Chapter 6: Three hours

I wasn’t going to move out. I don't care what lease clause Henderson signed, and I don't care how many billions Julian Vance had sitting in his bank accounts. Blue Restoration was mine. I spent the next two days working like a woman possessed, sanding, painting, and restoring old furniture in my shop, surrounded by sawdust and noise. It was my fortress, and I was going to hold down the fort until the last possible second.

At the same time, I still had to show up at Julian’s sprawling penthouse to work on the antique desk. I was terrified of what else was hidden inside it—especially after finding my mother’s initials on that hidden silver pendant but I needed to keep my eyes on the prize.

Luckily, Julian wasn't there. For Thursday and most of Friday, the giant glass apartment was dead quiet. I worked in peace, listening to the ocean waves crashing. I made sure to avoid Eleanor, avoided looking at the elevator every time it hummed, and kept my head down. I was grateful he was leaving me alone. Maybe my furious speech in his office had actually pushed him back a step.

It was late Saturday afternoon, right around four o'clock. I had packed up my canvas tool bag and was wiping my sticky, stained hands on a dirty rag, ready to head back home for the night. The penthouse was golden, flooded with the warm light of the setting sun. I smiled at the masterpiece before I swung my heavy bag over my shoulder, turning toward the elevator, and froze.

Julian was standing near the entrance, leaning against the doorframe.

He had his jacket off, his white shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his dark grey eyes fixed entirely on me. He looked like he had been standing there watching me for a while without making a single sound.

My stomach dropped into a tight, nervous knot. That same strange, overwhelming heat rushed back into my veins, making my face burn. I hated how my body reacted to him, how my heart started hammering against my ribs the second he walked into a room.

"You're leaving late," Julian said smoothly, his deep voice rolling across the quiet room.

"I was finishing a coat of sealant," I said, hardening my voice and adjusting the strap on my shoulder. "I'm leaving now."

"No, you're not," Julian said quietly.

I stopped in my tracks, glaring at him. "Excuse me? We made a deal, Julian. Ten to four. It's four-fifteen. I'm going home."

Julian didn't move out of the way. He slowly walked toward me, his heavy steps silent on the marble floor. "I have a proposition for you, Maya. One that involves your workshop."

I narrowed my eyes. "My workshop isn't a bargaining chip."

"It is today," he said, stopping just a few feet away from me. The same rich familiar scent of cedarwood drifted off him, filling my lungs. "There is an elite dinner party tonight at the Grand Harbor Club. The city's top investors, politicians, and power brokers will be there. I want you to be my guest."

I let out a loud, dry laugh. "Are you out of your mind? Look at me, Julian. I'm wearing splattered overalls, work boots, and my hair is held together by sawdust and prayer. I don't do fake dinners with fake rich people. And you really think I would come with you? You must be joking."

"I don't care what you're wearing right now," Julian said, his eyes dropping to my lips before rising back to meet my stare with burning intensity. "And you'll be coming there with me because I want you there with me."

"And if I say no?"

"If you say no," Julian murmured, taking one step closer until I had to tilt my head back to look at him, "Apex Holdings proceeds with the eviction on Monday morning. You'll be locked out by noon."

A cold spike of fear stabbed straight through my anger.

I acted tough around him. I yelled at him in his office, I slammed my hands on his desk, and I talked back when anyone else would have trembled. But deep down, underneath all my pride, I was terrified. Men like Julian Vance didn't just have money; they had real, dirty power. They could wipe out a person's life with a single phone call, buy off judges, and bury secrets in places no one would ever find. My father had vanished into thin air five years ago, leaving behind nothing but a cryptic index card and a hidden necklace. I knew how dangerous this world was. I didn't want to get pulled into the mud with him.

"You're blackmailing me," I whispered, my voice trembling with raw, bitter frustration.

"I'm making you an offer," Julian corrected softly, his face completely serious. "Come to the dinner with me tonight. Spend three hours by my side. If you do that, I will sign the workshop building back over to you on Monday. No rent increases. No Apex Holdings. It will be yours, completely untouched, forever."

I stared at him, my breath catching in my throat. He was giving me my life back, the one thing I was fighting so desperately for. All it cost was three hours of my pride. Three hours to bury my ego.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, hating myself a little bit for how helpless I felt. "Fine," I spat out, glaring at him. "Three hours. Then you give me the deed to my shop."

"A deal is a deal," Julian said softly. He turned toward the hallway leading to his private bedrooms. "The clothes are already inside."

Before I could ask what he meant, he snapped his fingers twice. From the side guest hallway, three women stepped out into the living room. How did they…? It's JULIAN VANCE.

The women were all dressed in matching sleek black uniforms, carrying massive leather garment bags, makeup kits, and hair equipment.

My jaw dropped. "Wait, what is this?" I asked slightly confused.

"This is your team," Julian said calmly, stepping back to give them space. "They have two hours to get you ready."

"Julian, I don't need three people to change my clothes!" I yelled, stepping back, but the lead woman—a sharp-looking lady with red lipstick—was already unzipping the heavy garment bag.

"Remember the shop, Maya," Julian said, his voice dropping into a low, smooth warning. A tiny, dark smirk played at the corner of his mouth.

I clamped my mouth shut, shooting him a glare that could kill a man. The thoughts of my shop made me squeeze my eyes shut, took a deep breath, and let the women lead me into the guest suite.

I hope nothing goes wrong tonight.