Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 14

-Maya POV-

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. A million conflicting emotions warred within me: anger, resentment, guilt, fear, and an unexpected pang of grief.

She was more like a trophy wife to Daniel Stone but the fact still remained-she was my mother.

Natalia placed a comforting hand on my arm, her presence grounding me in the midst of the emotional maelstrom. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision, but I blinked them back, refusing to crumble. "Where is she?" I demanded, my voice surprisingly steady.

He gave me the name of the hospital, and before I could even process the information, I was already pushing the call to end. Natalia helped me gather my things, moving with urgency yet understanding "I'll watch the kids," she promised, her voice firm and reassuring. "Go, be with your mother."

I didn't need to be told twice. With a quick hug of gratitude, I rushed out, my mind racing, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs.

Would I get to say goodbye?

I slammed through the automatic hospital doors, the sterile scent assaulting my senses as I skidded to a stop at the reception desk. My breaths were coming in ragged gasps, adrenaline fueled by the phantom echo of my father's words.

“Hello,” I choked out, forcing myself to calm down. "My mother was in an accident. She was brought here. Victoria Stone. I need to see her."

and eyes that held no

dismissive.

bother registering her attitude. With a mumbled "thank you,"

the ward, the scene that greeted me stopped me in my tracks. There, on a sofa, sat my mother, a magazine casually draped across her lap,

is going on here?" The words seemed to rip from my throat, raw and laced with disbelief. "You told

genuine concern "Amaya," he

is going on?" I demanded, my voice rising in pitch. My

mother's face and eyes met for a fleeting moment, and in that silent exchange, I saw a flash of apology, a flicker of the mother I remembered before

further, my father's voice cut through the

he said, thrusting a document in

stunned by the

myself, Amaya?" His voice grew

me, hot and potent. "Are you seriously kidding me right now? You seriously lied! To get me to come here?" I

vivid red blooming on my skin. Anger simmared, threatening to boll over, but exhaustion weighed

whisper, echoed in the sterile silence. "Why do

for years, but something held

silence stretched,

syllable laced with a tremor of disbelief and simmering