chapter fifty seven

I stood nervously in front of my mother, my heart racing as I tried to find the right words to say. I had been thinking about it for weeks, but now that the moment had arrived, I was filled with anxiety.

"Mom," I began tentatively, "I want to talk to you about something."

My mother looked up from her book, her eyes scanning my face. "What is it, honey?"

"I've been thinking about moving to Maryland," I said in a quiet voice. 

My mother's expression hardened, and her lips tightened into a thin line. "Absolutely not," she said firmly. "You are not going anywhere without telling Felix the truth."

I felt my shoulders slump in disappointment. I had hoped that my mother would be more understanding. "Mom, I know I need to tell him. But I'm scared."

"Iris, you can't keep running away from your problems," my mother said sternly. "You need to face them head-on." I let out a sigh.

"I know," I said, feeling defeated. "But what i