C32 - Formal and cold.

“Mama,” he called to get his mother’s attention, who was standing near the glass wall of his office.

Andrea Montenegro turned around and gave him a reserved, cold smile. Sometimes, he wondered if his mother even knew how to be a mother.

She lacked any warmth.

“What brought you here?” he asked.

“Is that how you welcome your mother, son?”

He felt like rolling his eyes. She was the one lacking emotion upon seeing him.

“I’m just asking, Ma.” He approached Andrea and kissed her cheek.

That simple gesture surprised his mother, though her expression only changed momentarily.

“Well, I felt obliged to pay you a visit,” Andrea said as she took a seat, not breaking eye contact with him. “A Director raised a concern that you’re always unreachable. What’s going on, Ethan?”

“Are you asking me, Mama, because you don’t know yet? Or do you need confirmation?” He knew her well enough to understand that she likely already knew why and who had been occupying his time.

“Why are you not listening to your m