Reading until the end, a weight lifted off my shoulders. The heavy, suffocating feeling in my chest dissipated.
It seemed... I didn't care about Jackson Sharp as much as I thought.
At least, seeing him beg for reconciliation didn't trigger any impulse to forgive him.
Instead, I felt a distinct, cold pleasure.
The satisfaction of striking back.
But this revenge was only just beginning.
I thought for a moment, then typed a reply to one of the numbers:
**[If you want to see me, find a way into the Henson heiress's return banquet.]**
Then I turned the phone off again.
A knock came at the door. "Maya?" Mom's voice was laced with concern. "Are you asleep? Your dad wants to talk to you."
"Not yet," I called back. "Wait a moment, Mom. I'll be right out."
A few minutes later, in the living room.
Mom and Dad had prepared a table full of my favorite dishes. They sat there, smiling warmly as they waited for me. I sat between them, savoring the taste of home I hadn't experienced in so long, my eyes narrowing in pure contentment.
They watched me with indulgent smiles until I had nearly finished eating.
"Maya," Dad started, his tone serious but gentle. "There's something I want to discuss with you."