Mrs. Carol sat in front of her dressing mirror, brushing her hair as the morning light spilled gently into the room. She was halfway through her routine when the door burst open.
Startled, she turned sharply. "Lily! You scared me. What's wrong?"
Lily stepped in, her expression a mix of worry and irritation. "Sorry, Mom. I just... I've been trying to reach Alex. He's not picking up. And Ethan too."
Mrs. Carol set down her brush and turned to face her daughter fully. "Sweetheart, Alex is probably just busy. You know how much he loves you, he'd never ignore you on purpose."
Lily sighed. "Can I borrow your phone for a second?"
Mrs. Carol raised an eyebrow. "What for?"
"I want to call Alex. If he picks up your call and not mine, then I'll know he's ignoring me."
Mrs. Carol sighed and sho
