Chapter 115 One Hundred and fifteen
Maya’s voice was steady, decisive, leaving no room for argument.
“Listen, Izzy,” she said, taking her hand gently. “You need rest. You’re pregnant, you’re not feeling too well, and you need to think clearly. I’ll pack your bags. Then we take the money, cash it out, and tomorrow, you leave. Far away. Somewhere he can’t find you… for now.”
Izzy blinked, the weight of it sinking in. “Tomorrow? Just like that?”
“Yes,” Maya said firmly. “You’re coming with me. My apartment. Here isn’t safe. Not with his mother still prowling around, not with Dominic caught up in all this drama. You need a place where you can breathe, where you can be safe and not be stressed out. Think about your baby.
Izzy nodded slowly, the fight in her softening to exhaustion. “Okay… okay, I trust you.”
Maya gave her a small, reassuring squeeze. “Good. Now go lie down. I’ll pack your things while you get some sleep. Tomorrow, you start fresh. A new city, a new life, a new start for you… and your baby.”
Izzy let out a shaky breath and allowed herself to sink back onto the couch, closing her eyes. Maya moved to start gathering bags and clothes.
Izzy lay back on the couch, her body finally allowing itself to relax just a little. The exhaustion from the past days..fear, nausea, anger, heartbreak… hit her all at once, and she felt herself drift toward sleep.
Maya moved around the apartment quietly, folding clothes, slipping them into bags, her movements precise but gentle. Now and then, she glanced at Izzy, her eyes softening.
“You’ll be okay, Izzy,” Maya murmured as she zipped a bag closed. “I’ll make sure of it. I'm not letting that bastard or his mom mess with you.. or the baby.”
Izzy tried to speak, but her throat felt dry, her voice barely a whisper. “Maya… thank you… I… I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You won’t ever have to find out,” Maya said firmly, brushing a stray hair from Izzy’s forehead. “I’ve got you. Always.”
For a moment, Izzy let herself imagine it… leaving everything behind, starting over somewhere far away, safe, with no one breathing down her neck. The fear was still there, the uncertainty too, but it was tempered with a fragile sense of hope.
“Go back to sleep,” Maya said softly. “I’ll wake you when it’s time leave. Just rest now.”
Izzy closed her eyes, the weight on her chest easing slightly. Outside, the city moved on, full of noise and chaos, but inside Maya’s apartment, for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt… protected.
And as she drifted into a heavy, uneasy sleep, her last thought was a small, desperate prayer… that tomorrow, everything could really start over.
Hours passed in a quiet haze. Izzy slept fitfully on the couch, the bag of clothes and the check sitting nearby like silent reminders of the impossible choice ahead. Maya stayed close, checking her phone, packing a few last things, and making sure everything was ready for their escape.
When Izzy stirred, blinking against the soft light creeping through the blinds, Maya was crouched beside her with a bottle of water and a damp cloth for her forehead.
“Morning,” Maya said softly, offering the water. “How’re you feeling? I tried waking you up so we could go to my apartment.. I guess you must have been so tired.”
Izzy took a shaky sip, the cool liquid soothing her dry throat. “Better… I think. But… this… everything… It’s real, isn’t it?” Her hands instinctively moved to her stomach, a mix of fear and wonder in her eyes.
“Yes,” Maya said firmly, sitting back on her heels. “It’s real, and right now your priority is keeping you and that baby safe. Everything else can wait. Dominic… him, his mother, all of that…. doesn’t matter.”
Izzy swallowed, her chest tight. “You really think I can just… leave? Go somewhere far, start over?”
Maya smiled, though it was tinged with urgency. “I know you can. We’ll pack your things, take the money, and disappear for now. No one will find you… at least, not for a while. Start afresh Izzy.. there’s nothing left here for you.”
Izzy nodded slowly, the knot in her stomach twisting with anxiety and relief all at once. “Okay… let’s do it,” she whispered, voice small but determined.
Maya rose, grabbing the bags they had packed the night before. “Good. I’ll help you with everything. First, we get the rest of your stuff together.”
As Izzy moved to gather her things, her mind raced… fear, anger, and hope all jumbled together. But through it all, one thing was certain… she was going to be the best mom to her child.
Maya stood at the doorway, bags slung over her shoulder. “Let’s go, Izzy. Time to start over.”
Izzy took a deep, shuddering breath, clutched her bag tight, and followed Maya out of the apartment. The city outside felt different somehow… no longer a trap, but a path forward.
And as they stepped into the morning light, Izzy couldn’t shake the gnawing thought at the back of her mind: Dominic isn’t going to let this go easily.
But for now, she had to focus on herself and her baby.
They stood at the airport gate, the hum of travelers and rolling suitcases all around her, but it felt like the world had narrowed to just her and the path ahead. Her boarding pass was clutched tightly in her hand, the one-way ticket to Australia gleaming like a promise.
She turned slowly, eyes searching, and saw Maya standing a few feet away, arms crossed, trying to hide the worry and tears. Maya gave her a small, shaky wave, forcing a brave smile.
Izzy lifted her hand and waved back, her own lips trembling. “Goodbye… Maya,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
Maya’s eyes glistened, and she nodded once, tight-lipped. “Be safe, Izzy… call me as soon as you land.”
Izzy exhaled shakily, taking a last look at the city behind her, at the streets and the apartment that had held so much pain, love, and chaos. Then she turned back toward the gate, ready to step into the unknown.
Her heart pounded, a mix of fear and hope, her mind racing with everything she was leaving… and everything she didn’t yet know lay ahead.
She took a deep breath, gripping her bag strap, and started walking toward the gate.
And as she disappeared through the sliding doors, the airport behind her seemed impossibly vast and empty, leaving Maya frozen in place, hand still raised in farewell.
The future was uncertain. The baby, Dominic, the life she’d known… all of it hung in the balance.