33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3VX3m1934"Maya, hurry up and bring me my tea. If you haven't prepared it yet, forget it—I’m already running late for the office.”
Zain pushed back his chair, rose from the dining table, and slung his laptop bag over his shoulder.
Just then, Maya entered the room carrying a steaming cup of tea.
“Zain, please sit down and have your tea,” she said gently. “I need to discuss today's plans with you. Being thirty minutes late for work won't make much of a difference.”
Zain took the cup from her hands and swallowed a few hurried sips while standing. The colour drained from Maya's face as she realized he had little interest in what she wanted to say.
In a quiet, trembling voice, she finally spoke.
“Zain, you know it's my birthday today. I had hoped you would make me feel special, but instead, I find myself reminding you of it. Yet, as always, you seem determined to ignore me.”
Zain raised a hand, cutting her off.
“Maya, I'm not in the mood for an argument. I have an important meeting today, which is why I need to be at the office on time. I don't want to waste any more time discussing this.”
Without waiting for a reply, he pulled open the door and strode out, paying little attention to the feelings he left behind.
As the door closed behind him, silence settled heavily over the house.
Maya remained standing beside the dining table, clutching the cup of tea as though its warmth might soothe the turmoil within her. Tears gathered in her eyes despite her efforts to hold them back. She drew a long, shaky breath and only then realized that she had been silently crying.
After several moments, she set the half-finished cup aside and wandered aimlessly through the house. Almost unconsciously, her steps led her toward the library.
She picked up a copy of The Power of Your Subconscious Mind from the bookshelf and lowered herself into a chair. Placing her phone on the table, she opened the book at a random page and attempted to read.
But the words refused to settle in her mind.
Closing her eyes, she rested her head against the chair and whispered softly,
“Why am I becoming such a pessimist? I should understand that Zain is not selfish. He has given me every comfort and luxury I could ask for.”
Yet the thought failed to comfort her.
A sudden impulse stirred within her.
She reached for her phone, unlocked it, and opened WhatsApp. For a moment, she found herself searching for traces of remembrance—people who had remembered her birthday.
A few old friends had sent warm wishes. She lingered over their messages briefly before opening the family group.
There was nothing there except a single message from Sara.
For reasons she could not fully explain, that solitary wish deepened the heaviness already pressing against her heart.
Instead of replying to Sara, Maya locked her phone and placed it quietly on the table. Leaning her head against the arm of the chair, she closed her eyes.
Almost immediately, her thoughts drifted back to the years when birthdays carried a different meaning. She remembered decorating the entire house for her children's birthdays, carefully preparing their favourite meals, and spending days planning small surprises that would bring smiles to their faces.
Then her mind wandered to her own birthdays.
The memories unfolded before her like scenes from a forgotten film. Her children would wake her early in the morning, their faces glowing with excitement as they stood beside her bed holding handmade birthday cards in their tiny hands. The house would be filled with laughter, colourful decorations, and the warmth of togetherness.
How could she ever forget those moments?
Slowly, Maya opened her eyes and looked around the silent house. The echoes of distant laughter seemed to linger within the walls, making the emptiness feel even more profound.
A faint whisper escaped her lips.
“Where have those days gone? Has everyone grown tired of me? What has changed? I am still the same person. I still remember every birthday, every special occasion, and every little detail of their lives. Then why does it feel as though I no longer matter?”
The question lingered in the silence, unanswered.
For several moments, Maya remained seated in the chair, staring at the empty walls around her. The house stood exactly as it always had, yet somehow it no longer felt like home.
Outside, life moved forward as usual.
Inside, something within her had begun to break.
Chapter 2 coming soon.......33Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeq2OWDMOHn
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