Chapter 4

Maya had no idea how much time had passed before she faintly heard the wail of an ambulance. As she was fading in and out of consciousness, she felt as if she'd somehow travelled back in time. She was adopted by the Selwyns. So, she had always been extra careful, never daring to do anything that might earn their ire. She might be adopted, but she wasn't loved. She thought that was her lot in life until she met Arthur. When Arthur went on one knee and proposed to her, he had vowed that he would love her till the end of his days. He had promised her that he would never forsake her, even in poverty, and that he would always choose her. Yet, he had hesitated. Even worse, he had chosen another woman over her. Their vows of eternal love for good and for ill were gone like smoke in the wind. Maya's heart twisted further, the pain assailing her senses nearly blinding her. … When she finally regained consciousness, the acrid scent of disinfectant assaulted her nose as fluorescent lights stabbed into her eyes. The ward was cold and empty, bereft of anyone but her. The walls were pale and empty, just like the look on her face. Her stomach was screaming in pain, her thigh was stinging, and every breath she took only made the pain worse. She could hear the nurses gossiping beyond the door, too preoccupied with their conversation to check in on her. "Did you hear? Mr. Holland carried Mrs. Selwyn into the hospital himself. He was so worried. I hear that he's still keeping vigil by her side." "My, my. Isn't Mr. Holland's actual wife in this ward? She's terribly hurt, but Mr. Holland didn't even visit her." "Maybe he's genuinely worried? After all, Mrs. Selwyn is carrying the late Mr. Selwyn's child. Perhaps he's only doing this for Mr. Holland's sake." "Really? Do you actually believe that?" Maya's hand curled into fists when she overheard their conversation, her ears ringing. Isla was pregnant? Suddenly, she had no idea what to feel. Should she be laughing? Or should she be wailing her heart out? Should she be happy that Adam was saved? Or should she be happy that this entire farce was finally ending? In the end, Maya started laughing through her tears, the wetness streaking down her cheeks like a tidal wave. As she felt the burning tracks running down her cheeks, she slowly buried her face into her palms. When she did, she suddenly felt a stinging pain. It seemed that she'd clenched her fists too tightly earlier. Her nails had bitten through her skin, and it was bleeding. It took her a while to snap out of her stupor. When she did, she slowly made her way to Isla's ward. She could hear bell-like giggles even from a distance. Adam was nestled happily between Arthur and Isla inside the VIP ward. He grabbed their hands with his and made them hold each other's hands. "Mommy, you're not allowed to stop loving me even after the baby is born, okay?" Then, he said to Arthur, "Uncle Arthur, can I call you 'Daddy' in private?" His doe-like eyes shone with adoration, and his childish request made Arthur's gaze soften. Isla flicked Adam's nose playfully in response. Adam was quick to dodge, wriggling away from her and straight into Arthur's arms. Arthur stiffened slightly, but he quickly hugged the child close with a smile on his lips. The three of them looked every bit the perfect happy family. Maya stood by the door, utterly frozen. Her heart felt strangely hollow. It was as if something precious had slipped away from her grasp for good. At some point, Arthur's gaze turned to the door, locking with hers. The air seemed to still. Then, his lips curled into a mocking smirk as he deliberately tugged Isla into his arms. Maya said nothing. Instead, a bitter smile graced her lips before she slowly turned and walked away. She knew that whatever they had between them was irrevocably shattered. They… could no longer return to their previous lives. The frustration within her heart grew and grew as she stumbled up the rooftop. She stood there, unseeing, as she sorely needed some cold air to blow her frustrations away. She had barely been there for a few minutes when the door creaked behind her. Adam stuck his head out and called out hesitantly, "Aunt Maya?" Maya's eyes immediately welled up with tears. Despite being married to Arthur for years, she'd never had children of her own. So, she had poured all her love into Adam, genuinely treating her as though he were her son. All he had to do was call out to her, and she was putty in his hands. However, this wasn't the same as those times because Adam tugged on her sleeve, looked up at her earnestly before asking solemnly, "Aunt Maya, can you give Daddy back to me?" Before Maya could say anything, he continued, "You don't have to hide it from me. I know I'm Uncle Arthur's son. I don't want my brother to be fatherless when he's born." Adam's words were like daggers to her heart, and Maya could barely withstand the pain. She never once imagined that the child she had loved so dearly would be the first person to take her lover away from her. When she said nothing, Adam became agitated and started coughing. His face was flushed red from his exertion, and his limbs started shaking. He was so fragile it was as if he was one rejection away from breaking apart. Yet, he still persisted in waiting for an answer despite the fact that he was clearly suffocating. Maya didn't dare to dally, so she agreed to his request. Just then, the door swung open once more. Arthur was standing behind it. She had no idea how long he'd been standing there. The two adults looked into each other's eyes, seeing an emotion that never existed between them in the past. They just stood there like statues until Adam's discomfited cries shattered the moment. He reached for Arthur and cried out, "Daddy, it hurts."