All Chapters of HIS FORBIDDEN REJECTION : Chapter 11 - Chapter 18

Maya’s POVThe city lights blurred into streaks of gold as our cab weaved through the evening traffic. My mind throbbed with exhaustion, yet the silence between us felt louder than the honking outside.Zane sat beside me, phone in hand, eyes scanning the glowing screen with a kind of sharp focus that made my stomach twist. His jaw tightened as he read something, thumb tapping fast. On the other side, Ray’s gaze stayed fixed on the window, his reflection dark and unreadable.The tension was a living thing between them—heavy, unspoken, like two storms waiting to collide.When the car rolled to a stop before the hotel, I was the first to exhale.The Silver Crest Hotel towered above us, all mirrored glass and modern perfection. A marble fountain shimmered under soft lights, water falling in rhythm with the faint hum of evening jazz from the open lobby doors.“This is where we’re staying?” I asked, half breathless, half suspicious.Zane smiled faintly, adjusting the cuff of his jacket. “On

Zane’s POVThe clinking of cutlery filled the dining hall like faint echoes of guilt. The morning sun sliced through the tall windows, spilling across the long mahogany table where Maya, Ray, and I sat. The aroma of brewed coffee and buttered toast should have made the room feel warm—but instead, it was thick with suspicion.Maya sat opposite me, her shoulders tense, eyes glued to the rim of her cup. Her hands trembled slightly as she stirred her coffee for too long—around and around, like she was trying to drown her thoughts in it. I watched her carefully, keeping my face blank. She hadn’t said a word since she sat down. Not even a forced good morning.Ray sat between us, pretending to scroll through his phone, but I could feel his gaze flicker up occasionally, observing. His silence was heavier than words. He had noticed something; I could see it in the tightness around his jaw.“Rough night?” Ray asked suddenly, his tone too casual to be casual. His eyes moved between us like a pen

Maya’s POVThe moment Ray’s footsteps faded down the hall, I slammed the office door shut and locked it from the inside. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. The flash drive felt heavy in my pocket, like a ticking bomb I couldn’t afford to drop.Every nerve in my body screamed that I had to hide it — now.The rain outside had grown louder, slashing against the hotel windows like a thousand restless fingers. The dim desk lamp cast a narrow cone of light on the floor, and dust floated in it like tiny ghosts.I moved quickly, pulling out the flash drive and scanning the office for a hiding spot. Zane could come back any second. I thought of the wardrobe first, then the vents — too obvious. He’d search those first.My gaze landed on the potted plant near the window — tall, with thick soil. Perfect. I crouched, my heart hammering, and dug a shallow hole with my fingers. The dirt was cold and damp under my nails. I slipped the flash drive in, covered it, and smoothed the soil over just as the do

Zina’s POV)The night air was thick with unease, heavy enough to cling to my skin. I stood by the glass window of my room, watching Maya’s silhouette disappear through the estate gate. She had left in a hurry — too hurried for a casual errand. Her hands trembled when she grabbed her coat. Her eyes avoided mine.Something wasn’t right.I tried to shake the thought away, but my gut didn’t let me. Maya wasn’t the kind of woman to sneak out at night, especially after what happened at the gala. Ray had been acting strange too — his tone clipped, his eyes darker than usual. The energy in the house felt… fractured. Like everyone was hiding something.And in the center of it all was Maya.I grabbed my jacket, slipped my phone into my pocket, and followed.By the time I reached the parking lot near the old convenience store, I saw her — standing under a flickering streetlight. She was nervously clutching her phone, pacing back and forth like a trapped animal.Her voice carried faintly through