The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 228

Chapter 111: A Moment of Surrender-1

Claim

She drew a shaky breath, trying to steady herself. “I had just stepped into adulthood, and the next thing I knew-I was in a sterile hospital hallway, holding Jaime’s hand, being told I had to identify our parents’ bodies.”

The dam broke then, and she finally let it out-sobs wracking her body, tears flowing freely as Damien held her close, steadying her against him.

Damien just held her, arms wrapped tightly around her trembling frame, letting her cry into his chest without a word. He didn’t rush her, didn’t offer empty comforts-he simply stayed, grounding her, sharing the weight of her grief with the steady warmth of his presence. Slowly, her sobs began to ebb, leaving behind a fragile calm.

Maya composed herself, pushing away gently from his chest. Damien reached into his pocket and handed her a handkerchief. She took it, wiping her tears, sniffing, and clearing her throat before continuing. “Since I was legally an adult, I became Jaime’s guardian. He was only eight… and it was my responsibility to protect him. We had no one else.”

She paused, swallowing hard. “I had so many questions about the accident… but the weight on my shoulders left no room for answers. All I could do was focus on one thing-just survivi ng, for Jaime and for myself.”

She let out a small, bitter laugh, though her eyes still carried the weight of sadness. “From that moment on, everything changed. No aunts or uncles stepped forward. My dad’s relatives cut ties immediately, dodging any responsibility. Not one of them even came to the funeral. And my mom’s side… we never knew them. She never spoke of them, and I never asked.”

Her fingers clenched in her lap. “I didn’t think I was ready. But it was either me or foster care, and I couldn’t let that happen. Thankfully, our parents had insurance-enough to get us by. Until Jaime’s condition surfaced not long after, slowly draining whatever safety net we had

left.”

Her voice dropped, heavy with memory. “The hospital bills kept piling up. I had to sell our family home and move us into a small apartment in a low-income district. I dropped out of school to work full-time, stretching every penny just to survive. But I knew finishing school was the only way to give us stability. So when I was offered a scholarship again, I took it.”

A faint, wistful smile touched her lips. “Balancing work and studies wasn’t easy, but I had no choice. I needed money for his prescriptions, check-ups, and to save for his operation. Every class, every shift, every sleepless night-it was all for him.”

She paused, drawing in a slow, steadying breath, a spark of excitement flickering in her eyes.

1/2

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify