Chapter 12: Just One Breath-1
Maya’s POV
By the time Maya got home that Friday night, it was almost 9:30 PM.
She let the door close behind her with a soft click and just stood there for a second – silent, still,
and spent. Her bag dropped to the floor. Her shoes came off with a weak kick. And for the first
time in days, she let herself exhale.
She was home.
The house was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the fridge and the faint clink of Jamie’s spoon
from the kitchen. He looked up from a bowl of instant noodles, eyes sleepy but happy.
“Hey,” he greeted with a tired grin. “You’re late.”
“Traffic,” she mumbled, crossing the room to press a kiss to the top of his head. “How was your
day?”
“Same as usual,” he replied. “Ms. Janice dropped off lasagna. It’s in the fridge if you’re hungry.”
Her chest warmed a little at that. Ms. Janice, their sweet retired neighbor, always managed to show up when they needed something the most. Quiet, small gestures that filled the cracks where the world had broken.
“I’ll reheat some later,” Maya said, offering a tired smile.
Jamie studied her for a beat too long.
“You look like you didn’t eat today.”
She blinked. “I’m fine.”
“You should eat,” he said simply, eyes back on his bowl.
Maya didn’t reply. She couldn’t. He knew. He always knew.
She watched him for a moment – slim, pale, too young to carry the weight he did – and her heart squeezed. Tomorrow was his doctor’s appointment. She didn’t dare hope for a miracle. She just
wanted to hear one word:
Stable.
Not cured. Not cleared. Just… stable. Something to buy them time.
She retreated to the bathroom, peeling off her clothes and stepping under the barely-warm water.
K
|||
13
hapter 12 Just One Breath-1
+25 Pords
The heater had been unreliable lately, and honestly, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a truly hot shower. Still, she scrubbed away the day-her exhaustion, the whispers, the damn
VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson)