"Echoes of Love"

Part 9

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝟗

~𝐑𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐲.~
(𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐩)

~𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧~

Richard, went home after she had another date with Lily in their favorite restaurant. It was really a magical night.

As he stepped inside to his room, he was immediately greeted by the familiar scent of Amelia's favorite lavender-scented candles. The room was tastefully decorated, a mix of modern and classic styles, much like Amelia herself.

The walls were adorned with pictures of Amelia - her radiant smile, her sparkling eyes, the way she looked at him with so much love. There was a picture of their wedding day, another from a vacation in Paris, and many more capturing their shared moments of joy and love. Each photo was a testament to their beautiful life together, and a painful reminder of his loss.

Richard moved slowly around the room, his fingers gently tracing the frames of the photos. He stopped at a particular picture of Amelia, taken at a charity event they had attended together. She was wearing a stunning red dress, her laughter caught mid-frame. It was the same event where he had met Lily.

A lump formed in his throat as he looked at the photo. The confusion and guilt welled up inside him again.

He sank into his plush armchair, the city lights twinkling outside his window, a stark contrast to the turmoil he felt inside.

The more time he spent with Lily, the more his feelings for her grew. Her laughter, her passion for the arts, her kindness to others - he found himself drawn to these qualities.

But there was that nagging question that wouldn't leave him alone: was it Lily he was falling for, or was it Amelia he saw in her?

Every time he looked at Lily, he found himself searching for Amelia in her features, in her mannerisms.

This tormented him. He was torn between the past he cherished and the present that was offering him a chance at happiness.

His confusion was overwhelming. He began to question his emotions, his intentions, even his sanity. Was it right to feel this way about Lily? Was he only seeing Amelia in her and not truly appreciating Lily for who she was?

Richard sighed. His room, once a haven of warmth and love, now felt like a shrine to a past he couldn't let go of, and a present he was struggling to accept. Overwhelmed, Richard closed his eyes, hoping to find some semblance of peace in the silence of his home.

Richard found himself consumed by his inner turmoil. He didn't notice that he's slowly distancing himself to Lily and started treating her in a cold manner.

Meanwhile.. Lily sat on her couch, her phone in hand, frustration etched on her face. She had been trying to reach out to Richard, but he hadn't responded to any of her texts or messages on social media.

The confusion and uncertainty gnawed at her, and she needed someone to confide in.

She dialed Mia's number. After a few rings, Mia answered, her voice filled with warmth.

"Hey, Lily! What's going on? You sound a bit off."

Lily sighed, her voice tinged with disappointment.

"Mia, it's Richard. He's been distant lately. He hasn't responded to any of my messages, and I don't know what's going on."

Mia's concern was evident as she replied, "Oh no, Lily, that's not like him. Have you tried talking to him directly? Maybe there's something going on that he's not ready to share."