Chapter 10 - The Sentence That Broke Him
Evan sat on the floor of his mother’s study.
He did not care that his expensive blazer wrinkled.
He did not care that Diane was crying.
He cared only about the sentence in Lily’s letter.
If it’s because of me, I’m sorry I need you so much.
Maya stood by the window.
Her grief had changed shape.
Until tonight, she had believed Lily died knowing her father loved her, even if he had failed to answer.
Now she knew Lily had spent her last days wondering if she was a burden.
Maya turned.
“What exactly did she hear?”
Evan did not answer.
“Tell me.”
He looked at her.
“Ava called the night before I left. Lily was supposed to be asleep.”
“What did you say?”
“I said…” His voice broke. “I said I wanted four days where nobody needed anything from me.”
Maya’s eyes filled.
“And?”
“I said I wanted to know what it felt like to wake up and only think about myself.”
Diane whispered, “Evan—”
“Stop.” He looked at his mother. “You don’t get to rescue me anymore.”
Maya folded Lily’s letter carefully.
“You got your four days.”
He covered his face.
She walked toward the door.
“Maya.”
She stopped.
“I’m sorry.”
She did not turn around.
“I know.”
Those two words were worse than anger.
Outside, dawn had started to lighten the sky.
Maya got into her car.
Evan stood on the front steps of his mother’s house, staring after her.
His phone rang.
Noah.
Evan answered.
His brother sounded furious.
“Where are you?”
“Mom’s.”
“Good. Stay there.”
“What happened?”
Noah inhaled hard.
“The local station has the story.”
Evan went cold.
“What story?”
“Your affair. Napa. Lily’s funeral. Someone sent photos.”
Maya’s car stopped at the gate.
She had received the same alert.
A headline filled her screen:
TECH EXECUTIVE RETURNS FROM ROMANTIC GETAWAY TO DAUGHTER’S MEMORIAL.
Below it was a photograph of Evan and Ava entering the vineyard hotel.
Another image showed Maya leaving St. Matthew’s alone.
Maya stared at the screen.
Then a text arrived from an unknown number.
You think this is over?
Attached was a photograph taken inside Lily’s ICU room.
May you like
Maya sleeping in the chair beside her daughter.
Someone had been watching them.
