Bonds

Chapter 96

-Maya’s POV-

The cinnamon buns were amazing, just like Ivan promised. But the delightful sweetness couldn’t quite erase the bitter aftertaste of reality waiting for me back at his office. Stepping through the door, my good mood vanished faster than a sprinkle on a hot pastry: Miranda sat there, casually scrolling through her phone, looking perfectly at home in Ivan’s office chair.

Ivan was the first to react, his voice tight with annoyance, “Miranda, what are you doing here? And how many times do I have to tell you not to just waltz in here?”

She looked up, her eyes flickering between Ivan and me before a slow, smug grin spread across her face. I might have known her for only a

few months, well hardly knew her but I knew I would never like her. Everything about her rubbed me the wrong way and I wanted to slap the grin off her stupid face..

Pushing herself out of the chair, she walked towards us, arms outstretched. I watched with a mixture of apprehension and annoyance as Ivan visibly stiffened under her touch. “I’m sure you’ve seen the news already,” she chirped, her voice dripping with false sweetness, “but I just

wanted to tell my big brother in person.”

Her hands remained firmly wrapped around Ivan while her eyes drilled into mine. The smugness on her face only intensified the urge to wipe

the smile off with the back of my hand.

“So,” she continued, finally pulling away, still managing to keep her gaze locked on me, “how have you been?”

Ivan let out a tired sigh. “Miranda, I’m not in the mood for your games today. We have work to do. Congratulations on the wedding.” He then turned to me, a genuine smile warming his features. “Come on, Amaya, let’s get back to it.”

Miranda’s playful facade faltered for a second, replaced by a flash of imitation. Her arms crossed tightly, and the smugness morphed into at scowl. “That’s all you have to say?” she huffed, her voice dripping with disappointment.

He shot her a pointed look. “Is there anything else I need to say? Anything specific you expect from me?”

“You know exactly what I mean, Ivan,” she retorted, her voice rising a notch. “You’re being so annoying! And then you add her to the mix? Now you’re just plain irritating!”

“Mirandal” Ivan’s voice boomed, a warning laced with his exasperation.

She ignored him, turning back to me with a pointed question, “Aren’t you even going to congratulate me?”

clenched tight. The question hung heavy in the air, a challenge I refused to acknowledge. Ignoring her completely felt like the most powerful response I could

silence stretched on, thick and uncomfortable. She tapped her foot impatiently, her smugness slowly giving way to frustration, Ivan, caught in the middle, pinched the bridge of his

silence any longer, She huffed dramatically. “Finel Be that way. I don’t even want the two of you at

anyway.

shot, she stormed out of the office, slamming the door shut behind her with a bang that

10:32 Sat, 22 Jun

Chapter 96

managed, the word barely a whisper. “That

86%

“Come on, sit down. Let’s try to get some actual work done before she decides to grace us

events of the

of us said anything and he went on explaining what I would be doing as his personal assistant but i could tell his head was somewhere else.

talk about it.”

running

with your parents.” I paused a bit when I

sadly, “I want

softly, “You told me Miranda witnessed it, but did you see it too? See

nodded slowly. His body trembled, and I could see the

towards him, my legs feeling heavy, as if I was walking through quicksand. I climbed onto his lap, molding my body to his, ignoring the

and his pain.

me closer, his arms wrapping tightly around me. We stayed like that for a long time, the only sound being our ragged

under attack. I remember the sounds,

taking a deep breath, his

they… His voice cracked, and he couldn’t finish the

held him closer, my tears falling

was so traumatized. She didn’t speak for months after. that. And I…I was left with the guilt of

voice was laced with

the smell of blood, the feeling of being so small and helpless. And the sounds…the sounds still haunt me. Miranda and 1, we were all each other had left. We clung to each other, trying to make sense of it

I held him tighter, my heart aching for the little boy who

more and more withdrawn. She couldn’t cope with the trauma, and I…I tried to be strong for her, but it was hard. So hard.