RICHARD’S POVI stepped into the house, already smelling something delicious. Amelia was in the kitchen, her back to me, humming softly while stirring something in a pot. The sound of home. Peace. After the kind of day I’d had, this was exactly what I needed.“Something smells amazing,” I said, walking up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.She laughed softly, leaning back into me. “It’s just pasta. Nothing special.”“Pasta is always special when you make it,” I murmured against her neck, breathing in her scent.Before she could respond, my phone rang. I sighed, pulling it from my pocket. I didn’t recognize the number, but something told me to answer it.“Richard,” I answered, already annoyed.“Sir, there’s a fire at your father’s company!” a panicked voice said from the other end.I froze. A fire?“What the hell did you just say?” I asked, my voice low and dangerous.“There’s a fire, sir! The firefighters are on their way, but it’s spreading fast!”I didn’t even respond. I

Richard’s POVSitting on the couch, I tried to make sense of it all. I’d told Amelia everything, from Jonathan’s death to William’s pitiful breakdown. I thought by saying it out loud, maybe it would feel more real. But it didn’t. It just felt... heavy.“Richard, you can’t blame yourself for this,” Amelia said, sitting beside me. She reached over, her hand resting on my arm. “Your brothers brought this on themselves.”“I know,” I said, sighing. “But knowing it doesn’t make it any easier.”She shook her head softly. “You’ve done more than enough to clean up their mess. This... this is on them. You couldn’t have changed anything.”“I could’ve seen this coming,” I muttered. “I should’ve seen it coming.”Amelia frowned. “You couldn’t have known Jonathan would be stupid enough to—”My phone buzzed in my pocket, interrupting her. The screen flashed with an unknown number. I raised an eyebrow, then answered.“Richard speaking.”“Mr. Richard, this is Detective Wallace. I need you to come down

Richard’s POVI handed Amelia the check for $6 million. Her eyes widened as she stared at it.“Six million?” she asked, blinking rapidly. “You sure about this?”I chuckled. “Go crazy. It’s your party after all. And besides, I trust you won’t blow it all on glitter and champagne.”She grinned, pocketing the check. “Glitter is non-negotiable.”“I figured,” I said, smirking. “I’ve also assigned a couple of bodyguards to follow you around while you’re planning. You know, just in case anyone tries to crash your glitter parade.”She rolled her eyes but smiled. “You’re paranoid, but I appreciate it.”“Better safe than sorry.” I leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Now go get started. I’ve got some work to do at the company.”As Amelia left, practically bouncing with excitement, I grabbed my car keys and headed out. The renovations at the company were long overdue, thanks to the fire, and I wanted to make sure everything was on track.But as I drove, something caught my attention—just up ahead

RICHARD’S POV I was halfway home when my phone buzzed on the passenger seat. It was the mother of the girl from the accident. I pressed the Bluetooth button and answered, “Hey, how’s she doing?” “Mr. Richard... I just wanted to thank you,” she said, her voice trembling. “My baby girl is out of surgery. The doctors say she’s going to be okay. I don’t know how to thank you.” I smiled, feeling a weight lift off my chest. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day. I’m glad she’s pulling through.” “God bless you, sir. You’ve done more for us than anyone else ever would. And you even helped catch the man who did it. I... I don’t know what to say.” I leaned back in my seat, adjusting my grip on the steering wheel. “You don’t need to say anything. I’m just happy I could help. Your daughter’s going to be fine, and that’s what matters.” She paused for a moment, and I could hear her trying to hold back tears. “I have two other kids, you know. They’re with a friend of mine... also homeless.”

Richard's POV I told Amelia to take it easy, especially with the pregnancy news still fresh. But of course, she insisted on finalizing the wedding plans. So, I let her go—against my better judgment—and promised to pick her up by 11 for the doctor's appointment. I could tell she was excited, but still, I didn’t want her overdoing things. Stress isn’t exactly the best thing right now. After a few hours at the office, I wrapped up some meetings and decided it was time to pick her up. I called her phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Odd, I thought. She usually answers right away. No big deal. She’s probably still wandering around the mall, buying more wedding stuff or, hell, maybe baby stuff. It’s Amelia, after all. I shrugged it off and headed inside, figuring I’d find her easily. The mall was packed, though. Too many damn people. I called again, but no response. Now I was starting to get a little annoyed. Where could she be? I walked around the stores, peeking in windows, hopin