Chapter 5 5

When I woke again, sunlight peeked through the spaces where the curtains didn’t quite meet. I barely noticed the soft light as I rushed out of bed and darted for the bathroom, making it just in time before my stomach rebelled against me. For several minutes, I heaved miserably, my body convulsing until there was nothing left. By the time it was over, I slumped on the cold tiles, my head resting weakly against the toilet lid, too drained to move.

My phone began to ring somewhere in the bedroom. With a groan, I dragged myself forward on hands and knees, crawling across the floor until I reached the bed and managed to grab it.

“Good morning,” I rasped, wincing at the sound of my own voice. Clearing my throat, I tried again, “Good morning, Sophia.”

“Maya!” came the familiar, gentle voice of Elias’s stepmother, filled with concern. “Are you all right, dear? You sound ill.”

“No, I’m fine.” I sat on the edge of the bed, forcing a brightness I didn’t feel into my tone. “I just woke up, that’s all.”

“I’m sorry to wake you.”

“I was already up when you called. It’s fine, really.” I tried to sound convincing. “Was there something you wanted?”

“Yes. I wanted to know if you asked Elias about the eulogy?” Sophia’s tone carried a fragile hope that made my stomach twist again, though for a different reason this time.

“I spoke to him early this morning,” I said softly, “but he said his brother’s speech would be enough. I’m sorry, Sophia.”

The older woman sighed on the other end. “Ah well, it was worth the shot. And there’s no need for apologies. You and I knew the chances were slim. I just thought that since Paul was de—” She cut herself off, sighing again.

Guilt pressed heavy in my chest. None of Sophia’s kindness could ease the weight of what I carried inside.

“It’s fine,” she said after a moment. “He’s right, though. Elliot does tend to ramble on when he gets going, so his speech will fill the time.”

“Mn.” I made a small sound of agreement, my attention drifting when I heard Elias’s door open down the hall. His footsteps were soft against the carpet as he moved past my room, the sound fading quickly.

“Well then, I’ll see you both in a few hours,” Sophia continued. “Have a safe drive down. The forecast calls for more rain and possible sleet, so mind the roads.”

“We’ll be careful,” I promised. “See you soon.” I ended the call and glanced at the clock, pushing myself up. I needed to pack and get dressed before Elias was ready to leave for the funeral. But as I straightened, a wave of dizziness swept through me, forcing me to sit back down and breathe until the room stopped spinning.

When I finally managed to steady myself and head toward the kitchen, the low murmur of voices reached me. I stopped in the doorway, my heart constricting at the sight before me.

“There you are!” Kellan, Elias’s best friend, noticed me first. He smiled warmly over the rim of his coffee mug, his familiar blue eyes crinkling with amusement. “Good morning, Maya. I trust you slept well?”

“Morning,” I replied faintly, my gaze sliding past him to the other figure in the room—the one person I hadn’t expected, or wanted, to see.

Willow.

She was seated close to Elias at the kitchen island, their heads almost touching as they looked at something on the screen of an iPad. Elias’s attention was fully on her, his expression relaxed in a way I rarely saw. A soft smile played at his lips as Willow spoke, animated and glowing.

They looked so comfortable together. So natural.

Willow laughed suddenly at something he said, the sound rich and unrestrained. Her manicured hand came to rest on Elias’s arm, and my fingers clenched into fists at my sides. The pain was sharp, visceral, cutting through my chest like glass.

Elias Sinclair was not a man who enjoyed physical contact. He avoided touch unless absolutely necessary, and even then, it was restrained...formal. He barely touched me, except for that one night that lingered like a ghost between us.

But now, he didn’t pull away. He didn’t even flinch when Willow’s knee brushed his.

The realization tore something inside me.

They didn’t even notice me standing there until Kellan spoke again, breaking through their quiet bubble.

“There you are, Maya,” he said with a lopsided grin. “We were wondering when you’d be down. Good morning.”

Three pairs of eyes turned toward me. Under their gaze, I felt horribly self-conscious. I was still in an old pair of jean cutoffs and a faded t-shirt, my hair piled messily on top of my head. No makeup. No composure.

Elias and Willow, on the other hand, looked impeccable, both dressed in black suits and pale blue shirts. Willow’s skirt skimmed above her knees, her polished confidence radiating in every gesture. The unintentional coordination made me feel even more like an outsider in my own home.

Realizing I’d left Kellan’s greeting unanswered for too long, I tore my gaze away from Elias and Willow and forced a polite smile. “Morning.”

Kellan’s smirk deepened, and I hated the knowing glint in his eyes. He could see right through me.

This is my home, I reminded myself silently. I shouldn’t feel like I’m intruding.

Elias’s eyes flicked briefly over me before he looked away again, his brows tightening slightly in disapproval. I swallowed hard but refused to let it show.

“Hello, Maya,” Willow said with a friendly smile. “Hope you don’t mind us barging in like this.”

Oh, I minded. I minded every inch of it—the easy smiles, the casual intimacy, the unspoken history I didn’t know how to compete with.

“Not at all,” I lied smoothly, my voice steady even as my heart ached. “You’re Elias’s friends, so you’re welcome any time.”

Kellan chuckled softly behind me. “Good ol’ Maya. Always so gracious.”

My cheeks warmed with embarrassment. Yep, I was Maya Sinclair—née Winters. Professional People Pleaser.

“I invited them to accompany us to Ashtree Manor,” Elias said finally, without looking at me, his attention fixed on his phone.

I stared at him, the words sinking in like a slow, cold wave. Of course he had.