Chapter 58

~ Rufus’s POV

The heavy weight of Richard's absence pressed down on me. Everywhere I looked, it felt like a memory of him. Drained and overwhelmed, I collapsed onto the bed, tears finally spilling over like a dam breaking. I cried until sleep, a restless escape, finally took hold.

For the next three days, it became a dreadful routine. Each morning, I would wake up only to be swallowed by fresh waves of grief. The tears wouldn't stop, a constant ache in my chest. I couldn't even bring myself to get out of bed. Food and water held no interest, my body weak but clinging to a sliver of life. The once comforting space I shared with Richard now felt suffocating, reminding of what I had lost. I was trapped in a web of despair, unable to see a way out.

I stared at my phone which felt like a lead weight in my hand. Just the thought of dialing a number, of hearing someone confirm Richard's death, was paralyzing. The suffocating weight of guilt threatened to crush me.

“How could this be happeni