Chapter 122

Elena's POV

"Thank you," I said, my voice softer than I intended. "Thank you for getting them gifts."

Richard paused, his back to me. Without turning, he replied coldly, "I'm only doing this because he doesn't have a father figure."

I felt a laugh bubble up despite my irritation. The irony was almost too much—should I tell him that the absent father he was referring to was actually him? That he was literally standing in as a father figure for his own son?

When I returned to the dining room, the children were seated neatly around the table.

I was about to bring out the food when Lily suddenly jumped from her chair.

"Wait, Mommy!" Lily cried, racing toward the kitchen. "I want to help!"

Before I could stop her, she carefully picked up a plate of rosemary lamb chops I had set aside—Richard's favorite—and began carrying it toward the table with exaggerated care.

"Lily, be careful with that," I warned, moving to help her.

But she dodged around me, approaching Richard with a mischievous smile. "This is for Daddy," she announced proudly, setting the plate in front of him. "Mommy made it special."

I felt my cheeks burn as Richard raised an eyebrow.

"Mommy knows what Daddy likes," Lily added with a sly grin that was far too knowing for a six-year-old.

Max added, "Mommy is working hard on dinner."

"This is... it's just dinner," I stammered. "For everyone."

Richard's eyes met mine, and I braced myself for a cold dismissal or sarcastic comment that would crush Lily's enthusiasm. Instead, he surprised me.

"Lily," he said, his voice firm but not unkind, "bring it here."

I stared at him, eyes wide with shock. Was he actually playing along?

Kathy took the plate from his sister and brought it to Richard, who began eating with deliberate slowness. I caught a flash of appreciation in his eyes as he tasted the perfectly seasoned meat.

Dinner lasted over an hour, filled with more conversation than I would have expected with Richard present. The children ate heartily, and even Richard seemed to relax slightly.

When they'd finished, the kids asked to be excused to the activity room on the second floor. I nodded, watching them race upstairs.

I began gathering the dirty plates, but Anna appeared from the kitchen and practically snatched them from my hands.

"I'll take care of this," she insisted, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You should make Mr. Blackwood some coffee. He's probably going to work in his study—coming home this early and all."

I hesitated. "I don't think—"

"He likes it black with just a hint of cinnamon," Anna continued, ignoring my protest. "The beans are in the top cabinet."

I sighed, recognizing the determination in her eyes. Besides, I rationalized, it was the least I could do to thank him for his unexpected kindness toward the children today.

"Fine," I conceded. "I'll bring him coffee."

I made my way to the third floor, where a soft glow emanated from beneath Richard's study door. Taking a deep breath, I knocked lightly.

"Come in," his deep voice commanded.

I pushed the door open to find him sitting behind his massive desk, various documents scattered across its surface. He was in the process of connecting his phone to his laptop, his jacket discarded and sleeves rolled up to reveal muscular forearms.

He looked up, surprise flickering briefly in his eyes. "What are you doing up here?"

"Anna suggested I bring you coffee," I said truthfully.

Richard studied me for a moment, then tapped his fingers against the desk, indicating I should enter. "Put it there," he instructed, his voice carrying a hint of hoarseness that hadn't been there during dinner.

I stepped inside, the rich scent of leather and his distinctive scent filling my senses.

As I placed the coffee beside him, he returned his attention to the documents, apparently dismissing me without a word.

I lingered, gathering my courage. "Richard?"

"What?" he didn't look up.

"I was wondering if I could go visit Mason tomorrow." I kept my voice casual, though my heart was racing. "Cinda called earlier. She wants me to come by."

His brow furrowed, and he finally looked at me. "Tomorrow?"

"Yes. I haven't seen them in a while," I explained, this was actually just an excuse to get out.

His expression darkened immediately, eyes flashing with unmistakable displeasure. "You were going to leave?" The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as his gaze bored into mine. "You would dare to try?"

I swallowed hard, regretting my words. A notification sound on his computer momentarily drew his attention away from me. When he looked back up, his brow was deeply furrowed.

"Fine."

The word caught me completely off guard. "What?"

"I said fine," Richard repeated, his tone clipped. "But on two conditions."

I held my breath, waiting.

"First, Felix will accompany you. He'll keep you safe." His emphasis on 'safe' carried an undercurrent of meaning I couldn't quite decipher. "And second, you will be back by four o'clock. Understood?"

The firmness in his voice made it clear these weren't suggestions.

"Four o'clock?" I questioned. "That's before sunset—"

"By four," he cut me off, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "Are we clear?"

He had already returned his attention to the computer, his jaw clenched tight. Whatever the message contained, it had clearly soured his mood further.

"Yes, perfectly clear," I agreed quickly, backing toward the door. "Thank you."

He didn't acknowledge my gratitude, completely absorbed in whatever crisis had emerged on his screen. I slipped out of the study, coffee mission accomplished and permission unexpectedly granted, wondering what had just happened.

Back in my room, I immediately called Jason, keeping my voice low.

"Jason, I've got permission to leave tomorrow," I whispered excitedly into the phone.

"Seriously? He's letting you out?" His surprise was evident.

"Two conditions," I admitted. "I have to take Felix with me—he's Richard's guard, and I have to be back by four o'clock."

"Four?" Jason groaned. "The Collins wedding reception doesn't even start until five."

"I know, but this is better than nothing," I insisted. "At least I can get out of the estate."

"True," Jason conceded.

"Will that work with the timing?" I asked. "What about Emily?"

"She'll probably arrive early. She's close with the Collins family and likes to be involved in everything," Jason explained. "Don't worry, we'll make it work."

We finalized our plans and ended the call.