Her last wish

Richmond's mind involuntarily drifted back to the haunting day Anna passed away. He could vividly recall sitting by her hospital bed, his grip on her hand tightening as he tried to convince himself that she would overcome the odds stacked against her.

The sudden blaring of the machine connected to her jolted the room into chaos. Doctors rushed in, and Richmond was ushered out, forced to wait in the agonizing uncertainty.

When the doctor emerged, Richmond's anxiety mirrored in his question, "How is she, doc?" The response wasn't what he hoped for – Anna wanted to see him. His heart raced with the glimmer of hope that she had regained consciousness.

Yet, as he entered the room, the relentless beeping persisted, and Anna's weakened state shattered any illusions of improvement.

"Anna," he called out, attempting to mask his fear. "You're awake." Her voice, fragile yet determined, reached out to him. She made an unexpected request, a promise that struck Richmond to his core. "Promise me you will marry Kayla after I'm gone." Shocked, he agreed, wanting to bring her peace.

But all Anna offered in return were final apologies, her last breath escaping in Richmond's arms.

Back in the present, the weight of unanswered questions bore down on Richmond. Why was Kayla with Anna when she claimed to be visiting her mom? What prompted Anna's apology before her demise? And why the peculiar request for Richmond to marry Kayla? Aiden, a keen observer, noticed the subtle shifts in Richmond's expressions and sensed the turbulence within.

"I'm sorry," Aiden offered, realizing his suggestion might have stirred painful memories of Richmond's wife. A curt reply followed, explaining Anna's last wish and the solemn promise Richmond had made.

Aiden, sitting opposite Richmond, saw an opportunity to delve deeper. "Is that why you brought her here?" he inquired, probing into the complexities of Richmond's motivations. The answer was swift and definite – "No."

Yet, Richmond couldn't shake the growing suspicion that Kayla might hold some connection to Anna's death.

Aiden's words lingered in the air, urging Richmond to confront the possibility of investigating, a path he had hesitated to tread. Doubt and loyalty collided within him. What if Kayla was innocent? Would his pursuit of the truth bring solace or open a Pandora's box of painful revelations?

The unanswered questions swirled, casting a shadow over Richmond's resolve and leaving him standing at the crossroads of a haunting past and an uncertain future.