By the time Gabriel got back home, midnight was already closing in. His legs dragged under the weight of exhaustion as he stepped inside, but he froze when his eyes landed on a familiar figure seated on the sofa.
"You?" His face darkened. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
Denis rose quickly, worry etched across his features. "Where have you been?" he demanded. "Mom isn't home, and her phone is unreachable. I'm worried sick. And you—you didn't even answer my call."
Gabriel stiffened. He had silenced his own phone earlier to avoid disturbances, and Jeanne's phone—he had tossed it away on his way back.
Avoiding Denis's gaze, he forced a calm tone. "I don't know where she is. She hasn't contacted me."
"Really?" Denis's voice sharpened, anger flashing in his eyes. "It's nearly midnight, and Mom still isn't back. And you act so indifferent, like you don't even care."
