Bonds

Chapter 28

Maya’s POV-

The silence that followed my confession stretched on for an eternity. It was a deafening quiet, broken only by the soft rasp of my mother’s breath and the frantic hammering of my own heart. Ivan’s face was a canvas of emotions-confusion, hurt, disbelief- flitting across his features se quickly I couldn’t keep track. Then, a realization dawned on me, chilling and stark. He truly hadn’t known.

The dam within me had burst, and the words tumbled out and I couldn’t control. “My father didn’t want you to know,” I rushed out, my voice raw with a mixture of guilt and desperation. “He erased every trace of it. Alex and I… We were married for three years. We were mates. Then, he rejected me. I was pregnant with ivy and Nate, but he didn’t know. He still doesn’t. And it’s going to stay that way. Ivan, I just… I just don’t want to keep lying to you anymore.”

He remained silent, his gaze locked on mine, his expression unreadable. It was torture, that silence, each passing second stretching into an agonizing eternity. “Please,” I pleaded, my voice dropping to a whisper. “Say something. Anything”

Finally, he shook his head slowly, as if trying to clear his thoughts. “The woman I married… was married before? Not just to anyone, but to Alex Thorne? Who happens to be my little sister’s fiancé?” His voice was a low rumble, laced with disbelief.

The mention of Miranda jolted me back to the present. A flicker of apprehension crossed my face.

He studied me for a long moment, his brow furrowed in concentration. “What else do I need to know?” He asked, “Because I can tell there’s more from that look.”

“There is. I, uhm, kind of attacked her at a bar. And you may have… beaten her up.”

Instead of the anger I expected, he surprised me when a wry smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Someone finally did it,” he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “I have a list of people who’ve been dying to see her get what’s coming to her.”

My jaw dropped. “You’re not… mad?”

He let out a long sigh. “I don’t know what to feel. Regarding Miranda, well I know she had it coming. She takes pleasure in annoying people. Someone finally cracked. I’m surprised she hasn’t called me yet to cuss you out,” then he let out a sigh, “And then Alex. I don’t know but the thought that you and him… Amaya, this is a lot to take in.”

“It’s over,” I said with conviction. “Whatever happened in the past is staying buried. And I promise you, that’s where it will stay, I don’t want to live with you anymore, Ivan. Like Natalia said, I need a fresh start, and I want you to be a part of that fresh start. No one else.”

A wave of relief washed over his face, followed by that familiar boyish grin that always made me tingle, “You really mean that?”

alie

head on. “And I know my father already had my things moved to your apartment. Even though I’m pretty ticked off

chuckle escaped his lips. “Well, that was about to be my next question. Considering the situation here…” he trailed off, gesturing towards the

playing on my lips. “A fresh start

disturb my mother’s slumber. The silence of the house felt heavy again, punctuated only by her soft breaths. I placed a fluffy pillow under her head, tucking the edges in for good

hair, taking so whiff, “Everything about you

Slope 28

tugged at the corner of my lips as he let me go looking into my eyes. “Well, as you can see,” I gestured towards the overall state of the house, “I don’t exactly have many options right now

look crossing his face. “But are

my voice firm. “This whole mess, it’s made me realize a lot of things. I don’t want to live a lie anymore,

my cheek. “Me too, Amaya,” he said, his voice sincere. “More than anything. But it won’t be easy. There’s a lot to unpack, a lot to figure

complicated, to say the least.

out a humorless laugh. “Awkward? Try

we can avoid family gatherings

can definitely talk about that. But

said, returning his smile. “We take things one step at

his phone, his brow furrowing as he checked the screen. “It’s a friend,” he said, his voice apologetic. “He might know something about your father’s case.

the weight of the situation

murmur of his conversation. My gaze drifted to my mother, still fast asleep on the couch. A sliver of guilt p r i c k d at me. I knew she had never really tried to be a mother. Just a trophy

Ivan’s voice rose slightly, his tone tense distracting me. He paused for a moment, listening intently. “A lead? Are you sure this guy’s reliable?” Another pause, punctuated

I inched closer, hoping to catch a snippet of

it,” and slipped his phone back

be something. My friend knows someone who used to work with your father. He’s willing to meet with us tomorrow, but he wants to keep it

apprehension creeping into my

“He thinks there might be more to your father’s case than the FBI is letting on.

do we