MAISIEI was momentarily stunned. So he had indeed been the one to give Raphael my address! How else would he have known about my brother's visit?"I barely got to know him," I replied, studying Jason's face. "We talked about a lot of things. What makes me happy is that we're on good terms now."Jason murmured understanding, his hand moving to my waist. "What did he tell you?"I swung my legs slightly from the barstool. "He told me he arrested my father, and that there was a fire at his company," I said. "He also mentioned he met you in Cleveland."Jason took a sip from his glass, his expression remaining neutral. But his calmness only confirmed my suspicions—he had played a role in everything that had happened.The lack of surprise, the steady hand holding his drink, the unchanged rhythm of his breathing all told me what his words didn't.I reached out, my fingers grazing the side of his neck as I continued. "He also told me I made a mistake coming back to you. I got the impression h
MAISIEA chill ran down my spine at his words. Something in his phrasing caught my attention, making my heart skip a beat."Because of them?" I asked, my mind racing. "Did you mean your brother too? What did you do to Jared?"Jason glanced down at the cup in his hand, swirling the remaining liquid thoughtfully. When he looked back up, his face had returned to one of detachment."I liked that idea you proposed about mental institutions," he answered with unsettling tranquility. "I sent him there so they could rehabilitate him... but in a new way of my invention." His sideways smile returned, making my stomach tighten with unease."When did you take him to rehab?" I demanded, confusion evident in my voice. "I thought he was at the same hospital as Don!"Jason drained his cup in one swift motion before setting it down on the counter with a soft click."Am I crazy enough to put him in the same place as my son?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "The ambulance that came to pick him up from her
MAISIEMy smile widened at his agreement. I shifted to sit cross-legged, expecting him to offer his back for me to climb onto. Instead, he surprised me by scooping me up in his arms, cradling me against his chest like a bride.As he carried me toward the stairs, I happily swung my legs in the air, feeling weightless and carefree."This way works too!" I announced cheerfully.Jason adjusted his grip, holding me tighter against his chest as he began climbing the stairs. I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing my lips close to his ear."Do you know why I call you the Master of Luxury thrills?" I whispered.He threw a quick glance down at me briefly before returning his attention to navigating the stairs."Why?" he asked, curiosity evident in his voice despite his attempt at nonchalance."Because you're sexy in a very luxurious way!" I exclaimed with drunken enthusiasm.I twisted in his arms to see his face better, adding the rest of my thoughts with a goofy, uninhibited smile that on
MAISIEI placed my hands defensively on my chest, laughing at the sudden role reversal. "You can't punish me for such a trivial reason!"Jason captured my wrists and held them above my head, causing me to laugh uncontrollably as the alcohol amplified my reaction.He reached through the neck of my shirt and tugged the strap slightly."Wait a minute! I want to tell you something. WAIT!" I protested between fits of laughter.He paused, waiting for me to speak."Don didn't inherit all your features," I explained breathlessly. "He has your nose... and the proof is that I have a small nose."Jason narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you trying to say?" he asked threateningly.I couldn't contain myself any longer and burst into laughter, causing the strap he'd wrapped around me to bounce against my skin.He hadn't pulled it too hard, so it didn't sting much.Tears gathered in my eyes as my ribs began to ache from laughing so hard. Jason released me and helped me sit up, concern replaci
MAISIEI opened my eyes gradually in the morning after waking up to sounds around me.Jason stood nearby, dressed in a formal gray suit, looking every bit the successful businessman he was."Do you have work at this hour?" I asked through a yawn, my voice still hoarse from sleep.He turned toward me as he buttoned his right sleeve. "Not now, I'm going to the hospital."Don!!! The realization hit me like a bucket of cold water. I'd forgotten about his operation! I'd promised to be there before it started!I bolted upright, throwing the blanket off. "What time is it?""Watch your step, it's still early, so slow down," Jason cautioned as I hurried toward the bathroom.Once inside, I sighed with relief. I knew Don wouldn't be too upset if I was late, but I was hell-bent on keeping my word.I splashed cold water on my face to chase away the drowsiness and help me focus. Studying my reflection in the mirror, I realized that although I'd been drunk last night, I remembered everything in vivi
MAISIEI expected the day to drag on given the circumstances, but everything happened so quickly. I found myself unable to leave the hallway outside the operating room.Two hours after Don went in, Dame arrived with Klay.She told me I didn't need to come to work for a week and could count it as sick leave.The operation ended five hours after it began.Don was transferred to intensive care and placed on a respirator. The intensive care period lasted for two days, during which I slept in his room.Jason would come and stand outside the ICU for hours, check on me, and then leave. Miriam spent most of her time with me, and my brother would visit occasionally.Don woke up almost ten hours after the operation but remained conscious for only four minutes. The good news was that his condition remained stable—we'd passed the danger stage with minimal bleeding.Nathan explained that we were entering the third stage: full recovery over the next eight weeks, after which Don could leave intensiv
MAISIEThe restaurant Miriam chose was very close to the hospital, so we walked the short distance.The cool evening air felt refreshing on my skin after spending so many hours in the sterile hospital environment.It was a Korean barbecue place where they offered ready-to-grill meant and seafood alongside various prepared side dishes and drinks.The customer grills the meat on the table's built-in grill to their preferred doneness. Large air ducts hung from the ceiling, efficiently sucking away the smoke and aroma of grilling meat.I took off my coat and sat next to Philip. Across from us sat Dame and Klay, while Miriam presided over the table, already donning plastic gloves as she volunteered to handle the grilling duties.The restaurant wasn't crowded, creating a cozy and warm atmosphere that felt like a welcome respite from the hospital's clinical setting.After a few minutes of companionable silence as we settled in, Miriam looked up from her grilling duties and fixed her gaze on
MAISIEI couldn't think of anything to say, not even a lie. Anything to fix this.Don continued scattering the papers with disbelief, as if his memory had suffered a catastrophic failure, corrupting everything he thought he knew.I rushed to him, trying to help him stand, but when he looked at me, his eyes were brimming with unshed tears. His gaze was distant as though he no longer recognized me."You watched me while I was with him, and you didn't say anything!" he accused. "You were just standing and looking?!"I didn't understand what he meant. I flinched when the door burst open again as Jason stormed into the room, accompanied by Nathan and a nurse.I turned to Don in panic, trying to help him back to bed. He refused, violently shaking off my hands."Don't come near me," he shouted, hatred burning in his eyes. "Stay away from me!"I felt my features contort with the sadness and fear that had taken root inside me, threatening to tear me apart from within. Everything was falling ap
MAISIEI froze, then rushed closer to her. "Lily, what did you say? Say it again!"She placed her tiny palm on my cheek."Amma!"It wasn't perfect, but it was close enough. After months of trying, she'd finally said something resembling "Mama."Joy exploded through me like fireworks. I started bouncing up and down, unable to contain my excitement."She said it! She said 'Mama'! Did you hear that? She called me 'Mama'!" I shouted, throwing my arms wide and then forming a big heart shape with them for Lily.Suddenly, I realized I hadn't captured this momentous occasion. "Wait, I need my camera! This is important!"I started frantically searching through my bag. "Don't say anything else until Mama comes back with the camera, okay?" I called over my shoulder as I dug through my belongings.I've always been one to wear my emotions openly, especially happiness. After everything I'd been through in my life, I'd promised myself I would never downplay joy when it came my way. I would celebrate
MAISIEI was making my way back from checking on Don and his friends who were busy taking photos and being typical teenagers when Lily suddenly began squirming in my arms, making urgent sounds and pointing.Don had asked us to keep his relationship with Jason private at school. As far as his classmates knew, Jason was just his stepfather, the school principal who had married his mom.I understood his need for privacy; teenage social dynamics were complicated enough without adding that layer.Lily's movements became more insistent, drawing my attention back to her. She was staring fixedly at something, her little body practically vibrating with excitement.Following her gaze, I realized we were standing near the elephant enclosure. A massive African elephant was resting in the shade of a large tree, separated from us by sturdy metal bars and a deep moat.I moved closer to the viewing area, and Lily immediately grabbed onto the bars, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the enormous
MAISIEI turned back to face her, noting the familiar look of contempt that always appeared whenever Karina's name came up.Miriam had disliked her from the start, but her hatred had intensified after I'd explained the full story of how Karina had conspired with Jason's brother Jared, how she'd betrayed years of friendship with Jason just to trap him in a relationship."What's she done now?" I asked, not entirely sure I wanted to know.My feelings toward Karina were complicated. For a long time, I'd seen her as nothing but a manipulative obstacle standing between Jason and me. Then, during our final confrontation, I'd glimpsed something else—a young woman crushed under the weight of family expectations and desperate choices.However, that brief moment of sympathy had evaporated when Jason finally told me everything. The extent of her deception, the calculated way she'd worked with Jared to keep Jason tied to her... I'd never wished anyone ill except for Jared, but Karina had earned a
MAISIE"It's okay, sweet girl," I murmured, holding Lily close as our car pulled away from the driveway.Her eyes were still watery, her little chest occasionally hitching with the aftermath of tears. She'd been crying for Don, who had left earlier with Chen and their friend to meet us at the zoo.Don had snuck out while Lily was distracted with her toys, but she'd noticed his absence almost immediately. It was almost comical how both her father and brother would try to slip away unnoticed, terrified of upsetting a twenty-month-old."Come on, Lily," I said brightly, trying to distract her. "Say 'Mama'!"I'd been trying to coax her first words for weeks now. However, she seemed determined to take her time.The pediatrician assured us it was normal. Some children were simply more observant before they started speaking still I couldn't help feeling a little anxious.Lily ignored my prompting, becoming fascinated with the buttons on my jacket instead. She leaned forward, her chubby finger
MAISIEThe next morning, I emerged from a quick shower and headed to the dressing room to get ready for the day.I'd passed by Lily's room earlier and found both her and Jason still asleep, though she had somehow migrated onto his chest, her favorite sleeping position since she was born.Whenever she was with one of us while sleeping, she'd inevitably crawl up and settle herself on our chest, her ear pressed against our heartbeat.I pulled on ripped jeans, a white tank top, and a soft gray blazer, then headed back to the nursery, eager to tell Jason about his unprecedented night of sleep.When I reached Lily's room, the bed was empty. I found them on the other side of the room, where Jason was sitting on the floor with Lily in his lap, carefully putting tiny shoes on her feet.She looked adorable in a white sundress, her hair tamed into two small pigtails.I was about to speak when Don appeared behind me with Lily's sippy cup of milk in his hand."Time for breakfast, everyone," he ann
MAISIE~A couple of years later~I gave birth to the most beautiful little girl in the world two years after our wedding. We named her Lily, after Jason's mother. Sometimes I call her Lil when she's being especially cute, which is pretty much all the time.It was actually my suggestion to name her after his mother. I knew it would make Jason happy, and it truly did. The way his eyes lit up when I proposed it—that moment alone was worth it.Now she's one year and eight months old, toddling around our home with a determination that makes us all smile.Lily has filled our lives—mine, Jason's, and Don's—with a kind of joy I never knew existed. Her little voice, still forming words but full of expression, makes the whole house feel alive. She's become the unexpected glue that has truly brought our family together.Don had accepted my relationship with his father, but in those early days after the wedding, he still spent most of his time with his best friend.He was trying to adjust to this
MAISIEThe moment we appeared, the guests rose to their feet, turning to watch our approach.I saw familiar faces on both sides of the aisle—colleagues from work, parents from Don's school.Miriam stood in the front row, her pregnancy now visible beneath her flowing dress, tears already streaming down her face as she clutched Nathan's hand.But my eyes were drawn inexorably to Jason, waiting for me beneath the arch.The look on his face as he watched me approach… wonder, joy, love so intense it was almost painful to witness made everything else fade away.In that moment, it was just the two of us, connected by an invisible thread that had been drawing us together since our first meeting.Don and I moved slowly down the aisle, each step bringing me closer to my future. The weight of my son's arm beneath my hand was both grounding and symbolic. He wasn't just giving me away; he was walking with me into our new life.When we reached the front, the officiant smiled warmly at us. "Who give
MAISIEThe moment I stepped on the back porch, the world seemed to pause. Across the lawn where rows of white chairs arranged in a semicircle. Wildflowers in shades of blue, purple, and white lined the aisle—the same flowers that grew naturally along the stream at the property's edge, now woven into garlands that transformed our backyard into an enchanted garden.Jason squeezed my hand once before releasing it. Then he moved ahead to take his place at the simple arch we'd constructed from twisted branches and adorned with more wildflowers and fairy lights that would twinkle as evening approached.His best man, Klay, stood beside him, while Felix and the rest of Jason’s friends lingered a few feet away. Dressed in sleek black silk suits, they exuded an air of refined elegance, each one strikingly handsome in their own way.I took a deep breath, steadying myself in the quiet moment before everything would begin.The subtle scent of my bouquet—wildflowers mixed with sprigs of lavender—he
MAISIEWe lay tangled together afterward.Jason’s weight was a welcome pressure on top of me and his heartbeat was strong against my chest, gradually slowing to match my own.My ring caught the candlelight and sent prisms dancing across his sweat-dampened skin like tiny rainbows that seemed a fitting metaphor for the joy that filled me.Eventually, Jason shifted to the side and gathered me on him so that my head rested on his chest with his arm a protective band around my waist.Outside, the night had deepened, but inside our sanctuary, time seemed suspended in amber like the honey that still faintly flavored our kisses."When did you plan all this?" I asked, tracing idle patterns through the light dusting of hair on his chest.His fingers combed through my hair, gentle and soothing, occasionally working through tangles with careful attention. "I bought the ring before our trip to Greendale," he admitted, the rumble of his voice vibrating against my ear.I nodded.Tears slipped from t