Chapter 29. Love and Lies
(Third-Person POV)
Asher's sister and friends were worried. He hadn't returned by the time school ended, and when they tried asking the principal about him, she wasn't even in her office.
Among them, Anna was the most concerned. After school, she went home, took a shower, and tried to relax. But even as she lay on her bed, her mind remained restless.
That's when her mother, always busy, finally came home.
"Hey, Mom. You're home early tonight," Anna greeted.
Mrs. Rembrandt flashed a warm smile. "Yeah, the shop was slow today."
She slipped off her long coat and hung it on the coat rack, revealing a soft top that clung to her figure—so thin it barely concealed the outline of her nipples.
Anna sighed, shaking her head. "You look... yourself as always."
Her mother chuckled. "And you look more depressed than usual."
"It's just... I made a friend."
Ivy's eyes widened with excitement. "A friend? That's wonderful!" For as long as she could remember, her daughter had never had one. "Where does she live?"