Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter

27

-Maya's POV-

The world seemed to tilt on its axis. The phone felt heavy in my hand, suddenly a foreign object. "What?" I whispered, the single word escaping my lips in a ragged breath. The line went dead before I could say anything else. I stared at the phone screen, numb, the gravity of Ivan's words sinking in.

"Amaya? What's wrong?" Natalia's voice cut through the fog of confusion clouding my mind. Her hand shot out to grip mine, "What happened?"

I looked at her, my mouth working soundlessly for a moment. "My father. He has been arrested. Ivan just called. The FBI... they're investigating him for something." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, "Does he know what it's about?"

1 shook my head slowly, the room feeling like it was closing in on me. "No. He just said they're investigating him. He's coming to pick me up."

A flicker of worry crossed her face. "Do you w

want me to come with you?" she asked. "Maybe it would be better if you weren't alone."

"No. I need to handle this myself. Thank you, though, Natalia. For everything and you too Nathan."

I know he had gone quiet just like he always did when Natalia and I were having our moment. He nodded giving me a tight smile, "Anytime, Maya."

Natalia pulled me into a tight hug, her embrace a silent reassurance in the face of the unknown. "Call me when you know more. And whatever happens, you know I'm here for you."

I clung to her for a moment longer, drawing strength from her unwavering support. Then, I pulled back, wiping at the tears that had welled up in my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to focus. My father needed me, no matter how much I considered him a monster sometimes and whatever ho'd gotten himself into, I had to be there for him.

"I gotta go," I told them, my voice thick with emotion. "Ivan's on his way."

Nathan nodded, her gaze filled with understanding. "We will come see you later."

As I stepped out into the cool night air, a shiver ran

clenched with suppressed anger. I stole a glance at him once, but he kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead, a storm brewing behind his normally calm eyes. He hadn't said a single word to me since he picked me up and the tension in the car

finally broke

towards me for a brief moment. "Not much. I got a call from a

sounded surreal, something ripped from a bad crime movie. "Money laundering? But... that doesn't make any sense. I know my father might be an a**

interrupted, his voice laced with frustration. "That's what we're going to

growing sense of betrayal. How

a swarm of police cars and yellow crime scene tape greeted us. The

parked the car a few houses down, a silent agreement to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. He took my hand in his, his grip firm yet comforting. "We'll

mixture of fear and a strange sense of detachment. Taking a deep, shaky breath, I steeled myself for whatever. awaited us inside. As ivan and

help you?" he

my husband, Ivan McCall. It's my father's house and I need

enter the house. The first thing that hit me was the chaos. Furniture was overturned, drawers hung open, papers were scaered everywhere. It looked like a tornado

room, a group of officers were questioning my mother. Her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, her normally composed face etched with

towards me. She threw her arms around me, holding me tight as if afraid I might disappear.

froze at first. I knew we both needed each other at this moment and she must be going out of her mind but still, it felt foreign. Seeing her like this. Uneasily, I hugged her back, the familiar scent of her

"They took him," she said, her voice hoarse.

"But... how?"

voice cracking with despair. "I haven't known what to think. They wouldn't

said gently. "We can try to find out more about your

a heavy heart, I squeezed her hand back. "We'll

on my tongue.

myself drawn to a framed photograph on the mantle. The three of us stood together even though it looked forced but still, we stood together. A lump formed in my throat. Suddenly, the weight of the night's events pressed down on me with renewed force. Alex, my marriage, and now this- my father's arrest hanging like a dark cloud over everything. Exhaustion

so tired, Mom," I mumbled, my voice

out and pulled me into a tight embrace. "I know. I am too. But we'll get through