Bonds

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?

the sterile scent assaulting my senses as I skidded to a stop at the reception desk.

down. “My mother was in an accident. She was brought here. Victoria

a woman with an overly-tight smile and eyes that held no warmth, scanned my frantic state. “Room 101,” she uttered,

dismissive.

didn’t bother registering her attitude. With a mumbled “thank you,” I tore through

that greeted me stopped me in my tracks. There, on a sofa, sat my mother, a magazine casually draped across

The words seemed to rip from my throat, raw and laced

of any genuine concern “Amaya,” he drawled, his voice flat and lacking

demanded, my voice rising in pitch. My eyes

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

could read into it further, my

said, thrusting a document in my

blinked, momentarily stunned by

voice grew sharper, laced with irritation. “Take the document

seriously lied! To get me to come here?” I spat, finally piecing

Chapter 14

i accepted the paper, the starkness of the white contrasting the vivid red blooming on my skin. Anger simmared, threatening to boll over, but exhaustion weighed me down like a blanket

voice, barely a whisper, echoed in the sterile silence. “Why do you

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

silence stretched, suffocating and