PART 3
My hands were shaking.
Not from exhaustion.
From anger.
But I knew I couldn’t afford to lose control.
Not tonight.
Not with Maya and Liam depending on me.
A doctor came out less than ten minutes later.
“Mr. Carter?”
“Yes.”
“She needs treatment immediately.”
“How serious?”
The doctor glanced at the chart.
“Her temperature is high, she’s dehydrated, and there are signs that the surgical wound may be infected.”
My stomach dropped.
“Is she going to be okay?”
“We caught it. That’s what matters.”
I closed my eyes for one second.
Then I looked through the glass doors.
Maya was lying on the hospital bed.
She looked impossibly small.
Eleven days ago, she had undergone major surgery to bring our son into the world.
And while I had been halfway around the world believing my mother was taking care of her…
she had been sitting alone in a freezing apartment eating cold noodles.
I felt sick.
“What about the baby?” I asked.
“The pediatric team is checking him.”
“Why?”
“He’s cold and appears dehydrated.”
I nodded.
“Please do everything you can.”
The doctor put a hand on my shoulder.
“We will.”
He walked away.
I sat down.
For the first time that night, I looked at my phone.
Thirty-seven unread messages.
Most were from my mother.
None were from Maya.
I already knew why.
Maya hadn’t wanted to bother me.
My mother had probably made sure of that.
I opened the security app again.
The camera system automatically stored footage for thirty days.
I selected December 28.
The screen loaded.
And there they were.
My mother, Evelyn.
My sister, Chloe.
My brother-in-law, Mark.
And my mother’s boyfriend, Ethan.
They were standing inside my apartment.
Laughing.
The timestamp showed 9:12 a.m.
Maya was nowhere in sight.
Then Chloe walked into the kitchen carrying several grocery bags.
She opened the refrigerator.
She started removing food.
One bag.
Then another.
Then another.
I watched in silence.
She carried the food toward the door.
Mark followed with boxes of baby supplies.
Then Ethan came in.
He was carrying my wife’s medication.
My mother’s voice could be heard faintly through the recording.
“Take the good stuff.”
Chloe laughed.
“Maya won’t notice.”
My jaw tightened.
Then my mother said something that made my blood run cold.
“She needs to learn that David isn’t an unlimited bank account.”
Chloe laughed again.
“She married him. She can survive a few weeks without being spoiled.”
I paused the video.
My hands were trembling.
A nurse passing by glanced at me.
“Sir?”
I looked up.
“I’m okay.”
I wasn’t.
But I needed to be.
I pressed play.
The footage continued.
At 10:03 a.m., Maya appeared in the hallway.
She was moving slowly.
She had one hand against the wall.
She walked toward the kitchen.
She opened the refrigerator.
It was still full at that point.
My mother stepped in front of her.
“You shouldn’t be eating so much.”
Maya looked confused.
“I haven’t eaten since last night.”
“You’re recovering from surgery.”
“I know.”
“Then listen to me.”
Maya looked toward the grocery bags.
“Are those going somewhere?”
My mother smiled.
“Your husband bought them for the family.”
Maya stared at her.
“I thought they were for me.”
“They are.”
Maya looked relieved.
Then my mother added,
“Just not all for you.”
My stomach turned.
The footage showed Maya reaching for a container of broth.
My mother took it from her.
“That’s for New Year’s.”
“But I’m hungry.”
“Drink water.”
Maya lowered her head.
She didn’t argue.
She simply walked away.
I stopped the video again.
I couldn’t watch anymore.
I looked toward the emergency room.
Maya had spent days being treated like an inconvenience in her own home.
And I had been completely unaware.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Chloe.
Happy New Year! Don’t work too hard! We’re having an amazing time in Miami!
I stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
Mom says Maya is probably sleeping.
I didn’t answer.
Instead, I opened the next camera recording.
December 29.
December 30.
December 31.
The same pattern.
Food disappearing.
Baby supplies disappearing.
Medicine disappearing.
And then something else.
Cash.
My mother opened the locked drawer in my home office.
She removed an envelope.
Inside were five thousand dollars in cash.
I had left it there for emergencies.
She counted it.
Then handed half to Chloe.
“This is yours.”
Chloe smiled.
“What about Maya?”
My mother shrugged.
“She has David.”
I leaned back.
The words hit harder than anything else.
She had always treated my income as though it belonged to everyone.
But I had never imagined she would use my wife’s recovery against her.
Then I noticed something.
On December 30, my mother was speaking to someone on the phone.
I increased the volume.
“We’re leaving tonight,” she said.
A man’s voice answered.
“Are you sure David won’t come back early?”
My mother laughed.
“He won’t. He told me Stuttgart is keeping him until January fourth.”
I froze.
My mother had known my schedule.
She had counted on it.
She had planned around my absence.
The man asked,
“What about the wife?”
My mother replied,
“She’ll be fine.”
Then Chloe appeared in the background.
“Mom, tell him about the money.”
My mother turned away from the camera.
“We took enough to make the trip comfortable.”
The man laughed.
“Good.”
I stopped the recording.
My heart was pounding.
Who was the man?
And why had my mother been discussing money with him?
I opened the next clip.
December 31.
5:42 p.m.
The apartment door opened.
My mother entered with Chloe and Mark.
They were dressed for travel.
Suitcases rolled behind them.
My mother walked straight toward the kitchen.
She looked around.
Maya was sitting on the couch.
Liam was sleeping in the bassinet.
My mother said,
“We’re leaving.”
Maya slowly looked up.
“Leaving?”
“For Miami.”
“But David told me you were staying with me.”
My mother shrugged.
“He’ll understand.”
Maya’s eyes filled with fear.
“I don’t have any food.”
“There’s enough.”
“There isn’t.”
My mother became irritated.
“Stop being dramatic.”
Maya whispered,
“I had surgery.”
My mother rolled her eyes.
“And women have babies every day.”
Chloe laughed.
Maya looked down.
Then she asked,
“Can you at least leave Liam’s formula?”
My mother looked toward the counter.
“No.”
“Please.”
“David can buy more when he gets home.”
My wife began crying.
Not loudly.
Just silently.
My mother turned away.
Then Chloe said something that made my entire body go cold.
“Mom, come on. We already spent most of it.”
My mother nodded.
“We’re leaving.”
They walked out.
The door closed.
Maya sat alone.
For almost forty minutes, she didn’t move.
Then she tried to stand.
She couldn’t.
She crawled toward the kitchen.
She opened the refrigerator.
It was nearly empty.
Then she sat on the floor.
And cried.
I shut off the video.
I couldn’t breathe.
I pressed both hands against my face.
A nurse approached.
“Sir?”
I looked up.
“Your wife is asking for you.”
I immediately stood.
Maya was awake.
She looked exhausted.
But when she saw me, she smiled.
“You found us.”
I sat beside her.
