Isabella stared at the phone screen, unblinking.

Her fingers trembled as she redialed the number.

Again.

The same automated voice answered.

Her hand went limp.

The phone dropped onto her lap with a dull thud.

Another dead end?

No.

She refused to accept that.

Years of searching.

Years of hoping.

She wouldn't give up now.

Her mother was out there.

She would find her.

No matter the cost.

Isabella pushed open the door to her studio.

The familiar scent of leather and fresh fabric greeted her.

Her steps felt heavy, like walking through wet sand.

Her body was both weightless and crushed by an invisible burden.

Inside, Victoria was focused on her laptop, managing orders.

She looked up at the sound of the door, offering a bright smile.

"You're back, Isabella!"

But her smile vanished when she saw Isabella's pale face.

Even her lips had lost all color.

Isabella gave a stiff nod.

She moved silently to her office and collapsed into her chair, exhausted.

Victoria set her work aside and approached with a concerned frown.

"What's wrong, Isabella? You look terrible."

Isabella's eyes drifted over the design drafts scattered across her desk.

Her voice came out rough and strained.

"I'm fine."

"Fine?" Victoria's tone was skeptical. "You're white as a ghost. You're not fine. Are you overworking? Maybe you need to rest."

Isabella shook her head, too overwhelmed to explain.

The unanswered calls haunted her, tightening her chest.

Her mother had always been a deep, persistent ache in her heart.

A longing that never faded with time.

She had been so close to a breakthrough.

Only to have it slip through her fingers once more.

The crushing weight of disappointment was suffocating.

Watching Isabella's devastated expression, Victoria's voice trembled with emotion.

"Isabella, please, tell me what's going on. I'm really worried about you."

Gathering a shred of composure, Isabella whispered, "I met someone today who had information about... about my mother."

"Your mother?" Victoria was stunned.

Isabella nodded, her eyes quickly filling with tears.

"I found a lead. A phone number. I thought... I thought this time..." Her voice faded. She couldn't finish.

Victoria gently patted her shoulder, offering silent support.

Isabella picked up her phone, her hand shaking as she pointed to the number on the screen.

"I called, but... but there was no answer..." Her voice dwindled into a whisper, then broke into a sob.

Seeing her distress, Victoria felt a deep pang of sympathy.

"Don't lose hope, Isabella. Maybe they were just busy?" She tried to comfort her.

"No, it can't be that simple," Isabella muttered, tears streaming down her face. "All these years, every lead I followed... I thought it was finally the right one, but... it always ends the same."

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

The studio fell silent, filled only with the sound of Isabella's muffled cries.