Chapter 39

• "Mommy? Are you still there?"
• I couldn't speak. I could not even move. My body felt frozen, as if every nerve ending had suddenly stiffened. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat as I slowly ended my daughter's call. My hands shook slightly, betraying my effort to stay composed. I had to remind myself that I was at work, that this was a professional environment, yet the echo of my children’s voices lingered in my mind, tugging at my heart relentlessly.
• "Mr. Revelar," I uttered, acknowledging his presence.