Blair crouched behind the bushes, mud clinging to her bare legs, her robe half open and her knee pulsing with pain. She stared up at the second-story window she'd just launched herself out of like some undercover superhero. The idea of climbing back up? Laughable.
She sighed. "No choice. Gotta go back inside like a normal, muddy criminal."
The moment Blair stepped through the back door and into the hallway, the sound of voices drifted from the dining room. She tried to sneak through, but fate was not on her side. Cassie spotted her first.
"Blair?" Cassie's voice was sharp. "Why are you bleeding?"
Everyone turned, conversation dying.
Caleb's brows shot up as he stood. "What the—how did you… what happened?"
James stood too, his voice filled with concern. "Why are you bleeding?"
Blair froze like a deer in headlights. "It's fine, guys. I fell."
Maddie, already standing, rushed to her side and looped Blair's arm around her shoulders, helping her walk. "Come on, let's clean you up."
James disappeared toward the kitchen to get the first aid kit.
Blair whispered urgently, "I found something. In Sarah's room. Big."
Maddie hushed her quickly. "Not now."
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "This doesn't add up."
Andrew raised a brow. "You said you were going to your room. Then you came back looking like a rejected forest nymph and bleeding."
Jazmine leaned forward, skeptical. "What really happened, Blair? No one's buying the mystery stunt double act."
Blair blurted, "I fell from my window."
Silence.
"…You fell from your window?" Andrew echoed, voice flat.
"Yeah. I was trying to get a sock," Blair said quickly, blinking.
Andrew looked like he wanted to laugh and cry all at once. "You fell out of your window for a sock."
"Totally normal," Maddie jumped in, nodding too fast. "It happens sometimes."
The two shared a tight, almost conspiratorial smile before dragging themselves upstairs.
Once gone, Andrew turned to Cassie and said, "So the craziness—is it genetic or transferable? Because Maddie caught it like a cold."
Upstairs in Blair's room, Maddie helped her sit on the bed before heading into the bathroom to run the water.
"You need to shower like… now."
Blair nodded. "While I do, check my phone. I took pictures."
Maddie picked up the phone, scanning the photos as the sound of running water filled the room. Her jaw slowly dropped.
Before she could say a word, a knock sounded at the door.
James and Caleb stepped in after Maddie called out, "Come in."
Blair, lost in her thoughts under the shower spray, didn't hear a thing.
James's arms were crossed. "So… why exactly was Blair covered in mud again?"
Maddie didn't look up. "How would I know? I was downstairs with all of you."
Caleb narrowed his eyes. "Maddie…"
She stood, brushing past them and pulling them up from Blair's bed. "It's nothing, okay? Just girl stuff. Secret girl stuff."
But before they made it to the door—
From inside the bathroom, Blair's voice rang out, loud and scandalized. "Maddie! Did you see that Sarah has a whole child?! And she came here to lie and convince Caleb that the kid is his?! That girl is evil. I should've known from her fake blonde dye—"
"Blair!" Maddie shrieked. "Shut up!"
James blinked. "Wait. You snuck into Sarah's room?"
Caleb's face paled. "A child?"
At that exact moment, Andrew swung the door open like he owned the place.
Maddie whipped her head around. "You should knock!"
Andrew shrugged. "Please, James and Caleb are already here. What's the worst that could've happened—walking in on a foursome?"
Caleb groaned. "Bro, what did we say about saying stuff like that?"
Andrew held his hands up. "What? It'd be fun. Wait—who's with a child?"
James sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sarah. We think. Maddie, explain?"
Maddie threw her hands in the air. "I don't know anything yet! Just wait until Blair gets out of the bathroom. I'm still recovering from her window dive!"
Cassie & Jazmine's POV
Downstairs, the dining table had mostly cleared, but Cassie sat with her fork still pushing food around on her plate. Jazmine, ever watchful, leaned a little closer.
"We finally talked," Cassie said softly, eyes glazed. "James and I."
Jazmine raised a brow. "And?"
Cassie let out a breathy laugh that didn't hold any humor. "It's official. He really likes Blair."
Jazmine's expression shifted, heart dropping just a bit for her friend. "Oh, love… are you okay?"
Cassie blinked away the emotion bubbling behind her eyes. "No. But I will be. I just have to live with the truth."
Without another word, Jazmine reached over and hugged her. Tight.
---
Back in Blair's Room – James's POV
Blair stepped out of the bathroom in just a towel wrapped tightly around her, another twisted around her curls. Her skin glistened, damp and golden, like the light itself couldn't help but love her. James glanced up—and immediately regretted it.
Her eyes, wide and bright, locked with his, and his heart did something he definitely wasn't prepared for. Her lips were slightly parted in surprise, and he couldn't help but think how soft they looked—how soft she looked.
God, she was beautiful.
James cleared his throat, trying to look anywhere else—but his eyes found her again, helplessly drawn.
Andrew, of course, ruined the moment. "You almost used a whole hour in the bathroom."
Blair blinked, snapping out of her own startled daze. She turned to Maddie, who just nodded and said calmly, "They know."
Caleb stepped forward, all business. "So explain what you saw in Sarah's room."
Blair sighed. "Okay. So—first, I found her phone. The lock screen was her and a child. Then I found her jot pad and planner. She literally wrote down her plan to tell Caleb about the kid. There were also documents. A birth certificate. A genotype sheet. The kid's name is Lucian."
Caleb's face dropped. "Sarah's crazy, man. What are we even supposed to do with this?"
Blair rubbed her arm. "Her planner says she plans to tell you on Thursday. So we've got time. All we need is a DNA test. We can shut it down."
James leaned forward. "How? The kid's not even here."
Blair nodded, then added, "True. But she's a mom. And she's divorced. She came all the way from New York to London… there's no way she left the child behind."
Maddie perked up. "She must've brought the kid with her."
"Exactly," Blair said, snapping her fingers.
Caleb added, "She goes out around 11 a.m. every day."
Maddie raised a brow. "And how would you know?"
Caleb smirked. "Because I saw her. Two days in a row."
Maddie smiled. "I didn't say anything."
James cut in, already planning. "So we follow her tomorrow. Hopefully she's heading to wherever she's keeping Lucian. We get a fingerprint. Or leftover food. Something with DNA. We do the test, expose her, and silence her."
Andrew raised a hand lazily. "Okay, but I'm not waking up before eleven. Y'all have fun."
James gave him a look. "Andrew and I will follow Sarah. Early. No excuses."
Maddie nodded. "Caleb and I will wait at the hospital for the sample."
Blair blinked. "And me? What's my role?"
James stood slowly and faced her. "Talking to Cassie."
Blair's face fell. "What? That doesn't help the mission."
James smiled faintly. "Sure it does. It clears the air. That helps us all move forward."
"I'm not ready to clear the air," Blair admitted. "I like it just as it is. It saves a lot."
Maddie tilted her head. "Blair, don't pretend that's not about guilt. You feel guilty for hanging out with James."
Blair's eyes narrowed. "Maddie, that's between us. Don't say that in front of the guys."
Maddie winced. "Sorry. I forgot. Got comfortable."
Blair turned back to James. "I'll consider talking to Cassie. Maybe. Now, can you guys leave our room? Thank you."
James, Caleb, and Andrew exchanged amused glances as they left.
Once the door closed, Blair dropped on the bed beside Maddie.
Maddie smiled. "Tomorrow's going to be chaos."
Blair sighed, tugging the towel tighter. "And we're right in the middle of it."
They flicked off the light.
Time to rest before Operation DNA.
---