Maya and Jason were back to square one. Only now, Jason tried to be a committed husband, while Maya wanted nothing to do with him. " Good morning." Jason greeted. "Morning," Maya responded coldly. She walked past him and grabbed a fruit before she went to the living room. Maya hadn't gotten a call from the bookstore in almost a week which made her lose hope. "I got a call from the bookstore," Jason said, and handed her a cup of coffee. Maya looked up at him and took the coffee. She hadn't looked at him in ages. He understood Maya only looked up at him because he mentioned the bookstore. "They want us to stop by later on for a few things." "Why do they want you there?" She questioned. Jason didn't know how to answer that question without spoiling the surprise. "I don't know." He shrugged.Maya rolled her eyes and drank her coffee. Jason had never felt this awkward in his life. "Alright then." Maya didn't like that Jason was going to be there. She thought he lied about needin
I want us to go shopping today," Jason said. "Jason, I have work," Maya responded. Jason planned to get Maya several outfits for work. "You're the owner. You don't have to go in today." After much protest, Maya agreed to buy clothes with Jason. "Do I have time to change, or can I go like this?" Maya asked. "You don't need to change." Jason grabbed his keys and held the door for Maya. He didn't know how the drive would be or if Maya would give him another chance. "Maya, I know you're upset with me right now and-" "Please stop. I don't want to talk about it." Maya had a feeling Jason was an alcoholic. He would never admit it, but Jason developed a terrible drinking habit after his son died. It was the only way he could drown his sorrows."I just want you to know it'll never happen again." He promised. Maya didn't believe a word that came out of Jason's mouth. All he did was make empty promises. Maya had to learn that the hard way."I don't believe you." She responded honestly
"Where are you going?" Maya asked Jason when she saw a suitcase. "I have a business trip." He responded. Jason struggled to be in the same house as Maya. He needed to get away."How long will you be gone?" "A few days," Jason responded coldly. Maya didn't care that Jason was leaving. She was pleased that she would have the house to herself. "Just because I'm gone doesn't mean you can do as you please.""Got it." Jason grabbed his luggage and left. Maya had never felt this much relief in her life. Maya went back upstairs to finish her hair before she left for work. Maya was ecstatic about her first day at work. Maya tried to leave for work and found Hunter standing outside."Hunter? Jason isn't here." "I know. Mr King instructed me to drive you to and from work." Maya groaned and gave Hunter the car keys. She thought she finally had an opportunity to drive a car again after the last incident. "Can I drive tomorrow?" Maya begged. "No." Hunter responded. Maya threw a mini tan
"I told her I had a business trip." Jason wept. Jason laid on Celia's chest and caressed her stomach. He had completely lost himself. Jason wanted to be a good husband, but he couldn't. He struggled with substance abuse and he knew he hurt Maya that night. Jason hadn't forgiven himself for it. He never would. "It's alright, JJ," Celia whispered. "You had to do what you had to do to be with your family." She added. Jason hated the person he had become. He used to be an arrogant man. A man who feared nobody, but now he was broken. Jason felt helpless, but he didn't have the strength to change it. "I just want to be a good husband." His voice cracked at the last word. Celia played with Jason's hair and fantasized about her and him. She knew it was a long shot, but Celia wouldn't stop trying until Jason was hers."How long are you going to stay for?" "Three to four days." Jason sighed. Celia had a despicable look on her face. She loved when Jason confided in her. It made her feel p
Maya stretched her arm out to hold Jason, but he wasn't there. She got out of his bed and walked to the kitchen. "Good morning, Jason." Maya yawned.Jason was making breakfast for the two of them. Maya sat on a bar chair and stared at him. "No! I was supposed to bring you breakfast in bed." Jason complained. "What are you making?" Maya asked. It didn't look like Jason knew what he was doing. Maya got up and stood next to Jason. "Oh, you're making scrambled eggs," Maya said enthusiastically. Jason frowned when he heard Maya say that. Her guess wasn't even close to what he was making. "It's pancakes." He sighed. Maya held her hand over her mouth to prevent herself from laughing. She had never met anybody who couldn't make pancakes. "Oh." Jason threw the pancakes out and switched the stove off. "I can make them if you want." Maya offered. Jason lifted Maya and put her on the counter. "No." Jason declined. "I want to make them on my own. Just guide me through it." Maya agree
"Hi, Mama." Maya hugged her mother. Maya hadn't been home in years. The familiar scent brought back memories. Mostly happy but also a few bad ones. "Is Dad home?" She asked and walked inside. "Not yet. Anothony will be here in a few hours," Charlotte responded. Maya didn't plan on staying long. All the memories were too much for her to handle. Jason noticed Maya's discomfort and pulled her close."Are you okay?" He whispered. "I want to leave." She answered honestly. Jason debated for a moment on what to do. He wanted to leave for Maya's sake, but also wanted to stay for Charlotte's sake. Jason wanted Maya to stay there for the night, but he knew Maya would kill him. "I thought we were staying for dinner?" Jason questioned. Maya grew agitated in the house. She hated how quiet it was without Blake. "Jason, please." She begged. Charlotte returned from the kitchen with two glasses of wine and offered the couple. "Thanks, mama, but Jason and I should get going," Maya declined t
"Are you going to work from home today?" Jason asked Maya. Maya turned to him and helped him fix his tie. "No. My new waitress starts today, so I need to be there." "I can drop you off." Maya smiled and declined. She preferred going to work on her own. Maya was tired of drawing attention whenever she was out with Jason. "Hunter can take me." She informed Jason. "I'll pick you up for lunch then?" Jason wouldn't stop pestering Maya till she agreed. "Fine." She agreed. Jason kissed Maya on the cheek before he left. Maya had thirty more minutes before she left, so she took her time. She still had her doubts about Lily, but she needed a waitress. Maya's phone vibrated, and Skyler's name popped up. What are you doing around lunchtime?I'm grabbing lunch with Jason.Maya responded.Liam and I will be joining then
Jason ordered Maya to work from home till he felt comfortable letting her out again. He doubled the security around his house and stayed home to ensure that Maya was safe. "How long do I have to stay inside?" Maya whined. "Till I figure out who this person is," Jason responded harshly. Maya felt like she was in prison. A very luxurious prison. "Can we at least do something together?" Maya asked."Like?" Maya thought for a moment before she came up with something. "We can bake!" She squealed.Jason's face turned sour, but Maya didn't care. She had been craving chocolate cake for ages. "Baking isn't really my thing," Jason mentioned. "I don't care. I've been craving chocolate cake for a while." Jason pulled his phone out and called a bakery."What are you doing?" Maya asked. "I'm going to order a chocolate cake." Maya grabbed the phone out of Jason's hand and hung up. "No!" Maya shouted. "I want to bake one." "Trust me, Maya. This woman has the best cakes in town,, so-""We
"I'll be back before dinner, alright?" Jason said, grabbing his keys."Why so late?" Maya questioned."I have a few things I need to sort out after work. It won't take too long, okay?" Jason told her. Maya nodded and turned the TV on to watch a movie.Jason stopped and got coffee for both himself and Liam before driving to work. He had made up his mind about who his new receptionist would be, so he had to give her a call first thing when he got to the office. Right after work, Jason had to meet up with someone to discuss a few things, then he would be able to go home."Coffee?" Jason offered to Liam and sat down. Liam took the coffee and thanked him."I was looking into your idea for a new school, and I'm all for it," Liam began. "It's going to cost us quite a bit, but not enough to hurt us. I checked out the building, and it's actually decent. We just need to fix it up here and there," Liam finished. Jason nodded, and they continued to discuss everything in detail. An hour later, Jas
"Maya!" Skyler screamed, pulling Maya in for a hug. "You look amazing," she added, pulling back to admire Maya."Thank you, Sky. You look gorgeous," Maya complimented back. Once everyone greeted each other, they made their way to the table and took a seat."Maya, Liam was telling me that you're due in about a week or two?" Skyler asked."Yeah, the twins seem ready to come, even though it's a bit early," Maya chuckled. She grew nervous at the thought of giving birth. At first, she was more than ready, but she began to freak out as the days got closer."So, it's just a while before me," Skyler said, even more excited than before."Pretty much," Maya laughed nervously. Jason noticed and changed the subject to calm her nerves."Liam, listen. There's a new project I want to run by you," Jason began. "There's a four-story building that I drove past a while ago. It's up for sale. I was thinking we buy it and turn it into a school. Not just any school, though. A business school. It will focus
"Have you found anyone to fill in the receptionist position yet?" Liam asked Jason, handing him a coffee. Jason wanted to get as much done at work as possible before Maya had their twins."I have two women coming in for an interview later on. So hopefully, by the end of the day, I'll have someone," Jason answered and sipped his coffee."How's Maya?" Liam asked, making himself comfortable. He had finished up most of his work, so he thought this would be the perfect time to pester Jason to allow some time to pass."She's doing really well. We had a doctor's appointment yesterday. He told us that the twins might be born earlier than we expected," Jason mentioned. "It could happen in a week or two," he added."Oh shit, that's really cool. Sky is due in about three weeks," Liam said excitedly. "We should all go out for dinner one more time before we get too busy," Liam suggested. Jason nodded at the idea. It would be great for them to go out to dinner one more time."Alright, I'll talk to
Maya stayed a lot longer at the fundraiser because she enjoyed it. The two got home later than planned, but Maya didn't mind. The following morning, Maya and Jason got ready for Maya's checkup. It would be Jason's first time attending one of Maya's appointments, and he was more than excited about it."Which suit do you think I should wear?" Jason asked, holding two suits in his hands. Maya laughed as she ate ice cream in bed."Just wear sweatpants and a shirt, Jason," she responded.Jason shook his head and stepped closer to her. "Maya, I need to look professional," he argued.Maya shrugged and pointed at the navy blue suit with her spoon. "That one," she told him and had a spoonful of ice cream.Jason nodded and began changing into his suit. "How come you're not dressed yet?" he asked Maya while buttoning his shirt. "You showered two hours ago," he added."I know, but then I got tired," she defended. "And then I got hungry and made something to eat, and then I was craving ice cream,
"Why are you up so early?" Maya asked as she walked into Jason's home office. Jason had been up since 4 AM, planning a surprise for Maya. It would take a long time before it was done, but he wanted to finish as soon as possible. "There's a work function happening today. We're raising money for the Blake Foundation." He said and got out of his seat to hug and kiss Maya. "The Blake Foundation?" She asked curiously. "It's a foundation I started after your brother passed away. It's to help children with cancer. There's an auction today, and all the money goes to that foundation." Jason explained. "I was wondering if you would like to come with me to tonight's event," Jason said. "Oh, I'd love to, but I don't look my best. I'm huge, and nothing looks good on me any-" Jason cut Maya off before she continued. "Don't say stuff like that, Maya. You're beautiful, and you'll look amazing in anything you put on. I'll have my team come in to do your hair and makeup. Then you'll pick out a dress
Maya was woken up by a knock on her front door. The last time she checked, she wasn't expecting any guests. She got up and walked towards the front door while rubbing her eyes. Maya peeped through the hole to see who it was. A smile grew on her face as she noticed Jason standing there with flowers. She opened the door and flew into his arms. Jason wrapped his arms around her and kissed her neck. He pulled back and handed Maya her flowers. "Do you think I could come inside?" Jason asked and smiled. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, come on in." Maya said and stepped aside. Jason walked in and went straight to the living room. "To what do I owe this pleasant surprise?" Maya asked as she sat on the couch. "I just missed you, that's all," Jason answered. Maya blushed and placed her hand on Jason's cheek. "I missed you too." Jason tried to pull Maya in for a kiss, but she blocked it. "Absolutely not." She said with her hand on his mouth. "I haven't brushed my teeth yet." She said and got up. "I don'
As soon as Jason got up, he got a hold of one of his whiskey bottles. He poured himself a few shots before sitting on his couch. As much as Jason was excited to bring Maya home, he still had some sort of pain. Pain he didn't often feel. Instead of spending the rest of his morning sulking, Jason decided to head out and buy supplies for the twin's bedroom. On his way to the store, his phone rang. A smile crept across his face when he saw Maya's name pop up. "Hey, stranger." She greeted. "Hey, Maya." He answered back with a smile. "What you got going on today?" Maya asked. "I'm heading to the store right now. My dad's coming over later to help with a few things around the house. What about you, love?" "I'm just going to spend the day indoors. I was thinking, maybe I'll have a little spa day, you know?" Maya told Jason. "Oh yeah? Maybe I'll stop by sometime, and we could have our own spa day." "I'd like that." Maya chuckles through the phone. "Anyways, I was just checking up on you and
Jason had finally gotten home. As soon as he entered, he could hear Celia yelling from across the house. He was sick of hearing her yap about everything. "Where the fuck were you, and why weren't you answering your phone!?" She yelled. Jason took his shoes off at the door and walked into the kitchen. Celia followed behind him, yelling, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. All he could think about was Maya. "Answer me when I'm talking to you!" Celia shouted and pushed him. Jason turned around to face her before he spoke. "I was with Maya." He answered, staring into her eyes. Celia crossed her eyebrows and let out a loud breath. "So you're cheating on me then?" She asked. Jason shook his head no and drank his water. "We're not together, Celia.""What do you mean, JJ?" She asked in shock. "You're just carrying my child. That's the only reason you're still around. Which reminds me, you need to move back into your old apartment. I can't take your constant bitching and moaning.
"When am I going to see you again?" Maya asked with her arms wrapped around Jason. She didn't want him to leave, but knew he had work to do."I'll pop in tonight and spend one more night." He said and kissed her temple. "I'll have to leave tomorrow, though." "Jason, please don't kill Giovanni. What's going to happen to Gabriela?" Maya asked and let go of Jason. Instead of responding, Jason kissed Maya on her lips and walked out. Maya went to Gabriela's room to wake her up for breakfast. She didn't know what would happen to Gabby if Jason did anything to her father. "Wake up, sleepy head," Maya whispered and shook Gabby. She slowly opened her eyes and tried to adjust them to the brightness. "Where's daddy?" She mumbled and sat up. "He had to get some work done. I'm not sure when he will be back." She lied. How else was she supposed to tell a four-year-old her father was probably being tortured to death?"Okay." She yawned. Gabriela got out of bed and followed Maya to the bathroom,