Billionaire’s Secret Baby

7:28 PM Elliot Brand: A driver will arrive at nine to assist you with anything you would like to bring to the new apartment.

8:02 PM Elliot Brand: Ms. Johnson, I would like to confirm that you will be available at nine in the morning tomorrow.

8:47 PM Elliot Brand: Is something amiss? Have you decided not to take the job? Might I remind you, Ms. Johnson, that you signed paperwork this afternoon and are already a Brand Employee?

9:13 PM Elliot Brand: If I cannot reach you, I will come and speak to you face to face.

Elliot was fuming by the time he pulled into the rundown neighborhood that could only be described as the slums. Sirens wailed in the night air, far louder than any crickets had hoped to achieve.

The home looked to be held together with chicken wire and clapboard. Crumbling brick littered the front porch along with hundreds of cigarette butts.

Elliot knocked firmly on the door. There was a rustle behind the curtains and then the lights went off.

Did she think she could hide from him? He knocked louder, “We both know that you’re in there, Ms. Johnson.”

The door cracked open and the unmistakable sound of the gun being cocked ripped through his ears.

“Amanda?” Elliot’s hands tightened into fists. How dare she pull a gun on him?

The door opened a little further and he saw a woman in her fifties with a light between her yellowed teeth wearing a dirty housecoat.

“What you want with Mandy? You the fucker that put that baby there?”

Elliot could only stare.

The woman raised the gun to be level with his chest, “Better start talking fancy man.”

“What’s going on out there?” A man’s voice bellowed from somewhere inside. “Can’t a man get some sleep, damn it all to hell!”

“I’m her new employer,” Elliot stumbled over the words just as he heard a rustling behind the woman. He looked up and saw Mandy.

Her eyes were wide with disbelief, “Mr. Brand? What are you doing here?”

unlatched the door. But rather than showing him

seen better days. The thin material left little to the imagination and he could

on weren’t helping. Her legs seemed to go on forever and even her baby

so

curls to wrap around one

“You have no reason to be sorry, Mr. Brand. I apologize for my mother, she probably

Mandy’s cheeks. “What can

that she’d no control over. A wave of protectiveness washed through him. He couldn’t let her stay here,

need your services right away,” he stumbled over the words. “I

phone is dead, I’m sorry! My sister had an emergency at her shop, and I stayed late to help. I just got home a few minutes ago and plugged it in.”

nodded, “Can I convince

herself. She squeaked and covered her

“Of course, I just need a few minutes

come in?” Elliot surprised himself with the request. But he didn’t

that this man had no idea how

boxes,” Elliot added

“All right, Mr. Brand. But

realized that the moment the revolver was pointed through the crack in

was mortified, “I truly am

up a hand and placed a long finger against her bow

he whispered, “I’m glad that you’ve had someone

from his, “Yes, well, something like that. Please

hit them both. Mandy tried to ignore the way her mother was

and was damp. However, the bedroom that she

was gruff, “Where are the boxes

Mandy swallowed and walked out of the room and returned with three beat-up liquor boxes. Elliot smiled at her, “What can I help

much. Please just have

He looked huge sitting on

of the drawers of

these items in a box if