Max took a deep breath. He had just returned to his office after enjoying lunch with the company director, who happened to be his newly-married cousin. With a sweet smile, Max offered his apologies for not attending Lucas's wedding and promised to work diligently as needed.

Now, he faced another trial—a phone call from his mother.

“Hello, Mom. Have you had lunch?” Max answered the phone.

There was a bit of noise on the other side before his middle-aged mother responded to Max's greeting. “Hello, Max. I had lunch. But... even though I ate, it felt tasteless.”

Max furrowed his brow. He shifted and sat in his chair. “Tasteless? Is...