Chapter 1: The Recording
“Play the recording.””
Maya’s voice cracked across the kitchen like a gunshot.
She shoved Vanessa’s smartphone across the marble island so hard that it spun once before stopping inches from Marcus’s hand.
Nobody moved.
Morning sunlight poured through the tall windows, bright enough to make the white cabinets glow. The coffee maker hummed in the corner. A faucet dripped once.
Then again.
Maya stood on the opposite side of the island, her long box braids hanging over the shoulders of her black sweatshirt. Her eyes were red, but she refused to wipe them.
Marcus stared at the phone.
His muscular arms were folded across his black polo, his cornrows pulled neatly away from his face. He looked from the screen to Maya.
Then to Vanessa.
“What's on there?”” Marcus asked.
Vanessa’s expression barely changed.
Barely.
“Nothing,” she said.
Maya laughed once.
It wasn't a happy sound.
“Nothing?””
Vanessa reached for the phone.
Marcus's hand came down over hers.
“Don't.””
Vanessa stopped.
“Marcus,” she said quietly, “you don't understand.””
“Then help me understand.””
Maya's fingers curled into fists.
“You always say that,” she whispered.
“You always say you don't understand.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Maya—”
“No.””
She shook her head.
“You don't get to do that right now.””
Vanessa slowly pulled her hand away from the phone.
Her controlled expression was beginning to crack.
“Maya, where did you get this?””
“You left your phone unlocked.””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
“You went through my phone?””
“I found something that wasn't supposed to be there.””
Marcus looked sharply at Vanessa.
“What wasn't supposed to be there?””
Maya pointed at the smartphone.
“That.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Maya, you're seventeen. You don't understand adult conversations.””
Maya stepped closer.
“I understand my name.””
The room went silent.
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“What does she mean?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Marcus picked up the phone.
Maya's breathing became shallow.
“Play it.””
Marcus stared at the screen.
There was an audio file open.
No title.
Just a date from three weeks earlier.
He tapped it.
Static hissed from the speaker.
Then Vanessa's voice filled the kitchen.
“Once Maya is gone, he'll sign everything.””
Marcus froze.
Maya's eyes immediately filled with tears.
Vanessa lunged forward.
“Turn that off.””
Marcus lifted the phone away from her.
“Don't touch it.””
The recording ended.
Silence.
Marcus's jaw tightened.
He slowly turned toward Vanessa.
“Gone where?””
Vanessa's lips parted.
“Marcus—”
“Gone where?””
“I didn't mean it like that.””
Maya wiped one tear from her cheek.
“You did.””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Maya, listen to me.””
“No.””
“You're twisting something you don't understand.””
“Then explain it.””
Vanessa took a step toward her.
Maya stepped back.
That tiny movement changed Marcus's face.
He noticed.
“You're afraid of her,” he said.
Vanessa blinked.
“What?””
“You're afraid of my daughter.””
“No.””
“Then why did she move away from you?””
Vanessa's voice became defensive.
“Because she's angry.””
Marcus looked down at the phone.
Then back at Vanessa.
“Who recorded this?””
Vanessa said nothing.
Marcus's thumb hovered over the screen.
“There are messages too.””
Maya's breathing stopped.
Vanessa's face changed.
Marcus saw it.
“What?””
“Nothing,” Vanessa said.
Marcus looked at her for a long second.
Then he opened the messages.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Marcus, don't.””
He looked up.
“Why?””
“Because you're going to misunderstand.””
“I'm already misunderstanding everything.””
Maya leaned over the island.
“Scroll.””
Marcus did.
One message.
Then another.
Then another.
His eyes hardened.
Vanessa whispered his name.
“Marcus…”
He stopped scrolling.
An unread message sat at the bottom of the screen.
Its preview was only one sentence.
*Her mother never abandoned her. Keep Maya from finding out.*
Marcus went completely still.
Maya stared at the words.
Her face drained of color.
Vanessa whispered,
“Please.””
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
“Her mother?””
Maya's voice was barely audible.
“My mother?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
Maya looked at her.
“Why would somebody say my mother never abandoned me?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with fear.
And then the phone began to ring.
The caller ID appeared.
*SARAH — MAYA'S MOM*
Maya stopped breathing.
Vanessa whispered,
May you like
“Don't answer it.””
And Maya reached for the phone.
