There was a moment of silence, and I anxiously gripped the phone in my hand. Truth be told, I had been afraid that Anson wouldn't pick up or would say something hurtful.

In many ways, I had been lying to Millard before.

But this call was real. There had been no prior communication, and I wasn't sure if Anson would understand my hints.

Anson’s silence made me incredibly nervous. I just wanted Millard to receive affirmation from Anson in his last moments.

Once again, I was betting on Anson's kindness.

But I didn't expect Anson to react like this. After a brief pause, he immediately said, "Millard? Did you really find him? Where is he?"

"Dad, listen, Millard wants to talk to you," I said, switching the phone to speaker mode and holding it up to Millard's mouth.

On the phone, Anson called out again. "Millard?"

Millard seemed to gain some strength, as if he had been injected with a stimulant. "Dad... I'm sorry. Dad, I was wrong.”

His weak voice traversed time and space, reaching An