Kiaan rushed with his car behind Richard's. Richard found what he just discovered piercingly hurtful.

Forget about me Mr Russell. I'll be gone away, far away. He banged the steering wheel hard and screamed. His mind told him to crash into something but his heart reminded him of Dahlia. He screeched the car into his driveway and slammed the door shut.

Kiaan rushed after him. Richard bolted towards his room upstairs. Dahlia, sitting in the dining room, reading a book, got startled by Richard's sudden movement and Kiaan's panting. "What's the matter?" she asked, while getting to her feet.

He looked at her with a face of sadness and said, "Aunt I don't know how but Ellie was in a photograph I clicked a few days ago. He saw it and now-" Before he could finish, they get stunned by the sound of glass breaking in Richard's room.

They looked at each other and rushed to his room. Kiaan banged on the locked door with much force but Richard wasn't going to open it. He knew that very well but he still called out, "RUSS! MAN COME OUT!" Dahlia also called out for him but he seemed to pay no heed, or even respond to anyone.

Our hearts beat as one. We are one.
He got reminded of all the words they told each other, especially the ones toward their ending. He was blazing with anger and sadness, melancholia and despair. A whole lot of intense emotions filled him. It was overflowing. The control he had on these emotions were gone, he couldn't help it.

He looked at his dressing mirror which he had just broken, and at the fragments in which he could still see his reflection. I can't see you but I know you're the most handsome person in the world. Closing his eyes, his emotions got the best of him and with all the strength he could possibly muster, he slammed his fist into the remaining pieces of mirror.

Tears flooded his cheeks. Richard became weak, and he dropped to the floor. Holding his head in his hand, he screamed out loud. You are stronger than you know Mr Russell. "SHUT UP! STOP IT!" he exclaimed. He swept the fragments of the mirror that were around him with his hands and screamed again. He held his hair and cried his heart and soul out.

Upon hearing him, Kiaan and Dahlia got extremely perplexed and frantic on what to do to stop Richard from doing anything everyone might regret. They knew very well he was capable of harming himself, he'd already escaped the clutches of death before.

Pacing back and forth, in a millisecond, the idea came to Kiaan. He bolted downstairs and to the back of the house. Hurriedly he found the pipes that ran along to the window of Richard's room. Climbing it, he prayed that nothing happens to Richard.

As he got to the opened window, he rushed into the room and saw Richard on the floor weeping. Kiaan went next to him and took his hand quickly. Right after he removed Richard's hand from his face, Kiaan saw his blood stricken face.

Richard's hands bled profusely and it had flown onto his face as well. There was blood all around him and the mirror pieces were bloody as well. Kiaan wanted to cry from seeing his best friend in this position.

He pulled himself together and quickly unlocked the door, letting Dahlia in. She was shocked at the sight, and trembling, she went downstairs to get the first aid kit. Kiaan sat with Richard, pulling him up to be seated on the bed. Richard was almost lifeless, he wondered if Richard even knew whether he was in the room or not.

Dahlia came in with the kit and tended to his wounds, while Kiaan cleaned up the floor. After everything was under control they looked at each other and then at Richard. He felt nothing, said nothing, just sat there and stared into space.

As they watched Russell, Kiaan's phone buzzed in his pocket. He removed it and walked toward the window to talk.

"Hello Mr Kiaan. This is Prina. I've just called to check up on the details regarding the meeting now. It's 12 and the people are here to have the meeting. Sir isn't here. He's not picking up his phone either."

Kiaan sighed and responded, "I'm sorry Prina, however he will not be able to make it. Could you please handle it?" Prina wanted to refuse but she heard sadness in Kiaan's usually jovial voice, so she agreed and hung up the call.

Dahlia and Kiaan looked at their Richard and couldn't possibly think of anything to do now. As much as Kiaan tried to resist it, he eventually turned a little to his side to avoid Dahlia and let out a few tears. It hurt him to see Russ like that. He'd seen him worse but this was after a while. He'd actually thought Richard would get over it. Deep inside, he blamed himself for today, for he showed him the photo. Even though he was oblivious to the people in the background, he did still feel that he was the cause.

Richard finally got up, but didn't utter a word. He walked out and drove off in his car. Kiaan walked behind him, but he knew very well where he was off to, so he didn't go after him. Instead, he stayed and explained to Dahlia what had happened. He also admitted to feeling guilty about it.

She simply faintly smiled and hugged him. He needed a hug at that moment and he was grateful that Dahlia knew him for so many years, to know that. "Dear, it's not your fault whatsoever. You clearly had no clue who was in the picture. Besides, you know how much Richard looks at every detail. So don't make it your guilt son. Thanks for being here for him," she said in a brittle but warm voice.

He smiled earnestly and was happy that he got reassurance.

---------------------------------------------------------

Richard had not been here in a long time. His part of 'moving on' had been not coming back to this place. It evoked a thousand memories for him and it would've been better to not come back but now he had to. His heart would hurt even more if he didn't. It was serene and tranquil, just good for him.

"Nightingale Beach"

He parked at the far end, where they always did. He took off his shoes and walked along the sandy shore. It was still so peaceful here. The sound of the waves gushing along the shore gave him a sense of comfort.

Oohh! This feels amazing!!
He recalled the first time he brought her towards the water. When the water stroked her feet, she said those words. Those exact words. He remembered how happy she'd felt.

He dug his feet into the sand and stood firmly on the spot. Closing his eyes, the salt water gushed on his feet. The sounds filled his ears, the feeling was great. He felt salvation.

A fragile hand, with an indentation on the pointer finger, tapped his shoulder. He knew whose hand this was, it felt exactly the same.

He turned around slowly. It was his Poppy.