Chapter 11 - Maya’s Side of the Story
For two years, Maya Bennett had told the story beginning at the wrong place.
She told herself it began when Nolan accused her of lying.
It didn’t.
It began three months earlier.
That was what she finally explained one January night while Holly and Hope slept.
Nolan had arrived for dinner carrying no gifts because he had learned the rule.
He brought groceries instead.
“Those are technically things,” Maya said.
“You needed milk.”
“That’s annoyingly practical.”
“I’m evolving.”
After dinner, he washed dishes without being asked.
Maya watched him.
“Who are you?”
“Your dishwasher.”
“You once told me you didn’t know where cleaning supplies were in your own apartment.”
“I had staff.”
“You were intolerable.”
“Past tense?”
She gave him a look.
Later they sat beside the window.
Chicago glowed beneath falling snow.
Nolan asked quietly, “When did Wade start bothering you?”
Maya’s expression changed.
“Before the pregnancy.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She looked at him.
“Earlier than you think.”
Maya had been consulting for a community development nonprofit that used Reed Meridian shipping services.
The nonprofit director had complained about rising transportation fees.
Maya reviewed invoices.
Several subcontractors appeared repeatedly.
Northline.
Dalton Logistics Advisory.
Midwest Routing Solutions.
Different names.
Same mailing address.
Maya noticed.
She asked Nolan casually.
He barely looked at the documents.
“Wade handles secondary vendors.”
“Shouldn’t procurement handle them?”
“It’s complicated.”
“Complicated isn’t an explanation.”
Nolan had smiled then.
“You sound like my auditor.”
“I’m prettier.”
“You’re definitely more argumentative.”
That evening had been playful.
Maya thought nothing of it.
Two days later Wade called her.
“How much access do you have to Reed Meridian records?”
The question felt strange.
“None.”
“You were asking Nolan about vendors.”
“I was asking about invoices billed to my client.”
“That information isn’t relevant to you.”
“It’s relevant if my client is paying it.”
Wade had become polite.
Too polite.
“You should let Nolan focus on larger issues.”
Maya hung up uncomfortable.
She told Nolan.
Nolan defended Wade.
“He’s protective.”
“Of what?”
“The company.”
“From me?”
Nolan kissed her forehead.
“You’re overthinking.”
Three weeks later, Wade’s behavior changed.
He became friendly.
Invited them to dinner.
Asked Maya questions about her future.
Marriage.
Children.
Whether she enjoyed being with someone whose wealth attracted attention.
Maya later realized he had been gathering information.
Then came the pregnancy.
Maya had been frightened but happy.
Nolan had talked about children before.
Not immediately.
Someday.
She expected surprise.
Maybe panic.
She never expected accusation.
“What changed?” Nolan asked now.
Maya looked at him.
“Wade.”
He swallowed.
“He called you the night before.”
Nolan remembered.
Wade had warned him Maya might be manipulating him.
“How did you know?”
“You were different the next morning.”
Maya continued.
“You started asking questions that weren’t yours.”
“What do you mean?”
“You asked whether I’d researched your trust.”
Nolan closed his eyes.
Wade had suggested it.
“You asked whether I’d stopped birth control intentionally.”
Again Wade.
“You asked about Evan.”
Nolan’s shame deepened.
“All him.”
“No.”
Maya’s voice was gentle.
“All you.”
He looked at her.
“That’s the part you keep struggling with.”
Nolan nodded slowly.
“I know.”
“Wade put poison on the table.”
She held his gaze.
“You chose to drink it.”
He took the blow.
Because he deserved it.
Maya continued.
“After you left, I spent weeks waiting for you to call.”
“I thought you would.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She became angry.
“You accused me of fraud, basically, and then expected me to chase you?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I was arrogant.”
Maya blinked.
He had never said it that plainly.
Nolan looked down.
“I thought silence would force you to prove something.”
Her voice softened.
“And I thought silence meant you’d decided.”
Two proud people.
Two wounded people.
A manipulator between them.
But not responsible for every choice.
Maya described Wade visiting her apartment.
He had arrived carrying a legal-looking envelope.
Inside was a draft confidentiality agreement.
“He said you wanted no publicity.”
“I never authorized it.”
“I know.”
“He offered you money?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
Nolan stared.
“For what?”
“To move away and sign.”
His anger returned.
“You refused.”
“Of course.”
“What did he say?”
“That I was making an emotional mistake.”
Nolan almost laughed bitterly.
“That sounds like Wade.”
“He also said something I didn’t understand then.”
“What?”
Maya looked at him.
“He said, ‘Children complicate inheritance.’”
Nolan became still.
“You never told me.”
“I thought he meant child support.”
“He didn’t.”
Now the succession motive was undeniable.
Nolan rubbed his jaw.
“What happened after?”
“I changed my number.”
“Why?”
“Because reporters started calling.”
“What reporters?”
Nolan had never heard this.
Maya looked surprised.
“You didn’t know?”
“No.”
“Someone leaked that your girlfriend might be pregnant.”
His face hardened.
“Wade.”
“Probably.”
“I never saw anything published.”
“It wasn’t. They couldn’t confirm.”
She sighed.
“But three outlets contacted me.”
Nolan felt sick.
“So I moved.”
“Where?”
“My aunt’s place in Evanston.”
“Why didn’t I know?”
“You weren’t looking.”
Simple.
Brutal.
True.
Then came the premature labor.
June twenty-seventh.
At 2:14 a.m.
Maya drove herself to the hospital because her aunt was visiting family.
She called her brother.
He flew from Seattle.
Hope’s heartbeat slowed during delivery.
Doctors moved quickly.
Maya remembered bright lights.
Fear.
Then crying.
Two tiny cries.
“I thought they might die,” Maya whispered.
Nolan’s eyes filled.
“I was alone for six hours before Evan arrived.”
He looked away.
“I should have been there.”
“Yes.”
Maya did not protect him from the truth.
Nolan appreciated that now.
“I wrote the letter afterward because…”
She stopped.
“Because what?”
“I realized if one of them had died without you ever knowing…”
Her voice broke.
“I couldn’t live with that.”
Nolan closed his eyes.
Maya wiped tears.
“So I sent everything.”
“And Wade took it.”
“Yes.”
Nolan reached toward her hand.
Stopped before touching.
Maya noticed.
After a second she placed her hand in his.
A small decision.
But intentional.
Nolan held it gently.
“I can’t change what happened.”
“No.”
“But I believe you now.”
Maya looked at him.
“That sentence would have saved us two years ago.”
“I know.”
“And that’s why it still hurts.”
“I know.”
They sat holding hands.
Not lovers.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
But no longer enemies.
Then Maya said, “There’s something else.”
Nolan looked at her.
“What?”
“Wade sent me an email after the girls were born.”
His body tensed.
“What did it say?”
“I deleted it.”
“Do you remember?”
“Yes.”
Maya’s face became uneasy.
“He said, ‘You made the right choice by staying away. Keep it that way.’”
Nolan’s blood turned cold.
“Did he attach anything?”
“One photograph.”
“Of what?”
“You.”
She looked down.
“With Claire.”
Nolan stared.
“Claire and I weren’t together then.”
“I know that now.”
“What photograph?”
“You leaving a charity dinner.”
Nolan remembered attending with Claire as colleagues months before dating.
Wade had sent Maya another carefully chosen image.
Not only had he convinced Nolan Maya had moved on.
He had convinced Maya Nolan had.
Wade had worked both sides.
Patiently.
Deliberately.
Nolan’s phone rang.
Marcus.
Nolan answered.
Marcus’s voice was urgent.
“We found Wade’s backup server.”
“And?”
“More files.”
“What kind?”
“Profiles.”
“On who?”
“You. Maya. Claire. Your sister. Your parents.”
Nolan slowly stood.
Marcus continued.
“He’s been collecting leverage on the entire Reed family for years.”
May you like
And just like that, Nolan realized his personal betrayal was only one chapter in Wade Dalton’s plan.
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