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 ...