Guilty

In the evening, as the sun began to set, I glanced at my watch and realized it was nearly 6:00 pm. With a sense of urgency, I swiftly finished preparing myself and made my way downstairs. As I descended, I noticed Elijah's car parked outside, indicating that he must have arrived early. Knowing the importance of our dinner meeting, I didn't want to keep him waiting.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I spotted Kate and Marco engrossed in a playful game. Marco, curious as ever, approached me with a question, "Mommy, where are you going?"

With a gentle smile, I replied, "I'm going to a dinner meeting, my dear."

Meanwhile, Marcus, who was busy cooking, seemed taken aback by my appearance. Concerned, he inquired, "Are you leaving? Where are you going?"

I reassured him, "It's just a dinner meeting with Elijah and a client.'I responded to Marcus.

"I'll be back soon, okay? I love you!"I said to Marco.

In response, Marco lovingly declared, "I love you more, mommy."

Casting a quick glance a