Bonds

-Maya's POV-

The blood drained from my face as I tumed the phone towards Natalia, my hand shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the video and the messages. The room seemed to shrink, the air thick with a suffocating dread.

"What... who sent this?" She stammered.

I was speechless, unable to tear my gaze away from the horrifying messages on the screen. Someone was watching me, someone who knew my past, my deepest secrets. And they were using that knowledge to terrorize me.

Natalia, however, snapped out of her shock much faster than I did. She snatched the phone from my grasp, her eyes scanning the screen with a fierce intensity. "This is serious," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "This isn't some random prank. This person knows who you are, Amaya. They know your past. And they're using it to threaten you."

Her words were a splash of cold water in the face of my rising panic. I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of control. "Who could it be?" I rasped. "Who would know all that about me?"

Natalia pursed her lips, her brow furrowed in thought. "There abilities, she admitted. "But right now, we need to figure out what this person wants. Are they trying to blackmail you? Expose your past with Alex? We need a plan, Amaya. And we need it fast."

The weight of the situation pressed down on me, heavier than ever before. Not only was I framed for cheating, but now someone was using my past as a weapon. They knew everything. I didn't think Alex would do much when he found out I took them but with this message, it showed that someone had access to his security footage and Alex had the tightest security I knew.

"Could it be him?"

The sound of her voice snapped me back to focus. "Alex."

Without a second thought, I shook my head, "I know him well enough to know that he wouldn't hide behind a screen. Alex is the kind of person that will rip your heart right in front of you."

My heart hurt from the double meaning and Natalia let out a sigh, "All of this is bullshit. He made you spend four years hurting, raising kids all by yourself while living in isolation for something he could have talked over with you. Even if you did, if he loved you that much, there is something known as couples's therapy. Ughhhh. Alex is just so... I don't even knoev he words to use on him."

art, I smiled because the truth was that it hurt. So damn much. I gave up so Despite it, I smiled. Despite the pain that was clenching my much god him. I went against my whole pack to be with a rival. I hated how much I still loved him and how much my skin still burned at the thought that he wanted me but that wasn't important, there was someone watching me.

There were no dark secrets that could specifically ruin my life but if they knew all about my past, it only meant that they knew about the twins' existence. Something I would rather die than let Alex find out.

"What are we going to do? About this anonymous texter and the photos?" Natalia asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

"We could hire a professional to look into the photos, see how they managed to... "I trailed off as something suddenly clicked into place. My eyes widened in shock. "Oh my goddess. What if whoever sent this text was the same person who framed me? If they had been watching me to know about my marriage to Alex, then it was possible that...

"They were responsible for the photos," Natalia completed, her voice low and serious. "But why now?"

10:25 Sat, 22 Jun - G Chapter 69

I stayed quiet, unsure of the answer. A reluctant thought popped into my head. Natalia saw the expression on my face and frowned. "What are you thinking about?"

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to voice my thoughts. "I know three powerful men. Alex is off the list; I can't tell Ivan about this he'll probably believe the photos and think that's what I've been doing with Alex, which just leaves me with..."

Natalia's eyes narrowed. "You are not asking Daniel Stone for help. There is no way."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "He is still my father," I said, trying to sound convincing.

She snorted. "Yeah, right. Like he has ever treated you like a daughter.

The name Jeremiah suddenly came back to me. Every time I thought about it, I tried to understand my father's pain; it must have hurt him so much to lose a child. But that didn't give him the right to treat me like I wasn't even a choice all my life. The truth was, I needed help, and he had the power to help me so before I could stop them, the words spilled, "I had a brother."

Her expression transformed from anger to shock, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What? You never mentioned a brother. How do you have a brother?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the revelation. "Not have. I had a brother, a brother I never knew, a brother who died before I was born." I paused, collecting my thoughts. "His name was Jeremiah."

Her face was a picture of astonishment. "How... how is that possible? Why didn't you ever mention this?"

I sighed, the weight of my family's history bearing down on me. "I only found out recently, when Ivan told me the truth. My mother confirmed it at the hospital, when I asked about my brother's name. She looked hurt, like the memory still pained her."

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea. That explains so much about your family's dynamics."

I nodded, the pieces falling into place. "It does, doesn't it? That's why there is a rivalry between our families. Ivan told me that Alex's father had somehow been responsible for the death. I guess when my father had me, I was just a reminder of the son he lost, and would never have again. I was a constant reminder of his grief, and he couldn't bear it then I worsened whatever hate he had when I fell in love with Alex."

Her expression turned thoughtful. "That doesn't give your father the right to treat you the way he did your entire life. You deserved so much better than that and I have a question. Did Alex know about your brother, about his father's role in his death?"

I shrugged, the uncertainty still plaguing me. "I don't know. I'm not sure I even want to know because it would make the whole thing hurt more but whenever I asked about his family, he shut it down. Thinking about it, I have a lot and it suddenly feels like he gave so little but it's not important right now. What's important is finding out who is behind this and stopping them."

She nodded, her eyes still filled with compassion then her expression turned determined. "If you're going to see your father and talk to him about this, then I'm coming with you."

Natalia, I've already disturbed you at work. You don't need to leave work now because of me."

She cut me off, her voice firm. "Don't even try to fight this, Maya. I'm coming with you, and that's final."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "Okay, but I'm only going to ask him to use his connections to see if he can track who sent the message. I'm not going to tell him about the pictures."

Natalia's eyes narrowed. "Good. Let's keep that between us for now. But we need to be careful. I honestly don't like this, I don't like him."

10:25 Sat, 22 Jun Chapter 69 Chapter 69

-Maya's POV-

The blood drained from my face as I tumed the phone towards Natalia, my hand shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the video and the messages. The room seemed to shrink, the air thick with a suffocating dread.

"What... who sent this?" She stammered.

I was speechless, unable to tear my gaze away from the horrifying messages on the screen. Someone was watching me, someone who knew my past, my deepest secrets. And they were using that knowledge to terrorize me.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

Natalia, however, snapped out of her shock much faster than I did. She snatched the phone from my grasp, her eyes scanning the screen with a fierce intensity. "This is serious," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "This isn't some random prank. This person knows who you are, Amaya. They know your past. And they're using it to threaten you."

Her words were a splash of cold water in the face of my rising panic. I forced myself to take a deep breath, trying to regain some semblance of control. "Who could it be?" I rasped. "Who would know all that about me?"

Natalia pursed her lips, her brow furrowed in thought. "There abilities, she admitted. "But right now, we need to figure out what this person wants. Are they trying to blackmail you? Expose your past with Alex? We need a plan, Amaya. And we need it fast."

The weight of the situation pressed down on me, heavier than ever before. Not only was I framed for cheating, but now someone was using my past as a weapon. They knew everything. I didn't think Alex would do much when he found out I took them but with this message, it showed that someone had access to his security footage and Alex had the tightest security I knew.

"Could it be him?"

The sound of her voice snapped me back to focus. "Alex."

Without a second thought, I shook my head, "I know him well enough to know that he wouldn't hide behind a screen. Alex is the kind of person that will rip your heart right in front of you."

My heart hurt from the double meaning and Natalia let out a sigh, "All of this is bullshit. He made you spend four years hurting, raising kids all by yourself while living in isolation for something he could have talked over with you. Even if you did, if he loved you that much, there is something known as couples's therapy. Ughhhh. Alex is just so... I don't even knoev he words to use on him."

art, I smiled because the truth was that it hurt. So damn much. I gave up so Despite it, I smiled. Despite the pain that was clenching my much god him. I went against my whole pack to be with a rival. I hated how much I still loved him and how much my skin still burned at the thought that he wanted me but that wasn't important, there was someone watching me.

There were no dark secrets that could specifically ruin my life but if they knew all about my past, it only meant that they knew about the twins' existence. Something I would rather die than let Alex find out.

"What are we going to do? About this anonymous texter and the photos?" Natalia asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

"We could hire a professional to look into the photos, see how they managed to... "I trailed off as something suddenly clicked into place. My eyes widened in shock. "Oh my goddess. What if whoever sent this text was the same person who framed me? If they had been watching me to know about my marriage to Alex, then it was possible that...

"They were responsible for the photos," Natalia completed, her voice low and serious. "But why now?"

10:25 Sat, 22 Jun - G Chapter 69

I stayed quiet, unsure of the answer. A reluctant thought popped into my head.

Natalia saw the expression on my face and frowned. "What are you thinking about?"

I hesitated, unsure if I wanted to voice my thoughts. "I know three powerful men. Alex is off the list; I can't tell Ivan about this he'll probably believe the photos and think that's what I've been doing with Alex, which just leaves me with...”

Natalia's eyes narrowed. "You are not asking Daniel Stone for help. There is no way."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "He is still my father," I said, trying to sound convincing.

She snorted. "Yeah, right. Like he has ever treated you like a daughter.

The name Jeremiah suddenly came back to me. Every time I thought about it, I tried to understand my father's pain; it must have kur? him ve so much to lose a child. But that didn't give him the right to treat me like I wasn't even a choice all my life. The truth was, I needed help, and he had the power to help me so before I could stop them, the words spilled, "I had a brother."

Her expression transformed from anger to shock, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"What? You never mentioned a brother. How do you have a brother?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the revelation. "Not have. I had a brother, a brother I never knew, a brother who died before I was born." I paused, collecting my thoughts. "His name was Jeremiah."

Her face was a picture of astonishment. "How... how is that possible? Why didn't you ever mention this?"

I sighed, the weight of my family's history bearing down on me. "I only found out recently, when Ivan told me the truth. My mother confirmed it at the hospital, when I asked about my brother's name. She looked hurt, like the memory still pained her."

"I'm so sorry. I had no idea. That explains so much about your family's dynamics."

I nodded, the pieces falling into place.

"It does, doesn't it? That's why there is a rivalry between our families. Ivan told me that Alex's father had m s somehow been responsible for the death. I guess when my father had me, I was just a reminder of the son he lost, and would never have again. I was a constant reminder of his grief, and he couldn't bear it then I worsened whatever hate he had when I fell in love with Alex."

Her expression turned thoughtful. "That doesn't give your father the right to treat you the way he did your entire life. You deserved so much better than that and I have a question. Did Alex know about your brother, about his father's role in his death?"

I shrugged, the uncertainty still plaguing me. "I don't know. I'm not sure I even want to know because it would make the whole thing hurt!! e more but whenever I asked about his family, he shut it down. Thinking about it, I have a lot and it suddenly feels like he gave so little but it's not important right now. What's important is finding out who is behind this and stopping them."

She nodded, her eyes still filled with compassion then her expression turned determined. "If you're going to see your father and talk to him about this, then I'm coming with you."

Natalia, I've already disturbed you at work. You don't need to leave work now because of me."

She cut me off, her voice firm. "Don't even try to fight this, Maya. I'm coming with you, and that's final."

I sighed, knowing she was right. "Okay, but I'm only going to ask him to use his connections to see if he can track who sent the message. I'm not going to tell him about the pictures."

Natalia's eyes narrowed. "Good. Let's keep that between us for now. But we need to be careful. I honestly don't like this, I don't like him."

10:25 Sat, 22 Jun Chapter 69

I nodded, my mind racing with thoughts. "I know. But I have to try. For my sake, and for the twins' sake. I cannot let Alex know. He will probably try to take them away from me. Yes, I raised them for the past four years but he is still a man with a whole lot of power, I don't want to find out what it means to be on the losing end of that power."

She squeezed my hand, "I'll make sure that that doesn't happen. He lost privilege to them the moment he kicked you out when you were pregnant. Nothing is going to change that but don't get your hopes up. You know how your father is.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the confrontation ahead.

Little did I know, it was only the beginning of a much larger storm. I nodded, my mind racing with thoughts. "I know. But I have to try. For my sake, and for the twins' sake. I cannot let Alex know. He will probably try to take them away from me. Yes, I raised them for the past four years but he is still a man with a whole lot of power, I don't want to find out what it means to be on the losing end of that power."

She squeezed my hand, "I'll make sure that that doesn't happen. He lost privilege to them the moment he kicked you out when you were pregnant. Nothing is going to change that but don't get your hopes up. You know how your father is.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the confrontation ahead.

Little did I know, it was only the beginning of a much larger storm.