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?

as I skidded to a stop at the reception desk.

to calm down. “My mother was in an accident. She was brought here. Victoria Stone. I need

no warmth, scanned my frantic state. “Room

dismissive.

bother registering her attitude. With a mumbled “thank you,” I

greeted me stopped me in my tracks. There, on a sofa, sat my mother, a magazine casually draped across her lap, as my father tapped

my throat, raw and laced with disbelief. “You told me she was in an

genuine concern “Amaya,” he drawled,

my voice rising

exchange, I saw

it further, my father’s voice cut through

this,” he said, thrusting

blinked, momentarily stunned by the

myself, Amaya?” His voice grew sharper, laced with irritation. “Take the

seriously lied! To get me to come here?”

Chapter 14

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 stilling

in the sterile silence. “Why do you hate me

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

silence stretched, suffocating