577 DECISION (II)

THAT'S right. This was more about his mother than about him and Reas. Instead of worrying about what he should do, Astrid should ask his mother first about her opinion. Whether he should meet with Casey or not, his mother's opinion was the most important.

He looked at Kiran. "Thank you, Kiran! I know what to do now."

Kiran scratched his cheek, feeling awkward by the sudden gratitude. "No, I just said my opinion. If it helped you, then I'm glad."

He was genuinely concerned that anything he said might exacerbate the situation. Considering it was a significant issue involving Astrid's family, he worried that offering the wrong advice, as an outsider, could only harm Astrid further. That's why he's relieved he could offer help.

"Then I'll excuse myself for a moment," Astrid said before standing up.