Chapter 37
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Solenn
The office was moving like normal—emails flying, phone calls ringing, employees shuffling between meetings—but I knew better. Beneath the surface, something was shifting, something I couldn't see but could feel, creeping under my skin like an approaching storm.
Victoria Spencer.
Even just thinking her name sent a cold weight pressing against my chest.
I sat at my desk, pretending to focus on my screen, but my mind was stuck in a loop—Asher’s warning.
Maverick’s reassurance. The way he held me last night was like he was anchoring me like he needed me to stay.
I wanted to believe him, but the unease in my stomach wouldn’t settle.
Because I’d seen women like his mother before. Powerful. Calculated. Unforgiving.
And I needed to know exactly what I was up against.
I exhaled slowly, rolling my shoulders before pushing away from my desk. If I was going to do this, I had to be careful. I couldn’t just ask directly—that would be too obvious. But there were ways to get what I wanted.
I made my way toward the break room, scanning for familiar faces. It didn’t take long before I spotted Lillian from HR, stirring sugar into her coffee, her usual warm smile in place. She was one of the few people in this company who liked me.
"Lillian," I greeted, grabbing a mug for myself. "Busy morning?"
She sighed dramatically, tossing her spoon onto the counter. "Always. Some departments don’t know how to file a simple report without panicking. But hey, job security, right?"
I laughed lightly, pouring my coffee before leaning against the counter. "I bet HR has seen it all. Especially in a place like this. Big names, bigger egos." I took a slow sip, keeping my tone casual. "Maverick must be a handful."
Lillian chuckled. "Oh. But he’s nothing compared to his mother."
Bingo.
I tilted my head slightly. "Victoria Spencer?" I let the name roll off my tongue lightly like it wasn’t the real reason I was here. "I heard she’s… intense."
Lillian’s smile faltered. It was quick—so quick that if I hadn’t been watching for it, I would have missed it. But it was there.
She set her mug down carefully, lowering her voice just slightly. "That’s one way to put it."
I kept my expression neutral, swirling the coffee in my cup. "I take it she’s not exactly warm and cuddly?"
Lillian let out a short, humorless laugh. "Victoria Spencer doesn’t waste time with warmth, Solenn. She’s efficient, brilliant, and ruthless. She didn’t just marry into wealth—she built it. She was the one who expanded the Spencer empire. She knows how to control everything around her."
A chill ran down my spine. "Including her sons?"
Lillian’s gaze flickered, hesitation creeping into her features. "Especially them."
I swallowed, forcing my fingers to stay relaxed around my cup. "So… she’s very involved in Maverick’s life?"
Lillian hesitated again like she was trying to decide if she should be saying any of this.
Then, finally, she exhaled. "Maverick has always been the golden son.
The one expected to carry on the Spencer legacy, to lead, to marry strategically.
His whole life has been planned out since the day he was born.
And as far as I know…" She paused, lowering her voice even more.
"He’s never publicly been with anyone before. "
Something inside me tightened.
I forced out a small laugh, lifting my cup to my lips. "That’s surprising. I mean, he’s Maverick Spencer. He could have anyone."
"Exactly," Lillian said. "But he never does. At least, not in a way that lasts. Not in a way that his mother would disapprove of."
I inhaled sharply through my nose, keeping my face calm, and unreadable. "And if she disapproves?"
Lillian’s eyes darkened slightly. "Then she finds a way to fix the problem."
A sharp, uncomfortable weight settled in my chest.
I didn’t get the chance to respond before another voice joined the conversation.
"If you’re asking about Victoria, you should probably be asking how to get out of her way, not in it."
I turned my head slightly, my eyes landing on Daniel—one of the senior executives who had been with the company since before Maverick took over. He stood near the door, arms crossed, his expression one of mild amusement and something else.
"You sound like you have experience," I said smoothly.
Daniel smirked, walking further inside and grabbing himself a coffee.
"Let’s just say I’ve been in the room when she decides someone is no longer useful.
It’s not pretty." He turned slightly, his gaze locking onto mine. "If she’s around, it means one thing—she’s here to end something, not welcome it. "
The words slammed into me like a punch.
I gripped my coffee cup a little tighter, my stomach twisting. "And how exactly does she end things?"
Daniel shrugged. "Whatever way works best."
Silence.
Thick, suffocating.
I felt Lillian watching me carefully, but I kept my expression blank. Indifferent. Like this wasn’t confirming every single fear I already had.
Daniel took a slow sip of his coffee, his smirk never faltering. "If you were smart, Wheeler, you’d keep your distance. No one crosses Victoria Spencer and walks away unscathed."
I tilted my head slightly, forcing a small smile. "Good thing I like a challenge."
Daniel let out a short chuckle, shaking his head as he walked away. "Your funeral."
I stood there for a long moment, forcing myself to breathe.
Lillian shifted beside me, her voice softer this time. "Solenn… be careful. Maverick may be powerful, but his mother? She’s untouchable."
I swallowed down the lump in my throat and forced a smirk. "Come on, Lillian. What’s the worst she could do?"
But even as I said it, I already knew the answer.
She wouldn’t fire me.
She wouldn’t embarrass me.
She’d erase me.