“What happened to you?” Brady asked and his voice was filled with worry.
Blake’s reply was short. “Look it up yourself!” Then, he hung up.
The dial tone rang in Brady’s ear. Heart pounding, he quickly searched Blake’s name online. The top headlines hit him like a bolt of lightning.
Blake had been in a car accident. His leg was badly injured. He might never walk again.
Brady’s phone slipped from his hand, hitting the floor with a loud thud. His fingers trembled uncontrollably.
How could he have been so blind to this?
Brady clutched his chest, overcome with guilt. Blake was his and Everleigh’s only child. Now, he might be disabled.
Regret and sorrow crashed over him.
Remembering that Blake was still waiting, he didn’t waste another second. He rushed out.
Under the night sky, the hospital’s small garden was quiet. The lights were dim, and no one was around.
Seated in his wheelchair, Blake stared at the fragmented moon. It looked broken-just like he felt inside.
After a while, he heard footsteps behind him.
A faint smile crossed his lips as he lowered his head. “You’re here.”
“Blake…” Brady’s voice was thick with emotion. His eyes turned red as he took in the sight of Blake in the wheelchair.
He wanted to step forward, to tell him the truth. But fear held him back. What if Blake hated him for it? What if he never forgave him?
So, he stayed where he was and asked gently, “Why did you call me so late? Is something wrong?”
Blake slowly turned his wheelchair around. His face, partially lit by the moonlight, looked pale and almost ghostly.
Brady couldn’t look into Blake’s eyes. Instead, he stared at his legs. “Your legs… What happened?”
Blake’s voice was cold. “Brady Lawson.”
He didn’t say Mr. Lawson like he usually did. Hearing his full name made Brady look up at once.
Blake’s lips curled into a faint smile. “No… Maybe I should call you Dad instead.”
Brady’s usual composure shattered the moment he heard the word Dad echo in the garden.
He snapped his head toward Blake, but Blake remained oddly calm.
Brady’s voice trembled. “What… what did you just call me?”
A faint, bitter smile appeared on Blake’s lips. He had never stopped searching for the truth behind Everleigh’s suicide. Rumors spread about a hidden child, fathered by a wealthy man from one of the city’s four most powerful families.
Vincent had once said Blake had taken his real father’s last name. If the rumors were true, then the only Lawson among those families was the Lawson family.
Blake’s search led him to one name-Brady. Rumors mentioned of a past fling, but in the end, Brady chose duty over love. He married Rachel to secure an alliance with the Evans family, leaving that chapter behind.
Then, something didn’t add up. Brady had approached Blake, claiming to be a fan. That was unusual. The elite rarely paid attention to the entertainment industry, let alone admitted admiration. Unless… there was another reason.
Losing his mother had changed everything for Blake, but his search for the truth never stopped. He reached out to people who had known Everleigh. The more he learned, the clearer the answer became and everything pointed to Brady.
Today wasn’t a coincidence. Blake had planned this meeting. It was a test, a chance to confirm what he already suspected.
“The late singing sensation, Everleigh. Remember her?” Blake asked while his eyes looked on the man before him.
“Rumors say she had a child with a wealthy man. Was that man… you?”
Blake observed him carefully. The shock in Brady’s eyes was answer enough. His pupils widened, confirming Blake’s suspicion.
Brady’s voice trembled. “H-How did you find out?” His eyes turned red as he struggled to stay composed.
“So, it’s true,” Blake said in a calm tone. He observed every emotion flickering across Brady’s face.
At this point, denying it was useless.
Brady had spent years hiding the truth, but now it was crushing him. The intense feeling to acknowledge Blake as his son burned inside him.
He slowly stood, then knelt in front of Blake, placing his hands on his legs. Tears filled his eyes, triggering to fall.
“Blake, you’re right. You are Everleigh and my child!” His voice shook emotionally.
Blake’s hands tightened into fists. He had expected this, but hearing it out loud felt like a shockwave.
He sat in silence and his mind spun.
Tears streamed down Brady’s face as he clutched Blake’s hand, his sobs shaking his body.
“It’s all my fault… I should have told you the truth sooner! If I had brought you home earlier, your life wouldn’t have ended up like this! What can I do to make things right?”
Blake took a slow, deep breath. The truth weighed heavy, yet the air suddenly felt lighter.
But anger never came. Neither did resentment.
Instead, relief filled his heart. His father wasn’t just anyone-he was the head of one of the city’s most powerful families. And with that, new possibilities opened before him.
He tightened his grip around Brady’s hand.
“There’s a new treatment abroad for leg injuries. They say it can restore full function in no time. But… it’s expensive.” He said in a calm voice.
Hope lit up Brady’s eyes. He tightened his grip on Blake’s shoulders.
“Really? That’s amazing! Don’t worry about the cost-Dad will make sure you get the best treatment!”
A faint smile crossed Blake’s lips.
The moonlight cast a soft glow on his face, hiding the deeper thoughts behind his calm expression.
****
The next day was the grand finale of Star Search, the peak of weeks of fierce competition.
At exactly eight o’clock, Bianca and Diana sat at their computers, watching intently.
The final episode set social media on fire, skyrocketing to the top of the ratings and dominating trending lists.
Blake’s performance of Starlight in the climax struck a deep chord in viewers’ hearts. His eagerness to stand in his wheelchair created a powerful emotional connection.
The hashtag #BlakeStandsUp! Exploded, quickly taking the number one spot.
Bianca let out a sigh of relief. This surge in popularity was exactly what Blake needed to secure his victory in the live vote.
Public support aligned with expectations. The audience overlooked Reese’s late arrival, and her great performance gave her a new wave of fans.
Everything was going as planned-until the awards ceremony.
That’s when Dave walked onto the stage…