Richmond's day began with the early morning sun casting long shadows as he drove to his mother's house. There, amidst old memories and familiar comfort, he spent time with his mother, cherishing each moment before he left with his daughter, Audrey.
Their bond, a soothing presence in his life, was a reminder of what he still had.
Returning home, Richmond gave instructions to the servants, asking them to sort the baby items he had purchased. He wanted everything ready for Audrey, whose room awaited her, adorned with love by him and Anna. An evidence to their anticipation for a future that would now unfold differently.
However, his attention shifted when he realized Kayla was missing from the scene. Concern crept into his voice as he asked a servant about her whereabouts. Learning she hadn't been seen since morning, he felt a familiar tug of worry. Despite his earlier insistence on not caring about her, he now urged the servant to check on her.
When Kayla appeared, the sight of her was like a punch to Richmond's gut. Her eyes, swollen and red, spoke volumes of her silent suffering. Her emotionless face mirrored his own internal struggle to suppress the overwhelming emotions linked to Anna's absence.
He recalled the phone call from yesterday that seemed to have deeply affected Kayla, sparking a brief curiosity to investigate, which he quickly stifled with a stern internal rebuke.
"I brought Audrey back. You will be her nanny from now on," Richmond announced, his voice firm yet devoid of warmth. Kayla's silent nod was a quiet acquiescence, leaving an uncomfortable void between them.
An awkward silence hung in the air, broken only by Kayla's quiet retreat to her room. Richmond was left stunned by her lack of reaction, the urge to delve into her troubles clashing with his self-imposed restraint.
He looked down at Audrey, a beacon of innocence in his arms, and decided to retreat to his room, seeking solace in the father-daughter bond that remained his anchor.
In the solitude of his room, as he spent time with Audrey, Richmond's thoughts occasionally drifted to Kayla. Her pained expression lingered in his mind, a silent echo of the grief they both carried within, unspoken yet deeply felt.