His mother, his woman - 4

Twenty feet of cleared ground separated both of them, but the distance felt immeasurable.

Even though it had only been a year since they had seen him, Jaegar had changed a lot—his broad shoulders, his hair, and there was a subtle change to his appearance.

Now, with his new ponytail and handsome appearance, he barely resembled the fresh-faced boy who had vanished without a trace.

As he stood there, Megan, their next-door neighbour, was the first to approach him. Her eyes widened as she took in his transformed appearance.

"Jaegar! Your hair!" Megan exclaimed, reaching out to touch his ponytail. "I must say, it suits you. You look... different. More mature." There was an undertone to her voice, a hint of concern masked by forced cheerfulness.

His eyes, however, remained fixed on his aunt, Diana. At thirty-eight, Diana was significantly older than Jaegar.