24. SOUR DESIRE.

ANASTASIA’S POV “Are you sure, honey? Are you sure you wanna spend your birthday alone?” Mom’s voice floated through the phone, laced with that concern she could never quite hide. I tucked the phone tighter against my ear as my eyes flicked to the half-finished stack of papers on my desk. “Mom, I’m at work. And of course I wanna. I’m not a child anymore.” My tone was light, but the hollowness inside me lingered like an ache. “I know,” she sighed softly, the sound heavy with years of worry. “It’s just… Isaac isn’t home to celebrate with you, and I don’t want you to feel alone.” Her words cut sharper than I expected. The reminder that Isaac wasn’t here and that the day that was supposed to feel special already carried a quiet emptiness. I bit my lip, trying to brush it off before the sadness could root itself too deep. “Yeah, but at least I’ve got Kenny,” I said, forcing cheer into my voice. “We planned to watch movies, drink, and just… have fun.” “You did?” she asked, her tone