Bonds

Chapter 72

-Maya’s POV-

Saturday

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Seventy–two hours.

Three excruciating days had crawled by since the earth had split open beneath my feet. Three days since the man I was supposed to call Dad. the one who should have been my protector, my safe harbor, had looked at me with such raw, naked hatred that the air itself seemed to crackle with hostility.

The vibrant chaos of the park swirled around me, a meaningless blur of sound and movement. Laughter, shouts of encouragement, the rhythmic thud of feet pounding the dirt–it all blended into a monotonous symphony of noise that did nothing to penetrate the thick fog clouding my mind.

Natalia sat beside me talking endlessly and outlining potential solutions to the text message problem.

“We could try a signal blocker. It wouldn’t be foolproof, but it might buy us some time to track down the source.”

My gaze remained fixed on a distant point on the horizon, a point that stretched into an endless void mirroring the hollowness within me. My chest felt heavy, and everything just felt so wrong.

“Or I’ve been doing some reading. We could use a counter–trace program. It’s a little risky, but if we’re careful…”

Her voice trailed off, and I finally tore my eyes away from the empty horizon. She was staring at me with a worried frown etched on her face.

“Amaya,” her voice was gentle. “Are you even listening to me?”

A flicker of pain crossed Natalia’s face for a fleeting moment before she recomposed herself. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Talk about it?

How could I possibly talk about it?

How could I put into words the searing pain of rejection that had branded itself onto my very soul? How could I explain the suffocating emptiness that had replaced the fragile hope I had clung to for so long? That someday we could get past whatever it was my father felt for me. He hated me. My own father simply hated me.

The very thought of talking felt like ripping open a fresh wound, exposing the raw, bleeding mess underneath. So, I remained silent, my gaze returning to the park ground, Across the field, a blur of black hair and bright blue eyes darted between swings, his laughter echoing through the air as he chased after Ivy. Her dark brown curls bounced with every step, her giggles filling the air.

in the often harsh world we lived in. But today, even their playful energy couldn’t break through the shroud of despair that enveloped me. Their laughter sounded distant,

ear, stood in front of me, his chest puffed out with pride as he wrapped his hand around his sister, Ivy, her cheeks flushed from exertion tried

he exclaimed, his voice

Chapter 72

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the movement unfamiliar on my lips. “Good job, Nate,” I croaked, my voice

say anything else, Ivy managed to shove him off her and leaned towards me, pulling me with her tiny hands, “Come

tired. But if you give her a minute, she will

They both exclaimed

eyes filled with a knowing sadness. She understood, of course she did. She had been my rock, my confidante, the one person who truly knew

and Nate, easily distracted, turned their attention back to the park and darted back towards the other children. Their laughter became clearer as they joined the

what to say to make you feel better,” Natalia finally sighed, her voice

of my self–imposed isolation. I turned to

nothing to say.”

made speaking a physical effort. “I have a father, and… and he

clenched tight, “Look, I know this hurts, Amaya. It hurts like hell. But you can’t let his words

hurt by the people you care about. And trust me, letting them win, letting

how do I

her eyes searching mine. “You don’t turn it off. You feel it. You acknowledge it. But you don’t let it define you. You are Amaya Stone, Maya freaking Stone. You are strong, you are brave, and you are worthy of love, no matter what

alarm, and a flicker of cold fear washed

“Natalia? What’s wrong?”

But I saw nothing out of the ordinary,

scrambled to her feet, her movements quick and purposeful. “We need to get the twins and go.” The confusion that had clouded my mind moments ago

gather our things scattered around the bench. “We need to get the twins and

what about –“I began to protest,

in a bright, cheerful

around her.

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Chapter 72

game of tag with a couple

laced with panic. “What’s going on? Why

volume as she called out for the twins again. “Ivyl Natel It’s time to go