Chapter 44

• Valerie's POV
• The boy, Marcus, looked at me with a mix of desperation and hope in his eyes. "Please, Mum, wait for me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. "I'll be right back, I promise."
• I was still trying to wrap my head around the situation, but there was something about Marcus's words that resonated with me. Maybe it was the sincerity in his voice, or the desperation in his eyes. Whatever it was, I found myself nodding in agreement.