Ava returned home, her expression clouded with worry and her thoughts a chaotic mess. Questions about Dylan's mysterious trip plagued her mind, leaving her distracted and uneasy.
'What is he hiding?' She stepped into the house absentmindedly.
The sound of her father coughing caught her attention. Startled, she looked toward the living room and saw her father slumped on the sofa, his hand clutching his chest as his body shook with each cough. Her brows knit in concern, and she immediately dropped her bag and rushed to his side.
"Are you not feeling well?" she asked, sitting beside him and rubbing him on the back.
"It's nothing." Thomas waved a hand dismissively, though his coughing fit made it clear he wasn't as fine as he claimed. "Just a little cold. I'll be alright. Don't trouble yourself."