I wasn't in the mood for any fun after hearing all that. Asher's mother had always been a gentle and loving elder in my memory, treating me like her own daughter and filling the void left by my lack of relatives. Now that she was ill—especially because of our situation—I felt it was my duty to go see her.

My lawyer picked me up from the airport, helping with my luggage while casting a concerned glance in my direction. “Why do I feel like you've lost even more weight while you were away?”

I smiled and shook my head. “Maybe it’s just exhaustion.”

“You have no idea how chaotic things...