A Mother's Refusal

Elena’s single "So what?" hung in the air, leaving Declan speechless. The phone line plunged into a long, heavy silence. He simply could not process her indifference. When he finally managed to speak again, his deep voice carried nothing but exhaustion and a burning resentment. "Do you really have to be this cold?" he asked, the irritation bleeding through the speaker. "Cole is still stuck in the