Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO STAYED
That night, Luca asked Maya to open the blinds.
Boston glittered beyond the glass.
Somewhere below, people were leaving work, missing trains, buying groceries.
Ordinary things he had spent twelve years treating as someone else’s life.
“She used to bring me postcards,” he said.
Maya stood beside the window.
“From where?”
“Paris.
Rome.
Anywhere she went without me.”
His mouth twisted.
“She said she wanted me to feel included.”
Maya didn’t answer.
“She could have left.”
“Yes.”
“I would have let her.”
He pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead.
“For years, I thought the worst thing about my life was what it did to hers.”
Maya sat down.
“My brother used to say guilt is cheap when you’re spending somebody else’s.”
Luca looked at her.
“He sounds smarter than me.”
“He also bought a motorcycle without telling his girlfriend.
Don’t turn him into a saint.”
A laugh escaped Luca before he could stop it.
Then he started crying.
Quietly at first.
Then with one hand over his mouth, as though even grief might disturb somebody.
Maya stayed.
She didn’t tell him everything would be okay.
At eleven, Evelyn called.
The bank had temporarily held the transfer.
The court had appointed an independent representative while the guardianship dispute was reviewed.
For the moment, Vivienne couldn’t move Luca’s money.
For the moment, Luca could refuse her treatment.
At midnight, Maya stepped into the hall to get coffee.
Vivienne was waiting near the elevators.
“You think he’ll thank you when this is over?”
Maya stopped.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I’m not in his room.”
“What do you want?”
Vivienne studied her cheap sneakers.
“You came for your brother.
Don’t pretend this became something noble.”
“I don’t have to be noble to know what you did.”
For the first time, Vivienne’s expression cracked.
“Do you know what it’s like to spend your life beside someone everyone pities?
Every dinner.
Every conversation.
The devoted wife.
The poor brave man.”
“You could have walked away.”
“And leave everything I built?”
Maya stared at her.
There it was.
Vivienne stepped closer.
“Adrian knew you were Daniel Bennett’s sister before we hired you.”
Maya felt the floor tilt.
“What?”
Vivienne smiled.
“You didn’t sneak into our house, Maya.”
May you like
The elevator doors opened behind her.
“We let you in.”
