chapter 3

The footsteps stopped outside the study.

Maya stared at the photograph in her hand.

For a second, she considered putting it back where she found it.

Too late.

The door opened.

Will stood in the doorway.

His gaze landed on her first.

Then the photograph.

Neither of them spoke.

The silence stretched between them.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked finally.

There was no anger in his voice.

Only surprise.

Maya looked down at the photograph.

“I could ask you the same thing.”

A faint frown appeared on his face.

“This is my house!”

The answer was simple.

Reasonable.

Yet it irritated her more than it should have.

Will loosened his tie and stepped into the room.

“What are you doing at home? Don't you have work to attend to?”

Maya almost laughed.

That was the first thing he had to say?

Not what happened to you?

Not Are you feeling better?.

“I was given a week off to recover.”

His eyes lingered on the fading bruises along her cheek.

For the briefest moment, something changed in his expression.

Guilt.

Concern.

It was written all over his face for a short while.

Then it was gone.

Cassie’s voice drifted faintly from downstairs.

“Lunch will be ready soon, sir.”

Neither of them responded.

The room suddenly felt too small.

Will glanced toward the desk.

His gaze paused on the open drawer.

Then returned to Maya.

“Do you need something?”

The question sounded harmless.

Yet Maya found herself tightening her grip on the photograph.

“No,” she said.

For the first time in her life, the answer felt like a lie.

She walked out of the study, leaving the photograph on his desk.

The dining room was unusually quiet.

Cassie served lunch and quietly left.

Neither of them spoke for a while.

Maya pushed the food around her plate.

Across from her, Will glanced at his phone before setting it aside.

“You should rest more,” he said.

“I’m resting.”

“You don’t look like it.”

Maya almost smiled.

That was probably the longest conversation they had shared in weeks. A silence settled between them.

Then she asked,

“How was your trip?”

Will looked up.

“Fine.”

“That’s good.”

Another silence.

Maya took a sip of water.

“You picked her up yourself?”

The question slipped out before she could stop it.

Will’s hand paused.

Just for a second.

Then he continued eating.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Maya studied him.

She had spent three years married to this man.

Most people found him impossible to read.

She didn’t.

The pause had been real.

“You saw the reports, then.”

“Oh, i saw a lot of reports.”

“They aren’t always accurate.”

Maya laughed softly.

“No. They usually aren’t.”

Maya looked at him for a long moment.

“Seems like you’re forgetting what I do for a living.”

Will’s expression remained unchanged.

“And what exactly are you implying?”

“I’m not implying anything.”

“Good.”

The answer came too quickly.

Maya let out a quiet laugh.

Will frowned.

“What is so funny?”

“Nothing.”

“Maya?” he said, confusion written across his face.

“No, really. Nothing.”

She reached for her glass.

“I just find it interesting.”

“What?”

“That you suddenly care about details.”

His gaze hardened slightly.

“I’ve always cared.”

The words hung between them.

Neither of them believed them.

Maya lowered her glass.

“Have you?”

A brief silence followed.

Will pushed his plate away.

“You want to say something. Say it.”

For a moment, Maya considered dropping it.

A year ago, she would have.

Maybe even six months ago.

Not today.

“When I called you that night…”

Will’s jaw tightened.

“Maya.”

“No. Let me finish.”

Her voice remained calm.

Too calm.

“I called because I needed help.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t.”

The room fell silent.

“Do you know why i called?”

She held his gaze.

“You don’t know why.”

Will leaned back in his chair.

“I was busy with work.”

“There it is again.”

“What?”

“That excuse.”

His expression darkened.

“It wasn’t an excuse.”

“Then what was it?”

“Maya—”

“What was so important?”

For the first time, irritation flashed across his face.

“I don’t owe you an explanation for every minute of my day.”

The words landed harder than either of them expected.

Even Will seemed to realize it.

Too late.

Maya stared at him.

Something inside her went very still.

Not anger.

Not sadness.

Just exhaustion.

Three years of it.

“You’re right.”

Will frowned.

“Maya.”

“No, you’re absolutely right.”

She stood.

The chair scraped lightly against the floor.

“You don’t owe me explanations.”

She laughed softly.

“Funny thing is, I stopped asking for them a long time ago.”

Will watched her.

His expression was unreadable.

“Maya, sit down.”

She ignored him.

“Do you know what I find strange?”

“Maya.”

“Three years.”

She nodded to herself.

“Three years and I know more about the people I interview than I know about my own husband.”

A muscle moved in Will’s jaw.

“You’re being unreasonable.”

The word almost made her smile.

Unreasonable.

That was always the word.

When she was lonely.

When she was hurt.

When she wanted answers.

Unreasonable.

Maya looked at him.

“No.”

Her voice was quiet.

“I’m finally being honest.”

The silence that followed felt different.

Dangerous.

Will slowly rose from his chair.

“And what exactly do you think you’re being honest about?”

Maya met his eyes.

For the first time, she didn’t look away.

“I think you’re hiding something.”

Nothing moved.

Not even the air.

The house went stiff.

Then Will spoke.

“What did you find in my study?”

The question wasn’t loud.

It didn’t need to be.

Maya’s heart skipped.

Because she had never mentioned the study.

And suddenly she wasn’t sure which answer was more frightening.

That he already knew she had been there.

Or that he had expected her to go.

Maya smiled.

“Interesting.”

Will frowned.

“What is?”

“Interesting, i didn’t think anything could make Will Haider nervous.

“I'm not nervous.”

“Then stop answering questions with questions.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Maya’s smile widened slightly.

“Of course you don’t

What did you find in my study?” Will asked.

Maya held his gaze.

“Why?”

“Answer the question.”

“Why does it matter?”

“Because I asked.”

Maya laughed softly.

“That’s not an answer.”

For the first time, irritation flashed across his face.

“And this isn’t an interview.”

“Then stop responding like you’re being questioned.”

“ And why are you so certain I found something?”

Will stared at her

Then his phone rang.

Will glanced at the screen, his expression changed immediately, but his gaze was still fixed on Maya

“You should answer the call; it must be an important call.

Will didn’t move.

The phone continued ringing between them.

Maya’s gaze drifted to the screen.

Sophia.

“Sophia?”

Will immediately reached for the phone.

Maya looked from the screen to his face.

And suddenly, she understood why he had been nervous.