Mrs. Anthony had just stepped out of the shower when her phone started buzzing insistently on the living room table.
Nathalie, emerging from her own room, noticed the vibrating device and glanced down at the screen.
Just as she reached to answer it, her mother burst out of the bathroom, dripping wet and slightly flustered.
"Let me get that!
It's work-related," her mother called out, her voice a little too bright.
Startled by her mother's sudden appearance, Nathalie paused for a second before handing over the phone.
Her mother's expression was odd—a mix of embarrassment and something else Nathalie couldn't quite place.
"Understood.
Let's schedule another time then.
Okay, thanks!"
Her mother hurriedly ended the call after just a few brief words.
She looked up at her daughter, her composure slowly returning as she managed a faint smile and set the phone down on the sofa.
Nathalie arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, her tone laced with skepticism.
