Bonds

Chapter 138

-Maya’s POV-

Everything was set in motion, every piece carefully placed on the chessboard. Just like Alex predicted, Christian hadn’t been able to track the source of the message. There were no other options – it was for me to meet with Ivan.

Alex had meticulously planned every detail, leaving no room for error. He’d be my constant shadow, ensuring Ivan believed I was truly alone. Now I stood in front of the mirror, dressed up. It was almost time.

“The hair suits you,” Alex’s voice sounded from behind me, his words barely audible over the nervous fluttering in my stomach. I didn’t tear my gaze away from the reflection in the mirror, but I could feel him enter the small bathroom.

Silence stretched, thick and heavy, before I finally muttered a quiet, “Thank you.”

Taking a deep breath, I turned away from the mirror, ready to face whatever awaited me. But he reached out a hand, gently stopping me in my tracks.

“Amaya,” he whispered.

A jolt of deja vu slammed into me. This, this very moment, mirrored our first encounter. I looked up, meeting his blue eyes – eyes that had always held a power over me, a power that always managed to disarm me. The intensity of his gaze was too much, and I quickly looked away.

I tried to step past him again, but his hand shot out, gripping my arm lightly. “Amaya, please.”

Frustration bubbled up inside me, threatening to spill over. “What do you want me to say, Alex? You’re making me sound like a broken record repeating the same lines over and over. I don’t know how you think things can just magically be okay between us. Believe me, I want it to be okay. I’ve wanted it to be the moment I stepped back into your life a decision fueled by the need to stop lying to myself. But it’s not easy, Alex. Not by a

1

long shot. And right now, this…. this isn’t the time for this conversation.”

locked in an unspoken battle of wills. The silence stretched for what felt like an eternity before he finally stepped back, his shoulders slumping

them,” he started, “are you going to take them

what he was asking. “I don’t know,” I admitted honestly, the answer a tangled mess of

his features before he quickly masked it with a curt nod. “If that’s what you want,” he said, his voice flat and emotionless, “then so be it.”

away. Before he could disappear down the hallway, I blurted out the question that had been gnawing at

eyes. “I’m done hurting you. All I want is for us to be okay, for things to be… normal. I want to get to know my children, but you raised them on your own, you picked up the pieces after all the mistakes I made. This is your call. You do what you think is

Christian’s voice cut through the tense air, his tone clipped and urgent. “The car is ready,” he announced,

nodded, my throat constricting with a mix of emotions. Stealing one last glance at Alex, his face

and turn sent my heart hammering against my ribs. Unlike the dank, claustrophobic tunnels where I’d been held captive before, this place felt different. The air was clean,

expansive room, my breath caught in my throat. My heart went into overdrive. There, in a designated play area filled with brightly colored toys,

sprinted towards them,

torrent of relief. “Mommy’s here,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “Mommy’s here,

scanning their faces for any sign of harm. Little Ivy, ever the chatterbox, was already pointing at a brightly

1/2

Chapter 138

took a moment for my racing heart to slow down enough to register Nate’s words. “Mommy,” he mumbled, his voice thick with a mix of sleepiness and relief, “I missed you.”

fresh wave of tears welled up in my eyes. Relief washed over me, tinged with a deep ache of guilt for the fear and uncertainty they must have endured. “We need to get out of here,”

as I started to formulate a plan, a voice sliced through the air, cold and calculating. I looked up, my blood running

did you?” he drawled, his voice laced with a sickening amusement.

daggers at him. “Where’s Ivan?” I demanded, my voice surprisingly steady despite the

matters,” he replied nonchalantly. His gaze flickered to

almost grudgingly complimentary. “You raised them well. They’ve been very well

mind raced, desperately searching for a way out. They wouldn’t let me leave that easily. “What kind of game are you playing?” I spat, my voice