Bonds

Chapter 34

-Maya’s POV-

He stared at me, his face a mask of complete and utter blankness. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, erasing all emotion from his features. The intensity that had flared in his eyes just moments ago was gone, replaced by a cold, impassive indifference. A beat of silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. I held my breath, waiting for a reaction, any kind of reaction. But there was none. It was as if I hadn’t spoken at all.

Then, as if suddenly remembering his purpose for being there, he cleared his throat, the sound harsh and grating. “Your father will…” he began, but I cut him off before he could finish the sentence.

“Don’t you dare talk about my father right now! Didn’t you hear what I just said to you?”

He let out a sigh, a sound of weary exasperation. “I came here to help because I know you’re not involved in this,” he said, his voice flat. “I didn’t come to talk about your feelings.”

His words were like a fresh spark igniting the tinderbox of my emotions. “My feelings?” I spat the word back at him, incredulous. “Are you kidding me, Alex?”

“Amaya,” he started, but I wasn’t finished. This wasn’t the time for his patronizing tone. Not now.

“Don’t you dare say my name,” I growled, my voice laced with a dangerous edge. “You know what? Leave.”

His eyes narrowed a fraction, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. “What?”

“You heard me. I said leave. Get out. I don’t need your help. The Stones are garbage, so why don’t you just stay away from us?”

The words tasted like ash in my mouth, each one a betrayal of the raw emotions that had just spilled out of me. But something had shifted within me, a deep–seated anger rising to the surface. This wasn’t the Alex I knew. This cold, emotionless stranger staring back at me was a far cry from the man I had fallen in love with. He remained silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering. Then, he spoke, his voice devoid of any warmth. “You’re making an unnecessary scene. Stop shouting.”

The calmness in his voice only served to fuel my rage. “Stop shouting?” You barge in here, act like you care, and then dismiss my feelings like they’re nothing? How dare you?”

I stared at him, searching his face for a trace of the Alex I knew, the man I had loved. But there was nothing. Just this cold, calculating stranger. He knew he could be an asshole, cold and ruthless but he was different with me. I was his soft spot. His weakness. His silver. A horrifying realization dawned on me. The Alex I loved… he was gone.

And if he was gone, then why was he here?

What did he want from me?

into this mess? Why did he care? His reasons couldn’t possibly be

decipher. Was it annoyance? Hesitation? It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual stoic

INSTALL

clipped. “You’re not involved in this. You

thought, cold and unsettling, slithered into my mind. He had always loathed my father. Their animosity

anything to do with this?” The question burst

guilt flickered across his face, a chink in his armor. It was gone so quickly I almost doubted I’d seen it,

The word exploded from me, a mixture of disbelief and betrayal. “You had something to do with this, didn’t you? This whole thing… my father being investigated…

but the silence itself spoke volumes. My

me.

“You had to go this far? Couldn’t you have just… I don’t

the only reason he’s even still alive

word tasted like ash in my mouth. Grateful that he’d entangled me in his twisted game of revenge? Grateful that he’d used me as a pawn to get

voice raw with emotion. “You think I should be grateful that you are destroying my life without a single thought for how it would affect me? That something you did is

something akin to pain crossing his features. But it was quickly masked by his usual stoic

supposed to

to get involved? So you planned all this, knowing the risk, and then act now you are here

to speak, but I cut him off

shaky with a mixture of anger and exhaustion. “I don’t

a long moment, his

enough damage already.

tired

from where I’m sitting, it seems pretty clear. You get revenge on my father by dragging me into your

beat of silence followed. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he stood up, narowing

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Chapter 34

up when he moved closer. His scent surrounded me making my

to be like this. When I took down your father’s company, I…” He trailed