The memory of that day five years ago resurfaced, unbidden and raw. The desperation, the endless waiting, and the gut-wrenching realization that her son was gone, all flooded back with a vengeance. But now, there was a glimmer of hope, as fragile and fleeting as a whisper in the dark.

Isabella’s mind raced. How had he survived all these years? Where had he been? And why, of all places, was he here, in Manhattan, scavenging for food? She felt an unfamiliar sensation welling up inside her—a potent mix of guilt and determination.