Chapter 390

Chapter 390:

She stared blankly at the screen for a second before stubbornly redialing. But the result was the same. Her grip slackened, and the phone slipped from her hand, landing on her lap with a soft thud.

Could it be… another dead end?

No. She refused to believe this was it.

She had spent years searching, hoping. She wouldn’t stop now. Her mother was out there. And she was going to find her. No matter what it took.

Sadie pushed open the door to her studio, and the familiar scents of leather and fabric enveloped her.

Her steps were heavy, as though she were trudging through mud, her body both light and burdened by an unseen weight.

Inside, Nanette was engrossed in her laptop, managing orders. She glanced up at the sound of the door, flashing a bright smile.

“You’re back, Sadie!”

But her smile faltered when she noticed Sadie’s ghastly pallor. Even her lips were drained of color.

Sadie nodded stiffly, wordlessly making her way to her office where she slumped into her chair, overcome with fatigue.

Nanette set aside her work and approached with a worried frown.

“What’s wrong, Sadie? You don’t look well.”

Sadie’s eyes settled on the design drafts scattered across her desk. Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

“I’m okay.”

“Okay?” Nanette’s skepticism was evident. “You’re ashen. You can’t be okay. Are you pushing yourself too hard? Maybe you need a break.”

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Sadie shook her head, too overwhelmed to articulate her feelings.

The unanswered calls loomed large, constricting her breathing. Her mother had always been a deep, unresolved ache in her life, a longing that persisted despite the years. She had finally come close to a breakthrough in her search, only for it to elude her grasp once more.

The weight of her crushed hopes was nearly suffocating.

As Nanette observed Sadie’s forlorn look, her voice shook with emotion.

“Sadie, please, tell me what’s happening. I’m really worried about you.”

Gathering a shred of composure, Sadie said, “I met someone today who had news about… about my mom.”

“Your mom?” Nanette was taken aback.

Sadie nodded, her eyes quickly filling with tears.

“I found a lead, a phone number. I thought… I thought this time…” Her voice faded. She was unable to continue.

Nanette gently patted her shoulder, offering silent comfort.

Sadie picked up her phone, her hand shaking as she pointed to the phone number on the screen. “I called, but… but there was no answer…” Her voice dwindled into a whisper, then a sob.

Witnessing her distress, Nanette felt a deep sympathy. “Don’t lose heart, Sadie. Perhaps they were just unavailable?” She tried to console Sadie.

“No, it can’t be that simple,” Sadie muttered, tears streaming down her face. “All these years, every lead I followed… I thought it was finally the right one, but… but it always ended in disappointment.”

She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders quaking with each sob.

The studio fell quiet, with only Sadie’s stifled cries echoing in the air.

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