Chapter 90: Emma Moves In With Richard

As the call with Eric ended, Richard Madison was adrift in a sea of conflicting emotions. Concern for his friend's well-being warred with a mounting sense of trepidation, Eric's words hanging heavy in the air like a shroud. Turning from the study where he had taken the call, Richard's gaze fell upon the scene unfolding in the living room beyond. There, bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun, Emma sat cross-legged on the plush carpet, her face alight with a radiant smile as she played with her son, Henry. The little boy giggled with unbridled joy, his chubby hands reaching out to grasp the colorful toys that Emma deftly maneuvered in front of him. For a fleeting moment, Richard felt a pang of envy—a longing for the simple, uncomplicated happiness that the pair seemed to exude. But that moment was fleeting, swiftly overshadowed by the knowledge of the turmoil that threatened to engulf them all. Richard crossed the room with a heavy heart, his footfalls muffled by the thick