The next morning, Maya sat by the window, staring at the quiet street outside her apartment. Her thoughts were tangled. She had barely slept. The truth about Anika—her daughter—was finally out, and yet instead of feeling at peace, Maya felt more uncertain than ever.
The phone on the table rang. It was Elias.
She picked up after a deep breath.
“Hello?” her voice was quiet.
“Hey,” Elias answered gently. “How are you holding up?”
There was a long pause. Maya looked down at her hands. “I don’t know, Elias. I’m happy… I really am. But I’m also scared.”
“Scared of what?” he asked.
Maya hesitated, then said, “What if I’m not good enough? What if I go there, and they reject me? What if Anika doesn’t want to see me as her mother? She has a beautiful life. They’re good people, Elias. I don’t want to ruin anything for her.”
Elias’s voice softened. “Maya, you’re not ruining anything. You are her biological mother. That doesn’t go away, no matter how much time has passed or who raised her. You hav
