Chapter 26
Maya's POV:
I checked my phone for the third time that morning.
8:17 AM.
We had to leave now if I wanted to get Amy to Julian's building before the cab arrived.
"Amy, you ready?" I called from the kitchen.
She appeared in the doorway, dragging her little green suitcase behind her. She'd insisted on packing it herself last night—stuffing in her favorite books, that second-grade math workbook she loved, and a box of colored pencils.
I'd gone through it later, after she'd fallen asleep, and added a few extra clothes and some hair ties.
"Yep!" She grinned up at me. "Can we go now?"
"Absolutely." I grabbed my own bag and slung it over my shoulder. "Let's go, baby."
As we walked toward the main gate of our building, I started my usual pre-trip lecture.
"Okay, listen. When you're at Mr. Garrison's house, you need to be polite. Don't run around or jump on the furniture. Don't yell. And please don't be picky about food, okay? His housekeeper is doing us a huge favor."
Amy nodded solemnly. "I know, Mommy."
"And I'll be back in two days. I'll call you every night before bed—"
"Mr. Sterling!"
My head snapped up.
Adam was standing just outside the gate, jogging in place. White dress shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, dark gray slacks. He looked like he'd just stepped out of a GQ shoot, except his forehead was beaded with sweat.
What the fuck.
He stopped jogging when he saw us and walked over, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
"Good morning," he said, his voice smooth and infuriatingly casual.
I stared at him.
How does he know where I live?
"Mr. Sterling." I forced a polite smile. "What are you doing here?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Running. You moved?"
"I—" My mind scrambled for an explanation. "Yes. Recently."
"Interesting coincidence," he said, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. "Running into you here."
Coincidence my ass.
"Yeah," I said flatly. "Super interesting."
"We should go. Nice seeing you, Mr. Sterling." I adjusted my bag and grabbed Amy's suitcase.
I tried to step around him, but he moved slightly, blocking my path.
"Where are you headed?"
"I'm taking Amy to a friend's house," I said carefully. "I have a work trip."
"To Mr. Garrison's house?" he asked.
I froze.
How the hell does he know that?
"I make it my business to know things," he said, as if reading my mind.
I felt my jaw tighten. "That's... great for you."
"It is." He glanced down at Amy, then back at me. "You know, I was just thinking—why don't I take her instead?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Amy." He gestured toward her. "She can stay at my place while you're gone. I have plenty of space. And I'll make sure she's taken care of."
"Absolutely not." The words came out sharper than I intended. "I've already made arrangements."
"With a housekeeper you've never met?" He tilted his head. "Sounds safe."
I opened my mouth to argue, but he crouched down in front of Amy before I could say anything.
"What do you think, Amy?" he asked gently. "Want to come hang out at my place for a couple days?"
Her eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Really."
"But Mommy said—"
"I know what your mommy said." He shot me a quick glance, then looked back at her. "But wouldn't you rather stay with me? We could watch movies. Go swimming. Maybe get ice cream."
Amy's face broke into the biggest smile I'd seen in weeks.
"Yes!" she said, bouncing on her toes. "Can I, Mommy? Please?"
I stared at her, then at Adam.
This motherfucker.
He was doing this on purpose. Manipulating the situation. Using my daughter to corner me.
"Amy, sweetie, we already talked about this—"
"But I want to go with Mr. Sterling!" she said, her voice bordering on a whine. "Please, Mommy?"
I looked at Adam.
He stood up slowly, his expression unreadable.
"Your call," he said.
My grip tightened on the suitcase handle.
What choice do I have?
Amy already knows.
She knows Adam is her father.
And now she wants to be with him. To spend time with her dad.
How can I say no to that?
"Fine," I said through gritted teeth. "She can go with you."
Adam's smile was instant. Victorious.
"Great," he said, taking the suitcase from my hand before I could protest. "Come on, Amy. Let's get you in the car."
He led her toward a red sports car parked just down the street.
I followed, my pulse hammering in my ears.
When we reached the car, Adam opened the back door, revealing a brand-new car seat.
Amy climbed in eagerly, and Adam buckled her in with the same practiced ease he'd shown last time.
"All set?" he asked her.
"Yep!"
He closed the door and turned to me.
"Happy now?"
"Thrilled," I said flatly.
"Good." He pulled out his phone and waved it at me. "Unblock me."
I blinked. "What?"
"You heard me." His eyes locked on mine. "Instagram. And my number. Unblock both."
"Why?"
"So I can send you updates about Amy while you're gone." He raised an eyebrow. "Or would you rather go two days without hearing from her?"
I glared at him.
Bastard.
I pulled out my phone, opened Instagram, and unblocked his account.
Then I went into my contacts and did the same with his number.
"Done," I said stiffly.
"See? That wasn't so hard." He pocketed his phone and leaned against the car, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Consider this a favor. You can pay me back later."
I stared at him.
A favor?
He wants me to owe him?
I bit down hard on the inside of my cheek to keep from saying what I was really thinking.
You're the one who insisted on taking her. I didn't ask for this.
And she's your daughter. Taking care of her for two days isn't a favor—it's what you should've been doing for the past four years.
But I couldn't say any of that. Not without revealing everything.
So I kept my mouth shut.
"I have to go," I said, turning away.
The Uber I'd called earlier had arrived.
I climbed into the back seat, pulled the door shut, and immediately dialed Julian's number.
"Maya?"
"Hey," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Change of plans. Amy's staying with a friend of mine instead. You can head straight to the airport—I'll meet you there."
"You sure?" Julian asked. "I thought—"
"I'm sure. See you in an hour."
I hung up before he could ask any more questions.