The Review
Chapter 13 - The Review
The independent review found patterns quickly.
Evelyn had not been careless, but she had been arrogant. Arrogant people often document more than they realize because they cannot imagine the record turning against them.
There were calendar notes showing she requested updates on Maya’s appointments. Emails suggesting pregnancy-related privacy boundaries could “complicate optics.” Messages to hotel staff asking them to route household concerns through her. Draft statements prepared in case Maya “created public instability” during the acquisition.
Maya read the summary in the suite with Andre beside her.
Each line hurt.
Each line also steadied her.
She had not imagined it.
The room around her had truly been shrinking. The calls, the glances, the staff hesitation, the way Evelyn appeared exactly when Maya felt most alone. It had all been constructed, carefully enough to feel like paranoia from the inside.
Andre looked worse with every page.
Maya did not comfort him.
He did not ask her to.
That mattered.
At the end of the summary was one line that made Maya stop breathing for a moment.
Proposed post-birth communications plan: all family media, infant announcements, and public photographs to be cleared by E.H. before release.
Maya placed the pages down.
“She wanted my baby’s first public image.”
Andre’s voice was low. “She will never be near our child.”
Maya looked at him.
This time, she believed the sentence.
May you like
Not because he was angry.
Because his anger had finally become action.
