After The Divorce: Blair's Rise To Power

05. The Fight for Freedom

The next morning, Blair woke up to sunlight streaming through the lavender curtains of her room. For a moment, she felt disoriented being in her childhood bedroom, before memories of yesterday's events flooded her mind. Finn's slap, her escape from home, and the tearful phone call to her father. Everything felt like a nightmare that she had finally managed to break free from.

Blair rose from bed and approached the window. Her parents' backyard was still as beautiful as she remembered. The old oak tree she used to climb, the garden bench where her father would read stories to her, and the rose garden lovingly tended by her mother. All those happy memories warmed her heart.

"Blair?" Elizabeth's gentle voice came from behind the half-open door. "Are you awake, darling?"

"Yes, Mom," Blair replied, turning to greet her mother.

Elizabeth entered with a warm smile. She carried a tray with a complete breakfast—toast, scrambled eggs, and a cup of hot tea—Blair's favorite foods since childhood.

"I thought you might want to have breakfast in your room today," Elizabeth said as she placed the tray on the small table near the window.

Blair smiled gratefully. "You still remember my favorite breakfast."

"Of course," Elizabeth chuckled softly. "You may have been gone for three years, but you were never once out of our thoughts."

They sat together by the window, enjoying breakfast and light conversation. Elizabeth wisely didn't ask further about Finn or about the last three years Blair had spent away. She knew her daughter would share when she was ready.

"Your father spoke with Uncle James last night," Elizabeth finally broached a more serious topic. "He'll be coming this afternoon to discuss... the next steps."

Blair nodded. She knew she couldn't avoid reality forever. "I'm ready, Mom. I've decided not to go back to Finn. No matter what happens."

Elizabeth gently squeezed her daughter's hand. "We're so proud of you, Blair. It takes tremendous courage to do what you did."

"I only regret not doing it sooner," Blair looked down, her eyes beginning to well up.

"Don't regret the past, darling," Elizabeth gently lifted her daughter's chin. "What matters is the steps you take now."

Meanwhile, at the Harrison residence, Finn sat brooding in his study. His eyes stared blankly at his wedding photo with Blair that was still displayed on his desk. He hadn't slept all night, his mind torn between anger and confusion.

The study door opened and Victoria entered without knocking. She wore the same evening gown as yesterday, her hair slightly disheveled yet still looking seductive.

"Still thinking about her?" Victoria asked with a cynical tone when she saw Finn staring at the wedding photo.

Finn quickly placed the photo face down. "No. I'm just thinking about... complications that might arise if she really files for divorce."

Victoria snorted while pouring herself a glass of wine. "What are you worried about? You're a Harrison. Your family has the best lawyers in the country."

"That's not the issue," Finn rubbed his face in frustration. "Blair knows too much about the family business. About... how we run things."

Victoria moved closer and sat on Finn's lap. "You're afraid she'll talk?"

"I'm not afraid," Finn denied with a defensive tone. "It's just that this could get very complicated."

"Then we need to make sure she keeps her mouth shut," Victoria whispered in Finn's ear. "Or better yet, get her back under your control again."

Finn looked at Victoria with a cold stare. "And how do we do that?"

Victoria smiled slyly. "I have a plan. But first, we need to know where she is now."

Uncle James—or more precisely, James Wilson, a senior attorney who was also an old friend of the Spencer family—arrived precisely at two in the afternoon. The always impeccably dressed sixty-year-old man gave Blair a warm hug.

"It's been a long time, Blair," he said with a fatherly smile. "Although I wish our reunion was under more pleasant circumstances."

They gathered in Richard's study. James took out several documents from his briefcase and began explaining the divorce process in detail.

"Given your situation, Blair," James spoke in a professional tone, "we can file for divorce on grounds of domestic abuse. The mark from the slap on your face can be initial evidence, but it would be stronger if we had more proof."

Blair took a deep breath. "I... I have other evidence," she said quietly. "Photos of old injuries, and also voice recordings of some... incidents."

Richard and Elizabeth exchanged glances, shocked and hurt by their daughter's confession.

"You recorded them?" asked James, his voice mixed with sympathy and admiration for Blair's courage.

Blair nodded. "I started recording our arguments since the first year of our marriage. Initially just to... convince myself that I wasn't crazy, that what he said and did really happened."

Elizabeth's tears began to flow. Richard clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.

"That's very strong evidence, Blair," James noted in his small notebook. "With that evidence, we can file for a protection order to prevent Finn from approaching you during the divorce proceedings."

Blair felt tremendous relief. For three years, she had felt trapped in a marriage that hurt her. Now, finally, there was a real way out.

After James left with all the information he needed, Blair sat on the back porch, watching the late afternoon sun beginning to set. Elizabeth approached her with a cup of hot tea.

"What are you thinking about, darling?" Elizabeth asked as she sat beside her daughter.

Blair let out a long sigh. "I'm thinking about the future, Mom. About what I'll do after all this is over."

"And what do you want to do?"

Blair smiled slightly. "I want to work again. Before I married Finn, I worked very well at Dad's company. But I was afraid Finn would feel inferior if he knew I was the daughter of the Spencer Family and worked at Spencer Group. So I quit."

Elizabeth held her daughter's hand. "You can start working again, Blair. There's nothing for you to worry about now."

"I don't even know where to start, Mom," Blair admitted. "These three years have felt like I've lost myself."

"You haven't lost yourself, darling," Elizabeth smiled gently. "You just temporarily forgot who you really are. But now you can find yourself again, step by step."

Blair nodded, her eyes welling up but this time with tears of hope. She would find herself again. She would be the Blair she once knew—strong, free, and full of dreams.

A week passed since Blair returned to her parents' home. The protection order had been issued, and the divorce process had begun. During that week, Blair slowly began to rediscover small joys in her life—helping with work at her father's company, helping her mother cook, or simply having casual conversations with her father in the evening.

However, that tranquility was disturbed when Blair's phone rang one morning. Blair answered the phone, and her face immediately tensed.

"What do you want?" she asked with a cold tone. "I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore, so stop trying to contact me."

She hung up the phone abruptly. Blair turned and found Richard and her mother standing in the doorway.

"Finn?" her father asked, although he already knew the answer.

Blair nodded. "He threatened to come find me. He said he has something he needs to discuss with you directly."

"He can't do that," Elizabeth interjected. "James will get the protection order."

Blair nodded, although fear began to creep back into her. She knew Finn wouldn't give up that easily. He was too arrogant and too accustomed to getting what he wanted.

"Besides, he doesn't know where I am now, he doesn't even know who I really am."

"Still, Blair. I'll call James," Richard decided, taking out his phone. "He needs to know about this."

Blair returned to her room, sitting on the edge of the bed with mixed feelings. What if Finn really came? What if he tried to force Blair to return to him?

A gentle knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Elizabeth entered with a worried face.

"James is on his way here," Elizabeth informed her. "He said we need to discuss the next steps."

Blair nodded, trying to swallow her fear. "I won't let Finn intimidate us, Mom. I won't go back to him."

Elizabeth smiled proudly at her daughter. "You're much stronger than you think, Blair."

An hour later, James arrived with a serious face. He brought several new documents and a thick folder.

"Finn has filed a counter-suit," James informed them after sitting in the living room. "He claims that you were the one who psychologically abused him, and that you stole important documents from the company."

Blair gasped. "That's not true! He was the one who..."

"I know, Blair," James reassured her. "This is a common tactic in complicated divorce cases. He's trying to flip the narrative."

"What can we do?" Richard asked angrily.

"We have strong evidence to refute his claims," James explained. "The voice recordings and photos that Blair provided are very helpful."

Suddenly, Blair's phone rang. Unknown number. With confusion, Blair answered the phone and listened.

"Hello, Blair," Victoria's voice greeted from the other end. "We need to talk."

Victoria sat gracefully in a luxurious café in the city center. Her sharp eyes watched the entrance, waiting impatiently. When Blair entered the café, accompanied by Uncle James, Victoria smiled thinly.

"I thought you would come alone," Victoria commented as Blair and James sat across from her. Victoria was slightly surprised when she recognized James. She hadn't expected Blair would be able to hire him; the woman must have spent all her savings to win against Finn.

"You know that's not possible," Blair replied calmly. She no longer felt intimidated by Victoria as she once did. "What did you want to talk about?"

Victoria sipped her coffee elegantly. "Getting straight to the point, aren't we? Very well. I know what you have, Blair."

"If this is an attempt to threaten my client," James spoke up, "I suggest you reconsider, Mrs. Harrison."

Victoria chuckled softly. "Threaten? Oh, no, no. I'm here to offer a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Blair asked cautiously.

"Simple," Victoria set down her coffee cup. "Return all those documents to us, delete all copies you have, and we will give you an easy divorce. Finn will sign all the papers without resistance, and you will receive a very... generous financial compensation."

Blair looked at Victoria in disbelief. "You think I would sell the truth for money? I won't accept that offer. And I don't need money at all."

Victoria's smile disappeared. "You're making a big mistake, Blair. You're being arrogant for more money, aren't you?" Blair secretly smiled; all the Harrisons and Victoria thought she was doing this for money. They didn't know what Blair really had.

Victoria leaned forward, her voice becoming a threatening whisper. "You think this will end easily? Finn won't let you go just like that. And the Harrison family has connections you can't imagine."

Blair smiled secretly. That was true, the Harrison family did have extensive connections. But Victoria didn't know where Blair came from. Victoria had no idea how much greater the Spencer's power was compared to the Harrisons.