A Quiet Test
927 Words
Damein sat alone in his office long after Sophie had left. The hospital corridor outside buzzed with its usual rhythm of footsteps, distant conversations, and the occasional ringing phone but inside his mind, everything felt strangely muted.
He stared at the photo again Maya and Lucas are leaving the bar, and another one of them is entering the hotel.
His chest tightened.
No... this doesn't make sense.
Sophie was manipulative. That much he knew. She thrived on creating chaos around people she envied or hated. She might have twisted whatever happened that night into something uglier than the truth But doubt had already planted its seed.
Damein leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. Wouldn’t Maya do that... would she?
He knew Maya well. She was honest to a fault. Even when she tried to hide something, it showed in her eyes, in the way she hesitated before answering.
And yet... the pictures existed still, he refused to believe Sophie completely.
He needed to hear the truth from Maya herself.
With a deep breath, he stood up and grabbed his coat He decided to leave work early.
By the time evening approached, the house smelled warm and comforting. Damein had cooked more dishes than usual, pasta, roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, and even a light soup Maya liked on colder evenings. Two glasses of wine sat neatly beside the plates on the table. Candles flickered softly, casting gentle shadows across the dining room Everything looked calm, Serene, but underneath that calm, his mind was restless He pulled out his phone and sent Maya a message earlier that afternoon. Layrus will be sleeping at Grandma's tonight. Come home early from work so you can pack his clothes.
In reality, Damein had already packed everything himself.
He simply wanted Maya home early.
He needed to talk to her.
Needed to look into her eyes and understand what was real.
The door opened a little after sunset. "Maya?" Damein called from the kitchen She stepped inside slowly, pausing when she saw the dining table. The room was glowing with candlelight. The table was filled with food and wine, everything arranged carefully.
Warmth filled the room, but Maya's chest tightened with unease.
Damein stepped out of the kitchen with a gentle smile, one that seemed brighter than usual.
"You're home," he said.
She nodded, still confused.
"Go upstairs and change," he said warmly. "I made dinner."
Maya blinked.
"Dinner?"
He chuckled lightly.
"I just realised we've both been working so much lately... we barely talk anymore."
Something about his tone felt normal, too normal.
Maya forced a small smile.
"Okay."
She climbed the stairs slowly, her mind racing.
Why does this feel strange?
By the time she returned downstairs, Damein had already plated the food.
He pulled out a chair for her.
"Sit."
Maya sat quietly.
Damein sat across from her, For a few minutes, they ate in silence The clink of cutlery against plates filled the room.
Then Damien spoke casually. "So, Maya..."
She looked up.
"The day you slept out," he continued calmly, cutting a piece of chicken on his plate, "was it your office... or a hotel?"
The question hit her like a sudden slap.
Her head snapped up.
"Why are you asking that?" she said quickly. "I thought we were done with this."
Damein nodded slowly. "Yeah, yeah," he replied calmly. "I just wondered why Lucas didn't offer to take you home... since he always did."
Maya's fingers tightened around her fork.
Her heart began to race. "Yes... he did," she said quickly. "I just had a lot on my plate. I slept at the office."
The moment the words left her mouth, Damein slowly placed his cutlery on the table.
His face changed.
He picked up his napkin and wiped his mouth slowly.
"What happened?" Maya asked nervously.
"Nothing," he said quietly.
He leaned back slightly. "I'm just full."
But inside, something had cracked. At that moment, Damein realised something painful. Sophie might have been telling the truth. Because Maya was a terrible liar And right now... she was lying.
A heavy silence settled over the table.
Then suddenly, Damein spoke again.
His voice is softer now. "Maya..."
She looked up.
"I love you."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"I always have," he continued calmly. "From the moment you walked into that hospital in Sweden... pregnant with Layrus."
Maya froze.
"I didn't care what happened before that moment," he went on. "I didn't need explanations. I just knew I wanted to help you."
Emotion crept into his voice.
"You and Layrus became my family."
Maya swallowed hard. She opened her mouth to respond, but Damein reached across the table and held her hands firmly.
"No," he said gently. "Don't interrupt."
His eyes locked onto hers. "I just don't want to lose the little family I have."
Her chest tightened with guilt. "Maya," he said quietly, "I need you to answer something for me."
She stared at him silently. "Do you love me?"
The question hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Maya opened her mouth But Damein stood up before she could speak.
"Don't answer now," he said calmly.
He stepped back from the table. "Think about it."
He picked up his coat from the chair. "I'll be waiting for your answer."
Then he walked toward the stairs. The sound of it closing echoed softly through the house.
Maya remained seated at the table The candles still flickered, the untouched wine sat between them But now the warmth in the room had vanished.
Only guilt remained.
- Writer
