Chapter 11

In a cosy little apartment on the bustling streets of 28th Street, Amaya and her mischievous five-year-old son, Tommy, began their morning routine. Amaya was busy preparing lunch for Tommy when her old iPhone rang, and she hurriedly stepped away to take the call.

"Hello, Mary?" She smiled and opened the fridge.

"Yes, yes, how can I forget? Of course. Send my regards to the twins, okay? I'll visit you guys soon." She spoke in hushed tones, trying not to disturb her little one. However, Tommy, with his curious and adventurous nature, couldn't resist exploring his surroundings. As his mother spoke on the phone, he spotted her gleaming smartphone lying on the coffee table.

The aroma of lunch filled the air, and Tommy's tummy rumbled with hunger. "Mommy, I'm hungry." He couldn't wait for his meal, but he knew better than to interrupt his mom during an important call. So he devised a plan to entertain himself while he waited.

Giggling mischievously, Tommy tiptoed towards his mother's phone. He had seen Amaya use it before, and he knew how to unlock it. With his tiny fingers, he successfully unlocked the phone and found himself on the home screen. Feeling like a little genius, he explored further, tapping on icons and opening apps.

Meanwhile, Amaya's phone call was becoming more intense when Mary asked about Amaya’s parents, and she moved into the other room to have some privacy. Unaware of her son's newfound interest in her phone, she focused on the conversation, hoping it would be over soon so she could return to her hungry little boy.

Back in the living room, Tommy accidentally opened the camera app. Amazed by the magical world inside the phone, he started snapping selfies, his cute little face filling the screen. Then his attention was drawn to the "voice recording" app. Not understanding what it did, he pressed the red button, and his sweet voice began to record.

"Hi, I'm T-tommy, and I'm five years old! A-are you my d-daddy?" he announced to the phone with a toothy grin.

Unaware of the unfolding chaos, Amaya finished her call and returned to the living room, where she found Tommy deeply engrossed in playing with her phone. She couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of her son, completely absorbed in the digital world.

"Tommy, breakfast is ready, and your lunchbox is done," Amaya said, trying to retrieve her phone from the little boy's grasp.

"Mommy, w-when's-daddy coming home?"

Amaya halted and looked at her son carefully before replying, "Well, daddy is—um—daddy is busy abroad, remember?"

"But you said he would v-vist me soon."

Amaya sighed. She had been lying to him since the first day he asked about his father, and God knows, she lied for his own good. "Well, I'll email him again, okay? For now, eat your breakfast so I can drop you off at school, yeah?"

"Okay mommy."

Amaya sat on the edge of Tommy's chair. Her heart felt heavy, knowing that her son was growing older and beginning to ask questions about his father, Chase, whom he had never met again. She took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to comfort him.

Tommy looked up at his mother with those innocent, curious eyes. "Mommy, why d-don't I have a daddy like my f-friends at school? Where is he? Why is he always not around?”

Amaya gently brushed a strand of hair away from Tommy's face, her voice soft and reassuring. "Oh, sweetheart, I know it's natural to wonder about your daddy. But he is always busy. He was a very special person, and he loved you very much. But sometimes, life doesn't go as we plan."

"I don't understand, mommy." Tommy frowned, trying to process what his mother had just said. "Where did he go? Did he not want to be with us?"

Amaya's heart ached at the thought of her son feeling abandoned. She cupped his face in her hands and looked into his eyes. "No, my love. It's not that he didn't want to be with us. Sometimes, things happen that we can't control, and people leave us unexpectedly."

Damn it! How could I lie to my son this much? She thought to herself.

Tommy seemed to ponder her words for a moment before speaking again. "Did I do something wrong, mommy? Is that why he left?"

Tears welled up in Amaya's eyes as she realised how much her son's innocent mind was trying to make sense of the situation. "Oh, no, Tommy. You didn't do anything wrong at all. Your daddy and I loved you more than anything in the world. Sometimes, life presents challenges that are beyond our understanding, and we have to be strong to face them."

Tommy seemed comforted by his mother's words, but he couldn't help feeling a little sad. "I wish I could have met him, mommy. I want to know more about my daddy."

Amaya hugged Tommy tightly, holding back her tears as she spoke softly. "I wish that too, my little one. Your daddy was a wonderful person, and he lives on in your heart. We can talk about him whenever you want, and I'll share stories and memories with you so that you can know him in a special way."

Another lie.

"Okay, mommy, I believe you," Tommy replied, his voice filled with trust and love.

Amaya kissed her son's forehead. "You're my brave little boy, darling. Remember that I love you with all my heart, and I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

As she finished her breakfast, Amaya felt a mix of emotions: sadness for the past, gratitude for her son's understanding, and hope for the future. She knew that the journey ahead might have its challenges, but she was determined to be the best mother she could be for Tommy and create new beautiful moments together.

Just then, Amaya's phone rang again; an HR representative from JC Johnson Software called regarding her application as an IT specialist.

---

At 9 a.m., JC Johnson’s building, Amaya, entered the massive reception area.

She had been honest—she even admitted during her telephone interview that she was attending night school on a Thursday night for her master's degree and that in a few months she was hoping to finally accomplish it.

Everything had gone really well until Eva, her friend and neighbour, walked out from the elevator to greet Amaya—and she truly didn’t understand why.

"Thank God you're here early." Eva greeted her with a small smile.She’d prepared so carefully for the interview. Reading everything she could get her hands on about JC Johnson Software—about their spectacular rise, even in gloomy times. The VP, Justin De Nero from the Application Department, had a no-nonsense attitude—there was no secret formula to his success, she had read in a rare interview he had given—just sound decisions, IT transparency, and the refusal to be swayed by hype.

Yes, she’d read up on him and then gone through her favourite glossy magazines and followed every last piece of advice in preparation for this afternoon.

After all, Justin De Nero had been the face of JC Johnson.

"Eva, I don't understand. I applied for an IT Specialist as you suggested under Mr. De Nero; why the sudden change?"

Eve sighed and pulled her to the corner. "I have no idea; what I heard is that the job had been, um—well, they hired someone, and HR received a call that the Big Boss wanted a new personal secretary."

"And?" She frowned, not wanting to know who the Big Boss was.

"I have no idea why HR chose you."

"I don't have—wait, secretary, right?"

Eva nodded.

"But I don't have that sort of experience, I—"

"Amaya, I know, but this is your big chance; this is by far the biggest IT company here in Europe."

"Executive department, right?""Yes,” Eva replied with a glint in her eyes as she looked her up and down. "Good choice for the interview."

Amaya had scoured the second-hand shops and found a stunning—if just a touch tight for her well-rounded figure—pale lilac linen designer suit, had her thick brown ringlets blow-dried straight and smoothed up into a smart French roll, and, horribly broke, as one magazine had cheekily advised, gone to the make-up counter at a department store and pretended that she was a bride-to-be and trying out looks for her wedding day.

Mary had always teased her about her obsession with magazines, and Mary had moaned about how many she had bought, but they had been her lifeline.

"Are you sure about this secretarial job?" She asked before going after Eva’s long streak to the elevator.

"Yes, and don't worry, your interviewer is a friend of mine. This is just for—you know, for formality."

"Okay."

"After you arrive at the fifth floor, go to the right and third door, okay?"

"Gosh, I don't know if—"

"Chill, Amaya. You are thinking too much. Just relax and answer the damn questions."

"But I'm not confident—"

"Of course you are," Eva clearly didn’t agree.Her interviewer was dressed in a stern grey suit with black flat shoes. Her fine silver hair was cut into a neat, practical bob, and she wore just a reluctant sliver of coral lipstick. The antithesis, in fact, of the look Amaya had been trying to achieve!

"Hi, I’m Allen, let's get started." She smiled at Amaya.