The Billionaire's Intern (Maya Thompson) novel Chapter 392

Chapter 17b Can We Please Talk? 1

+25 Ports

Chapter 176: Can We Please Talk?-1

The vehicle rolled to a smooth stop beneath the warm lights of Blackwood Manor.

Maya didn’t move right away.

Through the tinted window, she could already see it-Damien’s car parked near the entrance, unmistakable in its presence. Her pulse stuttered at the sight, nerves tightening low in her chest.

So he’s home.

Beside her, Dahlia noticed the change at once.

She glanced toward where Maya was looking, then back at her, taking in the tension in her expression. A quiet, knowing smile touched her lips as she reached out and gently covered Maya’s hand with her own.

“Maya,” Dahlia said gently, her voice steady enough to anchor her. “Is something wrong?”

Maya’s breath caught-just a fraction. She looked down at her lap, fingers curling together. ” Oh… um… nothing. I just-” She hesitated. “I noticed that…”

“Damien’s home?” Dahlia supplied softly.

Maya exhaled, then nodded, a shy, uneasy motion.

“And you’re worried about facing him,” Dahlia said.

Another nod. Slower this time.

“I see.” Dahlia paused, her expression thoughtful. Then, gently, “What you’re feeling right now is normal. Especially considering this is your first real misunderstanding as a couple.”

Her thumb brushed lightly over Maya’s knuckles, grounding her.

“Remember, love should never require you to lose yourself,” Dahlia continued. “Not your voice. Not your boundaries. Not who you are.” She chose her words with care. “It was never meant to be one person giving while the other takes. It’s a balance. A conversation. You give, you receive. You stand your ground-and so should he.”

She glanced ahead briefly, then back to Maya.

“He hurt you without meaning to. That doesn’t make him cruel-but it also doesn’t make your feelings any less valid.” A small smile touched her lips. “Damien is still learning. So are you. You’re each other’s first love, after all.”

hapter 16 Can We Please Talk? 1

+25 Points

Maya swallowed and nodded. She kept her head down, but a faint smile broke through.

“When I was sixteen,” she murmured, a soft chuckle slipping out, “there was a guy in high school who wanted to pursue me. Mom wasn’t happy about it.”

Dahlia chuckled. “You mean the young man who almost turned your mother into a criminal?”

Maya’s eyes widened before she laughed. “Yeah. Him.”

She continued, voice softer now.

“One night, Mom came into my room and said, ‘It’s time to have a mature conversation.’ Then she told me-very directly-that she didn’t like him for me. I wasn’t interested either, so it didn’t bother me.” Maya smiled at the memory. “But she kept talking. She said that one day I’d fall in love, and it would feel… colorful. Like everything finally made sense. Unicorns and

rainbows.”

She let out a quiet breath.

“But she also said it wouldn’t stay that way all the time. There’d be misunderstandings. Tears. Heartbreak. And that it didn’t mean the love was wrong-just that it was real.”

Her fingers tightened briefly in Dahlia’s grasp.

“She said the important part was learning how to navigate it. And that at the end of the day, I had to love myself first. To speak. To not just accept-but choose.”

Dahlia’s smile warmed, pride and tenderness woven together.

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