Embers Of Hope

Chapter 13

Maya's POV

"Mrs Castillo is there something I can help you with?" The receptionist asks as I walk into the law firm.

Mom thought that if we want to expand our businesses and show that this alliance is valid we have to open another law firm in New York and Aunt Sofia agreed so they opened another one here.

I offer a polite smile, though my mind is elsewhere. "I'm here to see my wife."

Her face twitches slightly, "It's not a good time right now. She's in a meeting."

I walk past her anyway, my determination outweighing her caution. "I can handle my wife, don't you think?"

The receptionist's eyes widen, but I don't look back. The firm's modern decor blurs as I stride down the hallway, each step fueled by the tension coiling in my gut. I've been waiting for the right moment to talk to Blake, and today is it—no matter what anyone else thinks.

As I reach Blake's office, I knock once before pushing the door open, finding her seated at her desk, Enzo right in front of her. They immediately stop talking.

"Maya," she says, her voice a mix of shock and annoyance. "What are you doing here?"

I close the door behind me, shocked. "What are you doing here Enzo? You're supposed to be in Italy."

Enzo straightens, the casual demeanor he usually wears slipping into something more formal. "Business brought me back earlier than expected," he replies smoothly, his gaze flickering between Blake and me.

Blake gets up from her chair, "I'll call you later Enzo. You can leave."

Enzo exchanges a lingering look with Blake, a silent communication that sends a ripple of unease through me. Finally, he nods, straightening his jacket before turning toward the door and leaving.

"What do you want Maya?" Blake asks and sits on the couch in the her office.

I go and sit opposite of her, "We need to talk."

"About what? About how you can't stand to be in the same room as me? Or how every time you look at me, you want to punch me in the face?" Her words are laced with bitterness, but the real hurt behind them stings more than I want to admit.

"I—" I open my mouth but don't know what to say. I really have been hard on her.

"You're wasting your time."

"Blake—"

"What? What do you want me to say, Maya? That I'm sorry? That I regret everything?" She lets out a harsh laugh. "Because I'm not. I'm not sorry for keeping you safe."

"Bellissima, just give me a few minutes."

Her eyes widened, and then I realize what I just said. I haven't called her that in two years. Not since everything fell apart.

Blake blinks, her breath hitching. Her mask slips just for a second, enough for me to see the hurt she's tried to bury.

"Okay," she breaths out, surprising me. "Talk."

I sigh in relief and nod, looking at her for a second and taking her in. The silence between us is heavy, but for once, it's not angry. It feels like we're both holding our breath, waiting to see where this conversation is going to lead.

Finally, I can't take the silence anymore. "I don't hate you, you know," I say, my voice quieter than I meant it to be. "I've been...angry. But not at you. At everything."

Blake doesn't respond right away. She just looks at me and I wonder if she's even going to acknowledge what I said. But then she lets out a slow breath. "You have a funny way of showing it, Mio Sole."