CHAPTER FOUR

Maya should have known from the very beginning. She should have seen it coming when her parents sent her to La Push. The moment she found a place that felt like home, a community where she was finally able to breathe and be herself, they would find a way to destroy it. It was almost as if they had a sixth sense, a radar that could pinpoint the exact moment she began to settle, and that was when they would strike.

At first, things had seemed perfect. La Push was the refuge Maya didn't know she needed, a small town where she could escape the pressure of her parents' expectations. There, in the quiet rhythm of daily life, she felt a sense of peace she had never experienced before. For the first time in her life, she felt free from the heavy weight of trying to be what her parents demanded—someone she could never be, no matter how hard she tried. In La Push, she was able to carve out a life that was her own, a life that felt right to her.

She thrived in the town's simplicity. Maya had goals, dreams, and the support she needed to pursue them. Without the constant pressure of being compared to some unattainable ideal, she began to excel. She not only succeeded in her education—far beyond what her parents had ever thought possible—but she also developed deep, meaningful relationships with the people around her. The locals embraced her, and she felt like she truly belonged. She was a good representation of what a young woman could be when given the chance to grow in an environment that nurtured her instead of stifled her. For the first time in her life, Maya felt like she was more than just a disappointment to her parents. She was succeeding on her own terms.

It wasn't just about her academics or her future—it was about finally living life without the constant gaze of judgment from her parents. For the first time, she was free to be herself, free to pursue happiness in her own way. She found her friends, and her chosen family, and she even found love with Seth. He was someone who loved her without the weight of expectation or criticism, someone who saw her for who she truly was. Seth gave her the kind of love she never thought she deserved, a love that made her feel like she mattered.

Tiffany, her aunt, had always been there for her, even if she wasn't the ideal parent figure in the traditional sense. Tiffany didn't try to impose her ideas of what Maya should do or how she should live. She loved her niece in a way that was untainted by the rigidity of societal expectations. Tiffany had always believed that Maya needed independence, not constant control. She had fought for years, defending Maya against the accusations of her parents, who never understood what their daughter truly needed. Tiffany had long ago realized that Maya's issues weren't about being rebellious or defiant—it was about being smothered by a life she didn't want.

From the beginning, Tiffany had understood Maya better than anyone else, and she never once doubted her ability to find her own path. She didn't want to control Maya's choices or the way she lived; she wanted Maya to be free to make her own mistakes, to learn, and to grow without the overbearing scrutiny that her parents had subjected her to. Tiffany had given Maya the space to find her own voice, and that had made all the difference.

But despite the freedom, despite all the love and support that had surrounded Maya, things had never been completely easy. There had always been the dark shadow of her parents looming over her life, threatening to undo the progress she had made. The good moments were always balanced by the bad, and it was this delicate balance that had kept Maya from fully giving in to the frustrations and anger she felt. But even when the storms of life hit, Maya had learned to weather them, to keep moving forward despite the obstacles.

That morning, however, the tension was palpable. Tiffany, who was normally a whirlwind of energy and productivity, was sitting at the kitchen table with a solemn look on her face. The fact that she was home—during a time when she should have been at work—was the first red flag for Maya. Tiffany had always been the type of person who lived for her job, and her routine was something she never deviated from. For her to be home at this hour meant something had happened. Something had shifted.

The second red flag came when Maya saw Tiffany's cup of coffee. It was the kind of observation Maya had learned to make after years of living with her aunt. Tiffany had always been clear about her feelings on coffee—she thought it was a placebo, a drink people consumed simply because they believed it gave them energy. Tiffany had always maintained that she didn't need it, that it was unnecessary. So, seeing her with a cup in front of her immediately raised suspicions. Maya knew her aunt only drank coffee when she was under a lot of stress—when something had been weighing on her mind so heavily that even Tiffany's usual self-control couldn't keep it at bay.

The third and final thing that caught Maya's attention was the letter sitting on the table, a letter she instantly recognized. The logo embossed on the corner of the envelope was one she knew all too well. It was from her parents. The moment she saw it, her stomach dropped. She could feel the knot tightening in her chest, the familiar sense of dread creeping in.

"Maya," Tiffany said softly, her voice calm but laced with an undercurrent of anxiety. "We need to talk."

Maya's mind raced as she walked into the kitchen, her brow furrowed with confusion. What could this be about? Why were her parents sending her something now, after all this time? She had finally found peace, and finally built a life for herself in La Push. She had found her place, and just when she thought she could finally be happy, her parents were about to tear it all apart.

Her eyes flicked to Tiffany, whose face was filled with concern. Tiffany wasn't the type to show worry easily, so for her to look this way meant something serious was coming. Maya took a deep breath and sat down across from her aunt, her heart pounding in her chest.

"What's going on?" Maya asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tiffany hesitated for a moment, looking at the letter before finally meeting Maya's gaze. "Your parents... they've sent something," she said slowly, her tone heavy. "It's about you."

Maya's stomach churned. She had spent years trying to escape the suffocating control of Mario and Kristina, and now they were back to haunt her. They couldn't let her be, could they? They couldn't stand the thought of her living a life that didn't fit into their carefully constructed world. Maya had worked so hard to build something for herself—something that was hers, something real—and now it seemed that her parents were determined to take that away from her.

As Tiffany slid the letter across the table, Maya's fingers trembled as she reached for it. She had a sinking feeling that this was going to be a turning point—a moment that would challenge everything she had worked for in La Push. And as she unfolded the letter, the weight of it hit her hard.