Hidden truth- The sequel

23: Breaking Point

Maia's PoV

The steady beeping of the monitor was the only sound grounding me to reality. The sterile scent of antiseptic clung to the air, mixing with the faint sweetness of the flowers someone had left by the window. I lay there, numb, staring up at the ceiling tiles like they might offer some kind of answer.

But nothing could quiet the storm in my chest.

The door creaked open, and I turned my head slowly. Miguel stepped in first, followed by Mom and Dad. Aaliyah trailed behind, her eyes red-rimmed but alert. The sight of them together, in this place, told me just how bad things had gotten.

"Oh, my baby," Mom whispered, hurrying to my side. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I said, even though the tremble in my voice betrayed me. "They said the babies are fine."

She let out a breath of relief, brushing hair from my forehead. "Thank God."

I looked over at Miguel, who stood rigid at the foot of the bed. "Did you talk to anyone? About Justin?"

His jaw clenched. "Yeah. He's being held... no bail for now. They're charging him with assault."

My stomach twisted painfully. "He was defending himself."

Miguel didn't argue. He just nodded, but I could see the guilt etched into the lines of his face.

"He was protecting himself," I repeated, more forcefully this time. "They don't know what Jac said to him. What he did to him."

"No one's denying that, Maia," Dad said gently, stepping forward. "But Justin... he crossed a line. There were witnesses. Cameras. It's going to be hard."

"I should've gone with him," I whispered, my vision starting to blur. "I should've stopped it—"

"Maia, no," Aaliyah cut in quickly, coming around the bed. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this. You were trying to help him. You've always do."

My chest ached. "But he's alone now. And what if this breaks him? What if—" My voice cracked, and before I could finish, the tears came fast, hot and uncontrollable.

Aaliyah didn't hesitate. She climbed up onto the bed beside me, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and holding me like she had when we were kids. "Breathe, okay? Just breathe with me. The babies are fine. You're fine. Justin's strong. He'll get through this."

"But he's not fine," I sobbed. "He's carrying so much pain, and now this—he's locked up. He was already on the edge, Aaliyah. You didn't see his face when they put those cuffs on him."

"I know," she whispered. "I know it hurts. But you have have to be selfish once and think about yourself.. and your babies."

I curled into her, clinging to her words like a lifeline. Mom was crying silently, holding my hand. Dad sat down heavily in the corner chair, rubbing his temples. Even Miguel, who rarely showed emotion, looked like he'd been run over by a freight train.

"It's not fair," I whispered, eyes burning. "It's just not fair. He was finally trying."

No one had a response to that. Because there wasn't one.

The room fell into a heavy silence, broken only by the sound of my soft, uneven breaths. I closed my eyes for a moment, willing the pounding in my chest to slow down.

Then the door opened again.

Dr. Bennett walked in quietly, clipboard in hand. He greeted my parents with a polite nod, then looked at me.

"Maia," he said gently, "do you feel up to talking for a moment? Alone?"

Aaliyah looked at me questioningly. I nodded, brushing at my cheeks.