Chapter 47
Maya sat in front of her vanity, brushing her hair absentmindedly. Her mind was elsewhere, racing with thoughts of Bennett and what had happened at the ball. She had hoped that this day would never come, that the secrets she had buried so deep would stay hidden. But seeing Bennett again—his cold, knowing smile—had sent a shiver of dread through her entire being. The guilt and fear that had lingered on the edge of her conscience for years now threatened to consume her.
The knock on her door startled her out of her thoughts. She jumped, the brush slipping from her fingers and clattering to the floor. Her heart raced as she called out, “Come in.”
The door creaked open, and her mother, Margaret, stepped inside. Dressed in an elegant silk robe, her face held a look of concern, her
