Bonds

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.

told them, my voice thick

gaze filled with understanding. “We

As I stepped out into

I stole a glance at him once, but he kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead,

you know?” I finally broke the

turning his head towards me for a brief moment. “Not much. I got a call from a friend in the force. Apparently, there’s been an investigation into your father’s business dealings for a while now. Something about money laundering, maybe

ripped from a bad crime movie. “Money laundering? But… that doesn’t make any sense. I

He interrupted, his voice laced with frustration. “That’s what we’re going to find

blur. My mind raced with questions, anxieties, and a growing sense of betrayal. How could my father be involved in something like this? And how much

Chapter 27

greeted us. The sight of it

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 go in together. “But be prepared. Things might be…

breath, I steeled myself for whatever. awaited us inside. As ivan and Lapproached the house, a police officer materialized at the door, his

you?” he

Amaya Stone,” I said, forcing my voice to remain calm. “This is my husband, Ivan McCall. It’s my father’s house and I need to

narrowed slightly. He studied us for a beat, then stopped aside, allowing us to enter the house. The first thing that hit me was the chaos. Furniture was

red-rimmed and swollen, her normally composed face etched

arms around me, holding

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

pulled back slightly, wiping at her tears with a trembling hand. “They took him,” she said, her voice h o a r s e. “The FBI. They said he was… involved in some kind of illegal activities. Money laundering,

“But… how?”

don’t know,” She interrupted, her voice cracking with despair. “I haven’t known what to think. They wouldn’t tell me anything. Just took him

unease. “We should let your mom get some

my hand, her eyes pleading. “Don’t

me like a heavy cloak. With a heavy heart, I squeezed her hand back. “We’ll stay,”

on my tongue.

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