Mara glanced at Bruce, offering him a small, reassuring smile. He still looked confused, but she subtly signaled for him to wait.
With steady steps, she followed Jason down the hall. Her mind raced, but she kept her expression unreadable.
Inside his office, Jason moved behind his desk, his movents deliberate. He reached for a brown folder, placing it on the polished wood with an almost theatrical pause.
Mara’s heart pounded in her chest. She could ignore Jason’s taunts, and endure his cruelty but this? This was different. This was about her.
She forced herself to stay still, to keep her voice even. "Well?" she said, eyeing the folder. "Let’s hear it."
Jason’s smirk deepened as he slowly opened the file.
"If you want the file," Jason said, his voice dripping with cruel amusent, "I want you to beg ."
Mara’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her anger burning through her veins. She wasn’t desperate enough to stoop to such humiliation not for him, not for anyone.
"You wouldn’t hand it over even if I did," she said coldly. "You just enjoy watching suffer."
Jason chuckled darkly. "That’s right. I live for monts like this." His smirk twisted into sothing bitter. "After everything you put our family through, this is exactly what you deserve."
His voice rose to a yell as he yanked the papers from the folder. Before Mara could react, he moved swiftly, shoving them into the shredder.
A sickening whir filled the air as the machine ca to life, devouring the pages.
Mara’s breath caught in her throat. She could only watch in horror as strips of paper curled inside the bin—pieces of her past, her origin, her only link to where she ca from, destroyed in seconds.
Jason leaned against his desk, arms crossed, his expression triumphant. "Oh, look at that," he mocked. "Those were your adoption records. The last existing proof of who you really are. After the orphanage burned down, this was all that remained. But now?" He gestured toward the pile of shredded paper. "Gone. Maybe if you had begged, I would’ve considered sparing them."
Mara’s vision blurred as she stared at the remains of her past. She had told herself she didn’t care, that she didn’t need answers. But deep down, she had always wanted to know that she hadn’t just been abandoned.
And now, that truth was gone forever.
Mara turned slowly to leave, her heart heavy. She didn’t know why she had ever expected Jason, the sa Jason who had tried to hurt her all those years ago to develop a heart suddenly.
"Listen to if you want this food," 16-year-old Jason had said, his voice laced with sothing dark.
She had been just ten years old when she refused him. And when he didn’t get his way, he tried to force her.
She had escaped.
But when she told her adoptive family, they didn’t believe her.
"How can you lie like that?" Mrs. Ingrid had scolded, shaking her head in disappointnt.
"Our son is a good boy! I suggest you never repeat this lie to anyone else!" Mr. Ingrid had thundered.
That was the day young Mara learned the truth she wasn’t wanted. No one would protect her. So, she stopped speaking about it.
She had been lucky that the Williams had believed her and taken her in. She had grown past the pain. Moved forward.
Or so she thought.
But at this mont, standing in Jason’s office with her past shredded like the papers in that machine, it all ca rushing back.
She clenched her jaw, willing herself not to cry. Then, turning swiftly, she walked out.
The mont she stepped into the hallway, she ran straight into Bruce.
His hands ca up instinctively to steady her. "Mara?" His voice was laced with concern. "What happened?"
She wanted to answer, but no words ca. Instead, she just stood there, struggling to breathe past the weight of old wounds that refused to stay buried.
"Are you okay?" Bruce asked, tilting his head. "You seem... distracted."
Mara forced a smile. "I’m fine."
Bruce didn’t look convinced, but before he could press further, his phone buzzed. "Excuse for a second," he said, stepping away.
Mara took the opportunity to exhale. She was here to distract herself, but now that she was actually at the office, she wasn’t sure why she had co in the first place.
As she turned to head toward her office, she felt a strange pull like soone had been watching her. Her eyes darted around, but there was nothing unusual. Maybe it’s just in my head.
anwhile, outside the building, Ethan paced back and forth near his car, running a hand through his hair, he went back in ignoring Steph’s words, and saw Bruce holding Mara.
"She left the house to see Bruce," he muttered under his breath. "I knew it. She likes it when he flirts with her,"
Steph sighed. "You’re being ridiculous."
Ethan shot him a glare. "Am I? You saw them."
"What I saw was your wife trying to clear her head, she didn’t even let him touch her while you’re out here acting like a jealous teenager."
Ethan clenched his jaw, looking away. "She deserves better than what I’m giving her right now, I swear I really wanted her but it wouldn’t get up, it has never happened to before, it was so embarrassing I couldn’t even look her in the eye,"
Steph crossed his arms. "Then tell her the truth."
Ethan froze. The truth. The one thing he had been avoiding.
And just like that, he knew what he had to do.
He wasn’t going to let Mara slip away. Not now. Not ever. Ethan set out to look for Mara and tell her everything, he ans everything.
***
Maria wandered through the quiet streets, her mind a tangled ss of emotions. The weight of her secret was growing heavier by the second. She had convinced herself that Mara didn’t need to know, but the guilt pressed on her.
She had co looking for Ethan, hoping to talk things through, but now she wasn’t so sure. Would he even listen? Or would he dismiss her like she was nothing more than a mistake?
Just then, her phone buzzed. Daniel.
Her heart skipped a beat. The one man she had tried to escape was still reaching for her.
"Where are you? We need to talk."
Maria hesitated, gripping her phone tightly. Did she really want to open that door again? A part of her scread no, but the words left her mouth anyway.
"Fine. I’m in front of the mall."
As soon as the call ended, panic settled in. Without thinking, she quickly dialed another number.
"Ethan, I’m at the mall. Daniel is on his way here please hurry," she pleaded, her voice shaking. "I don’t want to face him alone. You know how Mara is, I don’t want to worry her. But, Ethan... I’m scared."
Tears welled in her eyes, her grip on the phone tightening.
Ethan was just about to step into the building when his phone rang. He froze, torn between where he was supposed to be and where he was needed. If he ignored Maria and sothing happened... Mara might never forgive him.
"Damn it!" he muttered under his breath, raking a hand through his hair.
"Alright, I’m coming."
He couldn’t ignore her tears.
Turning on his heels, he rushed back toward the car.
Steph, who had been watching from the passenger seat, raised an eyebrow as he slid in behind the wheel. "What now?" she asked, sensing his frustration.
"Maria is eting that scumbag," Ethan ground out, starting the engine.
Steph’s eyes widened. "I thought you were in a hurry to talk to your wife?" he asked, surprised at his sudden change of heart.
Ethan exhaled sharply, gripping the steering wheel. "So did I."
But right now, there was no choice to make.
"You’re playing with fire," Steph warned, his voice edged with concern. "Maria needs Mara’s help, not yours. What happened to keeping your distance?"
Ethan didn’t answer. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he sped toward the mall, his thoughts a ss.
When he arrived, Maria spotted him imdiately. Relief flooded her face, and without hesitation, she rushed toward him, throwing her arms around him in a desperate hug.
Ethan stiffened slightly but didn’t push her away. She was shaking.
"Hey, it’s okay," he murmured, gently patting her back.
But the mont was short-lived.
A sharp, furious voice cut through the air.
Maria tensed in Ethan’s arms as they turned to see Daniel approaching. His stance was rigid, his fists clenched at his sides. He might have been sober this ti, but the anger in his eyes was just as intoxicating as any drink.
And he was staring straight at Ethan.
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