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."

with an overly-tight smile and eyes that held no warmth, scanned my frantic state. "Room 101," she uttered, her tone

dismissive.

a mumbled "thank you,"

me stopped me in my tracks. There, on a sofa, sat my mother,

The words seemed to rip from my throat, raw and laced with disbelief. "You told me she was in an accident! How?

father finally looked up, his eyes devoid of any genuine concern "Amaya,"

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

apprehension crossed 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 the walls went up and the

into it further, my father's voice cut through the tenso

this," he said, thrusting a

stunned by the abruptness of

me to repeat myself, Amaya?" His voice grew sharper, laced

right now? You seriously lied! To get me to come here?" I spat, finally piecing together the twisted

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

whisper, echoed in the sterile silence. "Why do you

heavy in the air, a loaded accusation. I yearned to unleash the oriental frustration and hurt that had fostered within me for years, but something held me back. Perhaps it was the vulnerability flickering in my mother's eyes, or the raw pain simmering beneath my father's stoic

stretched, suffocating and

laced with a tremor of disbelief