Chapter 456
Chapter 456:
Without hesitation, Maia replied, “I just want us to stay safe and joyful p>
She squeezed his shoulder. “Quit worrying. Get some shut-eye p>
Ethan obediently shut his eyes.
Truthfully, he was already fighting to stay awake. Moments later, he drifted into a deep slumber.
Maia lingered at his bedside for a moment, her smile tender. He had pushed himself so hard, refusing to give up.
Just as she turned to leave, she heard him mumble in his sleep. “If only Mom and Dad were still around…” Maia froze.
Then came the steady rhythm of his breathing — he was fast asleep.
Was that just a dream mutter?
Silently, Maia tiptoed out and made her way onto the balcony. The crisp night wind teased the loose tendrils of her hair.
Maia lifted her gaze to the glowing moon overhead, lost in thought. For a while, her mind floated like drifting seeds on the breeze.
Her parents… She had never even glimpsed their faces — not even once in old photographs.
“What kind of people had Mom and Dad been?” she wondered quietly.
Maia politely declined Kathie’s invitation to stay over and made her way back to Elysium Apartments by herself.
As the clock chimed midnight, she entered her apartment, which felt unusually chilly. She paused outside Chris’ closed bedroom door, taking a moment to gather her thoughts.
Pulling out her phone, Maia unlocked it and checked for messages. There were still no messages from Chris.
Maia’s brow furrowed. Chris had been on a business trip for several days. Didn’t he think to contact her at all?
Surely, if he saw her as his wife, a simple message wouldn’t have been too much to expect? At the very least, he could have let her know that he was alright. With a shake of her head, Maia softly laughed at her own foolish expectations.
After all, her marriage to Chris was in name only. There had been no romantic pursuit, no genuine affection.
The kind words Chris had spoken previously? She should have dismissed them as mere formalities. Why had she taken them to heart? With this realization, Maia’s mind became much clearer. She set aside her brief sentimental thoughts and settled into bed.
That night, Maia’s sleep was filled with disjointed dreams. She dreamt of the incident four years prior when she had been wrongly accused, and Rosanna, standing behind Sandra, chuckled softly. She dreamt of a man and a woman she didn’t recognize, the woman caressing her face, but both were faceless, devoid of any features.
Even more bizarre, she dreamt of a young boy, slightly taller than her, who took her hand and ran. He appeared to be five or six years old. Yet, when he looked back, his face was missing as well.
Who were these faceless figures?
When Maia awoke, daylight streamed through the windows. She checked the time. It was already eight in the morning.
Her stomach rumbled, a clear reminder that it was time to eat. However, Maia’s restless night resulted in her walking with a slight stagger.
As she shuffled out of her bedroom, the smell of cooking food hit her. Surprised, her eyes darted toward the kitchen.
A familiar tall figure came into view… It looked incredibly like Chris.