Chapter 30

Jenny POV:

I finished dressing and stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out my clothes. The soft fabric rustled beneath my fingers. I turned to face my friends, a excited grin spreading across my face.

"Guys, you won't believe what my dad told me," I said, barely containing my enthusiasm. "We're going to Ember mountain today!"

I had thought that when I returned, I would dive straight into work. But as it turned out, my dad had other plans. The restaurant, which was supposed to be my focus, was already open for business, the staff bustling about with ease.

Just then, my phone rang, shrill in the silence. I picked it up, answering with a cheerful "Hello?"

"Tasha! How are you?" I asked, my voice warm with friendship.

"I'm fine, dear," Tasha replied, her voice tinged with a hint of longing. "I really miss you here. Everything is boring without you."

I could almost hear the pout in her voice, and I chuckled. "I can really hear that from your voice."