PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 73: Family Problems

Lane's eyes narrowed, a hint of cruelty in his gaze. "Everything is a choice, Maya. You just seem to choose the wrong ones far more often than not."
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Carina's pager went off, breaking the tense atmosphere of the room. She looked down at it and read the details of the call. Her heart sank as she remembered the pregnant woman who was in a car accident.

Carina's eyes flicked up to Maya, torn between her responsibilities as a doctor and her concern for her girlfriend. "Maya, I'm so sorry, Bambina. I need to go. There's a woman who was in a car accident. She's pregnant."

Maya's eyes widened with worry, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Go. Help her. I'll be fine."

Lane, standing by the bed, watched the interaction between Carina and Maya with a mixture of surprise and confusion. He then turned his attention to his daughter, scrutinizing her expressions and words.

Lane's eyes narrowed, his expression growing more suspicious. "You're awfully worried about that doctor. Are you two... close?"

Maya tensed, her father's question hitting close to a truth she hadn't thought she'd have to reveal yet. She met his gaze, her voice steady despite the trepidation she felt.

"Dr. DeLuca and I are friends," she replied, her words deliberately vague.

Lane's eyes flicked over Maya, taking in her mannerisms, her tone, her body language. He was a master of analyzing people, noticing even the subtlest details.

After a moment, he let out a scoff, his tone laced with derision. "Friends, huh? You don't seem like just friends to me."

Maya's heart thundered in her chest, her palms growing clammy. She was stuck, caught between keeping her relationship with Carina secret and defending it from her father's judgment.

She schooled her features, trying to feign nonchalance. "Of course, we're friends. Where are you even going with this?"

Lane's sneer deepened, the cold disdain in his eyes palpable. "Oh, come now, Maya. Don't play coy with me. I know that look, and it's more than just friendship. You're in a relationship with that doctor, aren't you?"

Maya's heart skipped a beat as her father confronted her with the truth she'd been trying to keep hidden from him. Her mind raced, torn between the instinct to lie and the need to stand up for what she felt.

She took a deep, steadying breath before replying, "And if I am?"

Lane's expression darkened, his tone growing harsher. "If you are, then you've made an even bigger mistake than I'd ever imagined. Relationships are distractions. They make you weak."

Maya bristled at her father's words, the familiar pressure to conform to his standards gnawing at her. "That's not true."

Her voice trembled slightly, but her eyes held a spark of defiance. "Love makes you strong, not weak. And Dr. DeLuca is the best thing to have happened to me."

Lane was about to say something when Andy knocked on Mayas hospital door and said "Hey Megan is awake."

The tension between Maya and her father paused momentarily as the news of Megan's awakening reached them.

Maya looked towards the door, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "Megan's awake?"

Andy stood in the doorway, nodding with a small smile. "Yeah, they just told me. She's awake and responsive."

Maya's pulse quickened, the worry she'd felt for her friend shifting to relief. She looked over at her father, then back at Andy. "Can I... can I see her?"