Maya slowly opened her eyes.

The bright hospital light above her blurred her vision for a few seconds, making everything look distant and unreal. Her head felt heavy, and her body ached as though she had been carrying a mountain on her shoulders. Even breathing felt difficult.

She blinked several times before her surroundings finally came into focus.

White walls.

The memories came rushing back immediately.

The terrifying struggle for breath then darkness.

Maya’s heart immediately jumped into her throat.

Jamie.

Where was Jamie?

She turned her head quickly, ignoring the pain that shot through her neck.

The room was empty and there was no sign of Daniel.

No sign of Jamie.

No personal belongings.

No indication that anyone had even stayed with her.

The sight made her chest tighten painfully.

She had expected to wake up and find her husband sitting beside her bed. At the very least, she had expected someone to be there.

Instead, she was completely alone.

The loneliness hit her harder than the physical pain.

Maya swallowed the lump in her throat. Daniel must have stepped out.

Maybe Jamie was resting in another room or she was overthinking.

Still, a strange feeling settled deep inside her stomach.

Something didn’t feel right. She slowly pushed herself into a sitting position.

Pain immediately exploded through her head.

She winced but continued moving.

The monitor beside her beeped steadily as she carefully swung her legs over the side of the bed.

The floor felt cold against her bare feet.

Her body was weak, but her need to see Jamie was stronger.

She needed to know he was okay.

Using the wall for support, Maya slowly walked toward the door.

That was when she heard voices. Her hand froze on the doorknob.

Someone was standing outside. She recognized the first voice immediately.

Daniel.

Relief flooded her chest. For a brief moment she smiled.

Then she heard the tension in his voice.

“Can’t you be more patient?” Daniel said quietly. “You’re making everything harder.” Maya frowned.

Who was he talking to?

A second later another voice answered.

Lena.

Maya’s smile disappeared.

“I’ve been patient for years!” Lena snapped. “Do you know how long I’ve waited?”

Maya felt her stomach tighten.

Why were they arguing outside her room?

She leaned closer to the door.

“I told you to calm down,” Daniel said. “This isn’t the time.”

“Then when is the time?” Lena demanded. “Every single year it’s the same excuse.”

Maya’s heart began beating faster.

Something about their conversation felt wrong.

Daniel lowered his voice, but Maya could still hear him.

“You need to stop acting like this around Jamie.”

Silence followed.

Then Lena laughed bitterly.

“Stop acting like what? His mother?”

Maya froze.

The words hit her like ice water.

His mother?

What did that mean?

She pressed herself closer against the door.

“What if Maya hears you?” Daniel said sharply.

“I don’t care anymore!” Lena shouted.

Maya’s breathing became shallow.

Every instinct in her body told her not to continue listening.

But she couldn’t stop.

Not when something felt terribly wrong.

“I’ve spent years watching another woman raise my son,” Lena said, her voice cracking. “Do you know how much that hurts?”

Maya’s world stopped.

For a second she thought she had misheard.

Her son?

No.

No. That wasn’t possible.

Jamie was her son, she had carried him.

She had raised him and has been there through every fever, every nightmare, every birthday and every scraped knee.

The room suddenly felt too small.

Too hot.

Outside the door, Lena continued crying.

“Every time he calls Maya ‘Mom,’ I feel like my heart is being ripped apart.”

Maya staggered backward.

Her hand flew to her mouth.

Tears instantly filled her eyes.

No.

No.

This couldn’t be happening.

She remembered Jamie’s first word.

His first step.

His first day of school.

The countless nights she stayed awake when he was sick.

The lullabies.

The hugs.

The bedtime stories.

The way he always reached for her when he was scared.

Those memories couldn’t be fake.

They couldn’t.

Yet the doubt had already entered her heart.

Outside the room, Daniel sighed heavily.

“Lower your voice.”

“Why?” Lena cried. “Why should I keep hiding?”

“Because this isn’t the right time.”

“Then tell me when the right time will come!”

Maya felt tears sliding down her cheeks.

Her entire body trembled.

The betrayal was unbearable.

If what Lena was saying was true, then Daniel had known all along.

He had lied to her.

For years.

The man she trusted more than anyone.

The man she built her life around.

The father of her child or perhaps not even that.

Her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

Suddenly footsteps approached, Panic shot through Maya.

The conversation stopped. Someone was coming inside.

She quickly stumbled away from the door.

Her heart pounded violently against her chest.

The handle slowly turned.

The door opened.

Daniel stepped inside.

The moment he saw her standing in the middle of the room, all color drained from his face.

His eyes widened.

Shock flashed across his features.

“Maya?”

For several seconds neither of them spoke.

The silence was suffocating.

Daniel looked toward the door and then back at her.

Fear appeared in his eyes.

Real fear.

Maya immediately noticed it.

And somehow that hurt even more.

Because innocent people didn’t look afraid.

“What are you doing out of bed?” Daniel asked softly.

Maya stared at him.

The tears on her face had already dried. Her expression was blank.

Almost lifeless, Daniel took a step forward.

“Maya?”

She didn’t move.

The image of him standing outside with Lena replayed over and over in her mind.

Every time he defended Lena.

Every time he told Maya she was overreacting.

Every single moment suddenly looked different.

As though she had been living inside a lie. Daniel approached cautiously.

“Maya, you should be resting.”

Finally she spoke. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“How long?”

Daniel froze.

The blood drained from his face.

“What?”

Maya looked directly into his eyes.

“How long have you been lying to me, Daniel?”

The silence that followed answered her question before he ever opened his mouth.