Chapter 249

Ava's POV The smell of my mother's herb-crusted roast chicken greeted me when I opened the door to my mom's home. After a year away, everything looked the same. The worn but comfortable sofa was there. The shelf was filled with magical herb jars that looked like ordinary spices. "Mom? I'm home," I called out. I followed the delicious smell to the kitchen. My mother, Odelia, stood at the stove. Her honey-blonde hair was pinned up in a messy bun. When she turned, her eyes lit up with joy. They were the same deep green as mine. In seconds, I was wrapped in her warm embrace. Her familiar scent of lavender and sage surrounded me. "Ava! Oh, my sweet girl." She held my face and studied me. "You're thinner. Your eyes are red. You must have been crying. He broke your heart, didn't he?" I sighed and dropped my bag on the floor. "Is it that obvious?" "A mother knows." She guided me to the kitchen table. It was already set for two. "Sit. Food first, heartbreak later." She placed a steaming plate b