The Houston skyline glittered under the late afternoon sun, a testament to the city's ambition and wealth. Margret clutched the hands of her two young children, their small figures dwarfed by the towering buildings. A knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach, a familiar sensation since their arrival.

She took a deep breath, trying to project an air of calm she didn't feel. This was it. The return she'd hoped to avoid, now an unavoidable reality.

Suddenly, a sleek black car pulled up beside them, the tinted window sliding down to reveal a stern-faced woman. "Margret?" the woman asked, her voice clipped and formal. "Mr. Charlie is expecting you."