Chapter 39

• Before he left, Richard asked for Leah's phone number, which he didn't have on his personal device. She handed it over without hesitation, grateful for his actions, even though she couldn't fully express her gratitude.
• As he departed, the house returned to its familiar emptiness. If he called, at least she could finally talk to her children. That evening, an unknown caller rang her phone twice, but Leah only discovered the missed calls an hour later. It was as if she had instinctively known he would reach out again.
• "Hi, how are you doing?" A voice, gentle with a soothing cadence, deep yet smooth, and infused with just the right amount of softness, made each word feel like a tender embrace.