ended their kiss and showed him to the door.

He wasn't pleased, and this was his way of showing her that.

She thought he was being stupid, though. Silver had planned to contest the 90-day rule, hoping they could both come to an agreement. However, now that he was essentially throwing her out on the streets, where did he think she would come to stay?

“Idiot." She muttered.

“Excuse me?" The caretaker asked with raised brows.

Rolling her eyes, Silver huffed as she waved him off.

“Not you, but you'd better be expecting to hear from my lawyer. I won't let this slide." 

"Yeah, right. You have till the end of the week.” The guy said with a smirk, he gave her a mocking salute and then turned around.

Silver knew there was a reason she never liked the man; he was always condescending whenever they had an encounter. She bet he was happy about the new development. 

Bartholomew had wanted to buy the apartment outright, but Silver had refused, not wanting to be too indebted to him. Now she regretted her modesty.

It doesn't matter, though, because Burke just played himself. Besides, she would become a billionaire soon enough.

Sighing, she stepped back into her apartment and slammed the door. Her son couldn't make it to school because of Burke. She didn't even hear the bus horn in the haze of their passion.

It was only by sheer luck that she came to her senses before he got her naked and took her in her own living room. Her son could have caught them. 

She could still feel the heat of his palm lingering on her chest, a maddening reminder of how close she’d come to surrendering to him. Shame burned her cheeks.

Silver was angry at herself. She also knew this meant she had to be careful about getting behind closed doors with Burke going forward. Today was a close call.

Silver dialed a number and held her breath until the receiver picked up.

“Ms Lorraine." Came the confident voice of Aaron Vega, who was the consultant and strategist Bartholomew hired to train Silver.

“Aaron, please, I've told you many times, call me Silver," Silver said, sitting down.

Aaron chuckled; the sound of movement in his background led Silver to deduce he was busy.

While they'd never met in person, he and Aaron had developed a professional friendship that made him her go-to person whenever she needed help.

“Okay, Silver. What can I do for you?" He asked calmly.

“I’m having a bit of an accommodation issue. My caretaker just evicted me. Three days' notice." Silver said, expecting him to lose his shit. He didn't disappoint.

“That’s ridiculous. They can’t get away with this. I’ll call the lawyers right now.” He snapped, already moving around.

“No need. I don't want to fight them.” Silver said and then paused. She glanced at the indent on her couch from when Burke pressed into her. “I think it's time to move into the Carrington mansion.” She finished.

"I thought that was supposed to be after the funeral?” Aaron asked cautiously. Silver could tell he had more questions, but he didn't ask them.

"Change of plans. I can't take my son with me, though.” She murmured and pushed up as she began to pace the room.

The thought of separating from Mathias saddened her, but she couldn't possibly take him to the Carrington mansion, not right now or even ever if things never worked out between her and Burke. It was too dangerous.

She heard Aaron sigh before asking her a question that would change the trajectory of her life going forward.

"What do you need me to do?”

               * * *

Silver couldn't bear to see her son cry for another minute, so she walked away from his new room, her eyes red. 

Aaron had helped her find the boarding school. Mathias liked it as soon as they arrived; he was excited as they moved around the facility with the tour guide’s help. But when they arrived in his room and it dawned on the little boy that he was going to have to part ways with his mother, nothing could calm him.

“I would visit you every day." Silver had promised, but he didn't care.

Sniffing, she walked towards the car, her head bowed to avoid being spotted. In the coming weeks, her face would be on almost every tabloid after she was announced as the co-CEO of the Carrington dynasty. With more eyes on her, she didn't need anyone recognizing and linking her to Mathias.

She would protect him from the media for as long as she could. She knew he would eventually come out, but until then, he was hers to protect.

“Where to, ma'am?" Her driver asked as she slid into the car.

“The Carrington mansion." Silver said with her head held high. Her bags were already packed and in the booth. Her remaining items will be going into storage for the next three months.

The car engine came alive with a gentle purring sound, and soon, they were driving towards the beginning of a new era.

Silver dialed the boarding house to get an update on Mathias.

“He has stopped crying. He is currently in the playroom with other kids." The matron assured her.

Silver didn't know if the woman was lying or not, but it calmed her racing heart.

“Thanks, I'll be back tomorrow." She said.

“Surely, you didn't mean it when you said you'd be coming every day?" The woman asked in a tone that didn't sit well with Silver.

“Why wouldn't I?" She muttered.

“Every mother says that on the first day," The matron said with a knowing chuckle.

Silver felt silly; her cheeks flushed in anger because she meant the words.

“Well, I'm not like them." She snapped and ended the call.

The Carrington mansion’s gate came into sight soon enough. Another reason Silver chose the boarding school was that it was close to the mansion, although at the back of it. It's not on a route any of the Carringtons would ever think to pass.

As the gate parted, Silver's breathing became uneven. Ready as she may have thought she was, this was a shifting moment. Her whole life would change immediately she entered the mansion with her bags.

When the car was parked, she came down. Drawing in a calming breath, Silver looked around. The garden on the left side of the mansion was just as chaotic as Silver remembered, its flowers left to bloom and wither untouched, just as Felicia had always insisted.

On the right side was the courtyard, which extended to the front of the mansion. Silver looked up. Only the first two floors of the mansion had occupants. The first floor was for the staff, and the second floor was for the family. The upper floor was mainly used for parties. While the smaller houses on the property host guests.

One of the windows on the first floor opened, and Silver's eyes caught her mother's as the woman looked around. Once, they were closed. But now they are estranged.

While they kept in touch, Tatiana never liked that she had left. She never approved of Silver keeping Mathias hidden from Burke, and she never once visited Silver despite being in the same city. 

But they talked on the phone once a week, and she did video calls with Mathias occasionally. Silver wished they had done more, maybe now that they would be under the same roof again.

Silver nodded at her mother. She looked away at the sound of her driver opening the booth.

Silver motioned for him to follow her as she approached the door.

Entering the mansion, she let loose a broad smile on her face as she yelled,

“Honey, I'm home!"