UNCONTROLLABLE TEARS

CHAPTER 20 A Lie He Believed

I finished my shift and stepped outside the bakery with my bag over my shoulder.

Daniel came out behind me.

"You forgot this."

He held out a small notebook.

I laughed.

"I thought I had everything."

"You almost left it on the counter."

"Thank you."

He handed it to me.

Then he smiled.

"You'll forget your head one day."

I laughed.

"Maybe."

He shook his head.

"See you tomorrow."

"See you."

I turned around.

And stopped.

Dad's car was parked across the street.

My heart dropped.

Edward was standing beside it.

He was looking directly at me.

And I realized he had seen everything.

My smile disappeared.

Daniel noticed.

"Are you okay?"

I couldn't answer.

Dad's eyes moved from me to Daniel.

Then back to me as he came closer to where I was.

"Maya."

My mouth went dry.

"Dad."

He didn't raise his voice.

That somehow made it worse.

"What are you doing here?"

I looked down.

"I..."

His eyes moved to my apron.

"Why are you wearing that?"

I swallowed.

"I was helping."

"Helping who?"

"The bakery."

He stared at me.

"The bakery?"

I nodded.

"For two hours."

He looked at Daniel.

Then back at me.

"Who is he?"

"He's my coworker."

Dad's expression tightened.

"Your coworker?"

I nodded.

"Yes."

Daniel looked between us.

"Sir, she's just—"

Dad raised a hand.

"I wasn't talking to you."

Daniel immediately stopped.

Dad looked at me again.

"How long have you been working here?"

I hesitated.

"A little while."

"Maya."

I swallowed.

"Two weeks."

His face changed.

"Two weeks?"

I nodded.

"You've been coming here for two weeks without telling me?"

"I was going to tell you."

"When?"

I didn't answer.

He stared at me.

"You knew I told you not to work."

"I know."

"And you still decided to do it."

"I needed money."

"I give you money."

I looked down.

My chest tightened.

I wanted to tell him.

I wanted to tell him everything.

But Elizabeth's warning came back to me.

If you tell your father, you will regret it.

I stayed silent.

He looked at me for a long moment.

Then his eyes moved toward Daniel again.

"And you've been working here with him?"

My eyes widened.

"He's just my coworker."

"I didn't say anything."

"But that's not what you're thinking."

Edward's jaw tightened.

"What I'm thinking is that I don't know what you've been doing behind my back."

"I haven't done anything wrong."

"You hid your job from me."

"Because I was scared you'd say no."

He looked at me.

"So you made the decision for yourself."

I lowered my eyes.

"I didn't know what else to do."

Edward took a slow breath.

For a moment, he looked more hurt than angry.

"I trusted you."

My eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't mean to break your trust."

"But you did."

He looked at me.

"You lied to me every day for two weeks."

I swallowed.

"I didn't lie."

"You came home every day and acted as if nothing had happened."

I couldn't answer.

"That's lying, Maya."

My tears fell.

He shook his head.

"I thought I raised you differently."

"Dad..."

"I don't know this version of you."

His words cut deeper than I expected.

I looked at him.

"I'm still me."

"Then why have you been hiding things from me?"

I opened my mouth.

The truth was right there.

Elizabeth takes my money.

I can't ask you for more.

I was afraid.

I needed something of my own.

But I couldn't say any of it.

Edward waited.

When I remained silent, his expression changed.

The hurt became disappointment.

"I don't know what is happening to you anymore."

I cried quietly.

"I'm sorry."

He looked away.

Then he turned toward the car.

"Get in."

I followed him.

Before I entered the car, I glanced back.

Daniel was still standing outside the bakery.

He looked confused.

I quickly looked away.

The entire drive home was silent.

I stared out of the window.

My heart felt heavy.

I wanted to tell Dad the truth.

But fear had already become stronger than my courage.

And I didn't know how much damage my silence had caused.

When we arrived home, Elizabeth was sitting in the living room.

She looked up.

Her eyes moved from Edward to me.

Then to the apron I was still wearing.

Her expression changed for only a second.

"Honey" she called.

Edward shook his head.

"I need some time alone."

He walked upstairs.

I stood there.

Elizabeth looked at me.

A small smile appeared on her face.

It wasn't kind.

"You see?"

I lowered my eyes.

"I told you not to cause problems."

I didn't answer.

She walked past me.

I remained standing in the middle of the room.

Dad was angry with me.

Elizabeth had taken the money he gave me.

And I still couldn't tell him the truth.

I looked down at my hands.

For two weeks, I had thought those two hours belonged only to me.

A little time away.

A little money of my own.

A small piece of freedom.

But now that freedom had become another secret.

And that secret had made my father look at me differently.

I didn't know it then, but something between us had begun to crack again.

Not because I had stopped loving him.

Not because I wanted to hurt him.

But because I had become too afraid to tell him what was really happening.

And sometimes, a secret can look exactly like a lie to the person who doesn't know why you're keeping it.