An Unexpected Invitation

"I hope you haven't forgotten my voice," Alessia's stepmother, Nadia, spoke on the phone, her words piercing the silence that surrounded Alessia.

"Of course, ma'am. How can I forget your voice?" Alessia's voice held a touch of formality, a reminder of the distant relationship she shared with Nadia since her childhood. Alessia was never allowed to address her as 'mother,' and 'ma'am' had become the