Out of the Shadows: Tilda’s Second Life Begins
Blair felt sorry the moment she saw her. "Kyla, what happened to you? How did you end up like this?!" "I-I'm sorry, Mom. I was too clumsy. I tried to chase after Tilda's car, to make things right with her, but I tripped—" "Oh no! Russell, take Kyla and get her wounds treated immediately! She just barely escaped death; she can't suffer more injuries!" "I ... " Russell hesitated. He didn't actually want to go. But if he refused, Blair might sense that something was off. Kyla noticed Russell's hesitation, and her heart skipped a beat. It's just as Tilda had said! If this had been the past, Russell would have had someone take Kyla immediately to tend to her wounds. He wouldn't hesitate like this. Kyla began softly, in a weak, fragile voice, "It's okay, Mom. I can go to the doctor myself. Right now, your health is the most important. Dad should stay here with you—" Blair furrowed her brows subtly. "You're going alone? No way! You're badly hurt! I can't just let you go like that." "I'll go with Kyla." Justin stepped forward. Someone had to accompany Kyla. Since Russell didn't want to do so, Justin would do it. "Alright." Once Justin and Kyla left, Blair muttered, "That's strange. Why hasn't Wade returned yet? Did he not find Tilda or Kyla?" "It's fine. Since she's back, I'll call Wade to come back. "All right, kids, since your mom has woken up, you guys should go rest a little." Dominic said instinctively, "Dad, we're not tired ... " Blair's expression immediately hardened. "People aren't made of steel. I know you guys are exhausted. You've been taking care of me all this time—do you expect me to wake up only for you guys to collapse? Your dad's here; he can handle things. When he needs rest, you'll have to take over anyway!" "Uhh ... okay ... " Blair was the priority now. No one dared go against her wishes, fearing her anger. The brothers had already arranged a schedule for taking care of her before leaving. "Come on, Blair, you should rest too. I'm right beside you. Just tell me if you need anything." Russell adjusted her blankets as he spoke. Looking at his stubble and dark circles, Blair felt a pang of guilt and concern. "Honey, I'm so sorry this happened. Thank you for taking care of me." "Blair, I'm your husband, the man who's meant to spend his life with you. Taking care of you is my responsibility. "Now, you should focus on getting better. I'm waiting for the day we retire together—to travel and enjoy a happy, peaceful life." Russell helped Blair lie back down. Looking into his eyes, soft enough to melt her heart, Blair hesitated for a moment before asking, "Honey, did something happen between you and Kyla when I was unconscious?" Russell's heart skipped a beat. Afraid she'd see through him, he forced a practiced calm into his gaze, not daring to look away, and laughed awkwardly. "Wh-what makes you think that?" "I've just felt that you've been more distant with Kyla lately. No, not just you—Dominic and the others too. But no one says anything. Kyla's probably already noticed." Blair had clearly sensed this earlier. There was probably something that happened while Blair was unconscious, something Blair didn't know. "It's probably because of Tilda. Whenever we see Kyla, we're reminded of what we owe her. Over time, it's just become harder to face her," Russell explained. He had already prepared the excuse. Blaming Tilda eased Blair's suspicions considerably. "Honey, I know how you feel—I feel the same way. The guilt over Tilda is eating at me too, but we can't let this pain fall on Kyla. "Kyla is our daughter too. If we've already lost one daughter, how could we hurt Kyla as well? That would just be repeating the same mistake! Honey, promise me. No matter how uncomfortable it feels, treat Kyla well. You don't have to dote on her like before; just treat her a little better. Okay?" "All right, Blair. I promise you. Don't get worked up. I promise." With Russell's reassurance, Blair slowly closed her eyes. She was exhausted. So much had happened just after waking up. With Russell's guarantee, she could finally rest. Watching her sleep, Russell reached out and gently caressed her cheek, his face full of worry and tenderness.
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