Emily had been waiting in the living room for over half an hour when she heard noises at the door. She stood up, starting to call out, but her voice trailed off as she noticed her son, James, making a shushing gesture. It was then she realized he was carrying a girl in his arms.


    Surprised, Emily approached them and, upon seeing the girl''s pale face, whispered, "Is she sick?"


    James nodded, offering no further exnation, and carried the girl upstairs. Emily followed closely, astonished when she saw him gentlyy the youngdy in his own bedroom, covering her with a nket as if she were a delicate treasure.


    Emily had rarely seen this tender side of her son, which only piqued her curiosity about the girl on the bed.


    After standing by the bed for a moment, James turned and gestured for Emily to step out so they could talk. They headed downstairs.


    James grabbed a couple of water bottles from the fridge. "Mom, what brings you here today?"


    Still preupied with the girl upstairs, Emily didn''t answer his question but asked instead, "So, who is she?"


    James took a seat on the couch and replied, "It''s nothing serious, just a cold. She fell asleep after taking some medicine."


    "Oh, I see." Emily nodded, understanding that some cold medicines can induce sleep. "You should take good care of her. People are at their most vulnerable when they''re sick."


    Vulnerable?


    James gave a nomittal hum. She hadn''t seemed all that vulnerable during their encounter the night before. In fact, he wouldn''t have known she was so adept at everything if he hadn''t been concerned.


    "By the way, where is she from?" Emily asked.


    James casually raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Haven''t you already done your research?"


    Emily''s eyes widened in surprise. Her son had caught on to her curiosity!


    Ignoring his mother''s mixed emotions, James switched the topic. "Youing over like this, is there something up?"


    "Oh, right," Emily said, her voice


    tinged with worry. "Your dad hasn''t check


    in with the family in a while.


    I have no clue where he''s off to this time." .


    James grew serious, pulling out his phone. "I''ll check on him."


    He dialed Curtis.


    Emily nodded, "It''s just unlike him to go this long without calling."


    As an archaeologist, Curtis often went silent for days or even weeks, but nearly a month had passed this time.


    After hanging up, James turned to


    Emily. "Curtis''s team also lost


    contact, but they mentioned they entered


    an area with poor signal a


    few days ago. There shouldn''t be


    any danger."


    Relieved yet not entirely at ease, Emily insisted, "We need to find him, no matter what."


    "I''ll handleat," James assured,


    lowering his gaze to type a message


    on b


    phone. Once sent, he looked


    back up. "Anything else?"


    Emily, who hadn''t even taken a sip of her water and was nning to wait until the girl woke up, was taken aback.


    "If there''s nothing else, you should head back," James said, already standing up and making his way back upstairs.


    Emily, usually gentle andposed, nearly lost her temper. Was this really how he treated his own mother?