Damon's POV
My little one had mentioned her mother was difficult, but she never elaborated on how strained their relationship truly was. In this way, we shared another similarity that left a bitter taste in my mouth. Family should represent protection, love, care, and acceptance—yet I knew firsthand that reality often falls painfully short of this ideal.
But Maya had me now, and I would take care of her. My first priority was solving this phone situation. I couldn't bear the thought of her keeping her device turned off, disconnected from the world—and from me. I left the police station earlier than usual and stopped at an electronics store to purchase a new phone for her. This way, she could maintain communication with me even if she needed to silence her other phone to avoid her mother's persistent calls. With that taken care of, I headed to pick her up.
