ESCORTÉ

Red Flags

*The Next Day*
December 26, 2025
Beyoncé Knowles POV

I woke up to the sound of my office door opening. In walked Onika, fully dressed with her hand on her hip. She looked good, classy and eloquent. I could tell that she was on her way to court.

"Baby? Did you fall asleep in here?" She asked while looking around the room, her eyes landing on the messy desk. Once Lauren had joined Onika in bed last night, I continued to brainstorm and come up with another solution to Michael's lawsuit. I fell short before also falling asleep but I did remember one point that I had thought about. No one had reached out directly to me, so I wondered why if I was the head of the company would they contact my father first? It just didn't make sense.

"I guess so." I responded to her before removing the stack of papers off of my chest and walking over to her.

"I'm sorry, it wasn't on purpose. Just trying to figure out this lawsuit thing." I apologized to her before kissing her lips. I then thought about what Lauren had suggested to me... before we had sex. I was in an immediate back and forth with myself on whether or not to tell Onika but eventually decided to be honest. This three way relationship between us was already risky and keeping secrets wouldn't make it any better.

"But uh.. Lauren did come check on me last night.." I said to her as she looked up at me. I couldn't tell whether or not she was upset because her facial expression was indifferent.

"Did she?" She asked me while stepping back so she could fully see my face.

"Yeah she was brainstorming on what we could about this... she offered to help.." I tip toed around the rest of the details. Her face scrunched up in confusion before she tilted her head.

"How so?"

"Well.. she didn't really give any details but she said she could offer her ... "services"." I responded while shrugging. She knew Lauren better than me so she was probably more aware of what that meant than I was.

"Hm... and is that all? She just came straight to bed after that conversation?" She continued to press me while rubbing her hand on my chest. Her eyes were also batting at me in a seductive way but I couldn't tell what her motives were in this particular moment.

"Well no.. she uh.. I mean we.." I stammered with my eyes closed.

"Had sex?" She asked in a "hurry up and get it out" manner.

I was now the one in deep confusion as I slowly narrowed my eyes.

"She told me." She then hit me in my chest, causing me to wince quietly and grab myself.

"What? Well if she told you why are you in here interrogating me?"

"Because I wanted to see if you would lie. This shit is already risky and I can't do it if I can't trust the both of you." She simply said while looking back at me in a duh manner.

I nodded my head slowly secretly thanking God I chose not to lie.

"I think it's a stupid idea Beyoncé." She then said while walking out into the living room. I followed closely behind like a puppy dog per usual.

"I know it's stupid." I sighed. "But hey best case scenario Lauren pulls it off and it ... works." I threw out.

She immediately shook her head as she transferred her items from another purse into one of her new birkin bags. "And worst case scenario Michael adds blackmail and forced coercion to his lawsuit. I'm a lawyer Beyoncé. I told her no." She completely shut it down.

I sighed. "Onika sometimes you have to play dirty alright?" But even I was unsure if that was a route I wanted to take. I sounded exactly like my father and I hated it. She must have heard it in my voice and felt the same way because she instantly called it out.