Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 138 -Maya's POV-

Everything was set in motion, every piece carefully placed on the chessboard. Just like Alex predicted, Christian hadn't been able to track the source of the message. There were no other options - it was for me to meet with Ivan.

Alex had meticulously planned every detail, leaving no room for error. He'd be my constant shadow, ensuring Ivan believed I was truly alone. Now I stood in front of the mirror, dressed up. It was almost time. "The hair suits you," Alex's voice sounded from behind me, his words barely audible over the nervous fluttering in my stomach. I didn't tear my gaze away from the reflection in the mirror, but I could feel him enter the small bathroom.

Silence stretched, thick and heavy, before I finally muttered a quiet, "Thank you."

Taking a deep breath, I turned away from the mirror, ready to face whatever awaited me. But he reached out a hand, gently stopping me in my tracks.

"Amaya," he whispered.

A jolt of deja vu slammed into me. This, this very moment, mirrored our first encounter. I looked up, meeting his blue eyes - eyes that had always held a power over me, a power that always managed to disarm me. The intensity of his gaze was too much, and I quickly looked away.

I tried to step past him again, but his hand shot out, gripping my arm lightly. "Amaya, please."

Frustration bubbled up inside me, threatening to spill over. "What do you want me to say, Alex? You're making me sound like a broken record repeating the same lines over and over. I don't know how you think things can just magically be okay between us. Believe me, I want it to be okay. I've wanted it to be the moment I stepped back into your life a decision fueled by the need to stop lying to myself. But it's not easy, Alex. Not by a

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long shot. And right now, this.... this isn't the time for this conversation."

We stood there, locked in an unspoken battle of wills. The silence stretched for what felt like an eternity before he finally stepped back, his shoulders slumping slightly in defeat. "Once you have them," he started, "are you going to take them and leave?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken emotions. It took me a moment to process his words, to truly understand what he was asking. "I don't know," I admitted honestly, the answer a tangled mess of emotions swirling within me. "Honestly, I don't know yet. After everything that's happened, maybe... maybe leaving would be the best thing for all of us."

crossing his features before he quickly masked it with a curt nod. "If that's what you want," he said, his voice flat and

surge of conflicting emotions hit me as Alex turned away. Before he could disappear down the hallway, I blurted out the question that had been gnawing at me. "Are you going to

lips, a contrast to the turmoil in his eyes. "I'm done hurting you. All I want is for us to be okay, for things to be... normal. I want to get to know my children, but you raised them on your own, you picked up the pieces after all the mistakes I made. This is your call. You do what you think is best for them, for

tense air, his tone clipped and urgent. "The car is ready," he announced,

constricting with a mix of emotions. Stealing one last glance at Alex, his face etched with a mixture of

held captive before, this place felt different. The air was clean, devoid of the stale, musty smell that had clung to me for days. Yet, a different kind of dread settled in my stomach - a sterile, clinical feeling that sent

cry escaped my lips as I sprinted towards them, my legs propelled by a desperate need to hold them close, to feel them

in a torrent of relief. "Mommy's here," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "Mommy's here, and you're okay." Holding them tightly, I pulled back slightly, my gaze scanning their faces for any sign of harm. Little Ivy,

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Chapter 138

register Nate's words. "Mommy," he mumbled, his voice thick with

in my eyes. Relief washed over me, tinged with a deep ache of guilt for the fear and uncertainty they must have endured. "We need to get out of here," I whispered, my voice firm

to formulate a plan, a voice sliced through the air, cold and calculating. I looked

didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" he drawled, his voice laced with a

pulled my children closer, glaring daggers at him. "Where's Ivan?" I demanded, my

he replied nonchalantly. His gaze flickered to the

to you, Amaya," he continued, his tone almost grudgingly complimentary. "You raised them well. They've been very well behaved. Go on then, he gestured towards the

"What kind of

lips."You know everything doesn't always have to be unnecessarily difficult. Ivan got what he wanted. One Thorne is gone, Damon is next and Ivan's not a monster. He wouldn't hurt children. So, be

was no point waiting to find out if he was lying or not. With a burst of adrenaline, I grabbed

envisioned a narrow window of escape opening before me, Adrian's voice cut through the air, sharp

a little parting gift for you." He gestured towards a wooden box sitting by the door that