The car is silent for a few minutes, an oppressive weight hanging in the air. Maya bites her lip, the taste of salt mingling with the remnants of her sweat.
Images of her three children flood her mind: Eli, Aiden, and Rose, their small faces twisted with fear, their little bodies trembling as they clutch one another.
She swallows shakily, the lump in her throat refusing to budge.
Finally, she turns to Jackson, her heart racing.
“What about the kids?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper. The words feel like needles piercing her throat as she stumbles over them, fear clawing at her insides. Jackson’s expression remains unreadable, a mask of indifference that chills her to the bone.
Jackson glances at her, his eyes sharp and cold. “What about them?” he replies, his tone devoid o
