During those two hours, Jazlyn called Waylen, and Rena answered the phone for him, rescheduling the meeting for the afternoon.
After hanging up, she gazed at Waylen.
Their eyes shared a depth of understanding that words couldn’t convey.
When 9 a.m. finally arrived, Alexis emerged from under the quilt, clutching her beloved teddy bear.
She expressed her desire to go to school, and Rena and Waylen accompanied her, showering her with kisses and affection.
However, as Rena and Waylen sat in the car once more, a somber ambiance hung in the air, a touch of heaviness clouding their spirits.
Waylen, seeking solace, reached for a cigarette, the smoke curling around him as he whispered, “She has experienced moments like this before. This isn’t the most severe instance.”
Rena sank back in her seat, her body weighed down by a mixture of fatigue and guilt.
It was the first time she had witnessed Alexis in such a vulnerable state. Alexis, typically vibrant and full of life, seemed like a completely different child that morning, and it broke Rena’s heart.
Rena’s tears welled up, unspoken remorse flooding her heart.
Waylen put out the cigarette and handed her a tissue. “Don’t cry!”
Rena wiped away her tears, but more came rushing down her cheeks.
Unbeknownst to her, Alexis had endured countless moments of isolation in her own world with only Waylen by her side. Rena had been oblivious, lost in her own world in Rouemn.
Her eyes squeezed shut, Rena sought to collect herself, to find a glimmer of strength.
Waylen, ever perceptive, respected her need for space and time to process her emotions.
After what seemed like an eternity, Rena managed to regain a sense of composure.
Waylen gently clasped her hand, his voice tender and reassuring.
“Rena, it’s not your fault.”
Later that afternoon, Rena’s phone buzzed, and it was Waylen on the other end of the Line.
His voice, calm and steady, pierced through Rena’s thoughts.
“Rena, come to the villa.”
Startled by his unexpected request, Rena’s hands trembled, causing hot coffee to spill onto the back of her hand. The pain momentarily forgotten, she swiftly hailed a taxi, her heart racing as she headed to Waylen’s villa.
The atmosphere within the villa was heavy with unspoken emotions.
The servants moved with utmost caution, aware that Alexis had retreated into her own world upon’ returning from the kindergarten. She had sought refuge in the confines of a small wardrobe, and Waylen had rushed back from work to be with her, their silent company an unspoken solace.