Maya's POV
I heard a car pull into the driveway as I packed the suitcase with my last few items of clothing. I saw Jessica, carrying shopping bags in her arms, exit a bright red convertible through the window of my bedroom. She was moving quickly, as if she was eager to get her prize. My home. My spouse. My son.
"Maya!" David came downstairs and called. "Jessica is here!"
She was, of course. Jessica had already moved in after I had been gone for precisely three hours. Before I even signed the divorce papers, she most likely had her belongings packed.
I closed my suitcase and took a final glance around the bedroom. I spent ten years of my life in this room. Jessica's dreams came true after ten years of dreaming.
From the kitchen came the sound of Jessica's laughter. She was already settling in. I picked up my bag and started for the stairs, but I paused when I heard voices coming from below.
"Where is she?" Jessica wanted to know.
"Upstairs packing," David replied.
"All right. Before Ethan gets home from school, I want her gone. He must have a good day, not a bad one. A day of joy."
Jessica believed that today should be joyful because my son was going to return home to discover that his mother had left and that his father's girlfriend had moved in.
David said, "Jessica, perhaps we should take this more slowly." "Ethan may be perplexed—"
"We discussed this, David, honey. Everyone will find it more difficult the longer we wait. Ethan must realize that this is the new normal for him. that this is better."
I took a seat on the top step, out of sight but still able to hear everything.
"Have you given the school a call?" Jessica inquired.
"What is the purpose of calling the school?"
"To inform them that I am now permitted to pick up Ethan. that I am now his guardian. We wish to avoid any misunderstandings."
My heart stopped beating. A new guardian? Even though I had relinquished custody, I was still legally Ethan's mother. Jessica couldn't simply claim to be his guardian. Was she able to?
David said slowly, "I don't think it works that way."
"All right, make it that way. I don't want that woman to cause trouble at Ethan's school. I want everyone to be aware that I am now his mother."
That lady. She was referring to me as though I had already been removed from Ethan's life.
David stated, "Maya is still his biological mother."
Jessica's response, "Not for long," had a sharpness to it that I had never heard before. "I've been reading up on adoption regulations. I will be able to legally adopt Ethan after we get married. Maya won't have any rights at all after that."
My knuckles went white as I tightened my grip on the stair railing. Jessica intended to adopt my son. to legally remove me from his life indefinitely.
"Isn't that a bit extreme?" David inquired. "Do you want Maya to stay in the area for the next ten years, David? Do you want her to attend school plays and birthday parties? Would you like her to mislead Ethan about his true family?"
"I suppose not."
"Then have faith in me. This is the most effective method. Make a clean break. A new beginning. When Ethan is older, he will thank us."
Silently, I got up and slipped back to my room. I had to leave before I said something I would later regret. before I decided not to give them what they desired.
However, I heard footsteps on the stairs as I was gathering up my suitcase.
"Maya?" Just outside my door, I heard Jessica's voice. "Can we talk?"
Jessica was standing there with a phony smile on her face when I opened the door.
"Hi," she said kindly. "I wanted to express my gratitude."
"Thank me?"
"For acting morally. for making things simple for everyone, particularly Ethan."
I gazed at her. Standing in my bedroom, this woman thanked me for sacrificing my family after spending months inciting my son against me.
"Jessica, you know what?" Silently, I said. "You're correct. I'm acting morally."
She appeared taken aback. "Really?"
"Yes. A mother who stands up for Ethan is what he deserves. who would never abandon him. Who would go to great lengths to keep him safe?"
Jessica's smile wavered. "That's what I'll do."
"All right. since you will have to."
"What do you mean?"
I moved past her in the direction of the stairs. "After all, kids aren't just house toys. They are actual people with actual emotions and issues. Additionally, being a mother occasionally requires making difficult decisions."
"I am aware of that."
I paused and faced her once more. "Do you? Because you'll have to console Ethan when he wakes up in the middle of the night crying because he misses me. You will have to respond when he asks why his real mother left. You'll have to deal with what you helped create when he grows up and begins to ask pointed questions about the entire situation."
Jessica's face turned white. "He will adapt."
"Perhaps. Or perhaps he will always wonder why his mother didn't stand up for him. Perhaps he will grow up believing that love entails giving up when times are difficult."
"You're attempting to instill guilt in me."
"I'm attempting to help you comprehend the challenges you're facing. Jessica, motherhood is more than just the good times. Shopping, swimming pools, and family portraits aren't the only things involved."
Jessica followed me down the stairs. "Maya," she said, now trembling. "If you're reconsidering—"
"I'm not." David was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. "What I said was true. You two are worthy of one another."
David appeared perplexed. "What should that mean?"
"It indicates that you both take what they want without considering the consequences to others. Together, you're perfect."
Jessica's voice interrupted me as I was about to head for the front door. "Hold on. You should be aware of this."
I slowly turned around. There was a picture on the screen of the phone that Jessica was holding. Not the one David took, but a college photo of Alex and me. This was not like the others. This one was taken at a party earlier that evening. I was kissing someone else in the picture. Someone other than Alex. Someone I had forgotten all about until now.
I muttered, "Where did you get that?"
Jessica's smile was genuine now. It was unkind. "Isn't social media fantastic? People frequently share old college pictures online. Someone from your graduating class just posted this one last week."
My legs were weak. That kiss had slipped my mind. It didn't matter. I couldn't even recall the name of the person I kissed at a dumb college party. However, it appeared to be much more in the picture.
"David isn't aware of this one yet," Jessica said endearingly. "But if you ever try to cause us problems, he will."
David's face was growing redder by the moment as he gazed at the picture. "Maya," he uttered softly. "Who is that?"
I took another look at the picture, trying to recall. Despite his familiar appearance, I was unable to identify the man.
Sincerely, I said, "I don't remember."
"You don't remember?" David's voice was growing louder. "David, it was ten years ago. It was merely a celebration. It had no significance."
"Like Alex didn't mean anything?"
I gazed at him. He continued to try to paint me as the bad guy despite everything we had been through, including the lies and manipulation.
"David, you know what? You're correct. Alex meant something
. He cared about me, so he meant something. because he considered me to be more than a mother and wife. since he held me in high regard."
"And this guy?" David gestured toward the picture.
I took another look at the photo, and all of a sudden I remembered. My blood froze.
"Maya?" Observing my face, Jessica said. "Who is he?"
I was unable to talk. I was having trouble breathing. Because the man in the picture wasn't just any old college student. He had the power to ruin everything Alex and I had planned. He was someone who was privy to all of my secrets. Additionally, he had just tagged himself in the picture yesterday, based on the timestamp. This implied that he was aware of my impending divorce. This implied that he was returning to my life whether I wanted him to or not.
"Maya?" David insisted. "Who is he?"
I walked to the door after picking up my suitcase. I said, "His name is Marcus Webb," without looking back. "And he's Alex's biggest business rival."
David and Jessica began asking me a ton of questions that I was unable to respond to, so I left the room. Because I had just come to the realization that I wasn't simply being haunted by my past. The only person who had offered to help me start over was going to be destroyed by it when it returned.