She burrowed deeper under the covers, blindly fumbling for the phone on her nightstand. She finally found it and answered without opening her eyes.


    A warm, gentle voice came through the line. It was Mrs. Gonzalez.


    "Yvonne, I''m so sorry I missed your birthday party yesterday. I''ve cooked a special meal to celebrate with you today. Let me know when you''re ready, and I''ll have Matthewe pick you up."


    The sound of her voice finally pulled Yvonne from her sleepy haze. She sat up, rubbing her eyes with one hand while holding the phone with the other. "That''s so kind of you, but there''s no need to trouble Matthew. I can drive myself over."


    "Alright, dear. I''ll be waiting for you," Mrs. Gonzalez said with a warmugh before hanging up.


    Yvonne tossed the phone back on the nightstand. She had just publicly humiliated Matthew yesterday, and now his mother was inviting her over for a meal. She suspected this was less of an invitation and more of a trap. Still, she knew she needed to put an end to things with the Gonzalez family once and for all.


    After a quick shower, she changed her clothes, grabbed her car keys, and left.


    The Gonzalez family was still living in their vi in the affluent district. Yvonne rang the doorbell, and after a moment, the door opened. Verna stood there, her chin tilted up defiantly. "You''re here. Come in."


    She turned and walked back into the house without another word, showing none of the courtesy one would expect for a guest. Yvonne didn''t let it bother her; she walked in, her heels clicking softly on the floor.


    "Yvonne, you''re here!" Mrs. Gonzalez greeted her warmly, taking her hands and looking her over. "You''ve gotten thinner. Haven''t you been? eating properly? I made all


    favorite dishes, so plevel


    all you


    eat up:


    Your beautiful face has lost all its roundness."


    "Thank you. I''ve been craving your cooking. I''m d I get to enjoy it today," Yvonne replied with a smile.


    With the household staff gone, the entire feast had been prepared by Mrs. Gonzalez herself. It was simple home cooking, nothing like the food at a fancy restaurant, but it had a warmth andfort that couldn''t be replicated.


    "Yvonne, eat more," Mrs. Gonzalez said, cing a piece of chicken in her bowl.


    "I remember you love sweet and sour pork, Yvonne. Mom made it just for you," Matthew added, carefully cing a piece in her bowl as well.


    Yvonne didn''t even nce at him, nor did she touch the food he had given her. A look of disappointment flickered across Matthew''s face.


    Mrs. Gonzalez watched them, sighing inwardly. She tried again, adding more food to Yvonne''s te, but while Yvonne smiled politely, she didn''t touch anything that had been served to her by either of them.


    A shadow passed over Mrs.


    Gonzalez''s eyes. "Yvonne," she said softly, "I''m sure you''ve heard about what''s happening with Matthew''spany. He''s in the process of liquidating our assets. It won''t be long before thepany deres bankruptcy. We dont even know how much longer we''ll be able to stay in this house."


    She looked around the room with a wistful expression. "But money is just a material thing. As long as a family is together, anywhere can be home We made it through those hard times when Matthew''s father was arrested, didn''t we?"