Chapter 40

Amelia's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected her mom to see through her ruse so easily. She stammered, trying to come up with a plausible excuse.

"I... I came back because I was worried about you. You weren't feeling well, and I wanted to make sure you were okay." She said, her words barely audible.

Mrs. Tate shook her head, not buying her story. "You know I always have my asthma attack once in a while, it's nothing new," she said, her voice firm.

She noticed that Amelia seemed to be avoiding her gaze, and she knew that something was not right. She took a step closer to her daughter and placed a hand on her cheek, turning her face towards her.

"Amelia, look at me," Mrs. Tate said firmly. "I can tell that there is something you're not telling me. What happened in Turkey? Why did you really come back?"

Amelia took a deep breath and looked into her mother's eyes, feeling a sense of comfort and security in their warmth. She knew that she could trust her mother with anything, and she