Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rowan Vale 22

Chapter 22 

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Vivian stepped out of the Carter Group building, already regretting her haste. She knew she never should have pressed Shepard like that. 

But she felt deeply unsettled, especially after her encounter with Eric. 

Just the thought of his name sent a shiver down her spine. 

She hurried toward her car. Her hand was on the door handle when she felt a presence nearby. She turned her head and saw Eric standing there. 

Vivian gasped, her face going pale. 

“Do I really scare you that much?” Eric asked, a faint smile on his lips. “I’m not a ghost.” 

But to her, he was much worse. 

Inside the building, surrounded by people, he’d been restrained. But now, they were alone in the deserted parking lot. 

Vivian practically threw herself into the driver’s seat, slammed the door, and hit the lock. 

With the doors and windows all locked, she was sure Eric had no way of reaching her. 

Vivian started the car with shaking hands and pushed down hard on the gas. Her mind held only one clear thought, and that was to get away. 

Once she’d put a safe distance between them, she checked the rearview mirror and felt a rush of relief 

when Eric wasn’t there. 

She let out a long, shaky breath, but the fear still clung to her. 

It was only a temporary escape. She knew Eric would come for her again. 

Her throat was painfully dry. She fumbled in her bag, grabbed a few cough drops, and shoved them into her mouth. 

***** 

Meanwhile, at the gallery, Briana was overseeing the workers as they painted the walls. 

She was halfway through the renovation, and lately, she’d been pushing herself day and night, eager to get the place open. 

“Thanks for all the hard work,” Briana said, putting down a bag. “Let’s try to finish the painting today. I brought drinks. Help yourselves.” 

Just then, an elderly voice spoke up from behind her. “You’ve been working hard too, my dear.” 

Startled, Briana turned around to see Evelyn sitting in her wheelchair, smiling kindly. And pushing the chair was Shepard. 

He wore a simple white shirt and black trousers, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing lean, 

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Chapter 22 

muscular forearms. 

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“Grandma Evelyn,” Briana said, stepping forward. “I though you were still in the hospital. It’s not a good time. The place is a mess with all the work going on. Let me finish up frat, and then Pil invite you over for a proper tour.” 

“I was discharged from the hospital today. You didn’t know?” Evelyn said, confused. 

She turned to Shepard and gave his arm a hard pat. “You didn’t tell Brimm?” 

Shepard pressed his lips together, his eyes resting quietly on Brimm. 

Briana met his gaze briefly before looking away, understanding the unspoken mesange, 

“He did tell me, Grandma Evelyn,” Briana quickly interjected, “I just got so busy lately dat it completely slipped my mind. I’m really sorry I wasn’t there to pick you up from the hospital” 

Evelyn waved her hand. “It’s fine, dear. You focus on your work. After all these years, it’s wonderful to see you doing something you love. I’m all for it, and so is Shepard” She then turned to Shepard for approval. “Right?” 

Shepard gave a low murmur of agreement. 

“You should help Briana more,” Evelyn told him. “Get her whatever she needs. That’s your job as her husband to take care of her.” 

Shepard was always respectful around Evelyn and never argued with her. 

So when she left the hospital and wanted to see Briana’s gallery, he did as she asked. 

Not that he minded. He was also curious to see how the place was coming along. 

“Briana, how much longer do you think you’ll be here?” Evelyn asked gently. “Come back to the house tonight and have dinner with the family.” 

Briana couldn’t really say no. “Alright,” she agreed. 

“Good. Don’t let me keep you,” Evelyn said. 

At that, Shepard moved to take the wheelchair handles. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Evelyn gave him a pointed look. “You stay here with Briana. I’ll have the 

driver take me home.” 

“Alright, then,” Shepard replied quietly. 

The car carrying Evelyn drove away, fading from view around the corner, 

Briana’s smile vanished instantly. Without looking at Shepard, she turned and walked toward the gallery. “You can go. I’ll be at the Carter residence tonight.” 

Shepard’s hand closed around her wrist, holding her back. He wasn’t used to being ignored so completely, especially not by her. 

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Chapter 22 

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There was a time she would’ve come straight to him, fussing over him the moment he arrived. Now, all that warmth was gone. 

Her demeanor was cool and aloof, as if an invisible wall of ice had formed between them. 

“You want me to leave?” Shepard’s voice dropped low. 

“Well?” she said, tone cool. “Were you really planning to stay?” 

That would never happen,‘ she thought. ‘He never makes time for me.‘ 

So his next words caught her off guard. “What if I do stay?” 

Briana stilled, and then lifted her gaze to meet his. 

He looked just as polished and effortlessly handsome as ever, his features almost too perfect. 

Before they married, he’d been everything to her, attentive, protective, and always there. 

He gave her whatever she needed and bought her whatever she wanted. 

His heart went out to her after she lost her parents, and he devoted himself to her happiness. It was this devotion that made Briana love Shepard so completely. 

He hadn’t always been cold and distant; in fact, he had loved her once. But everything changed when Vivian entered their lives. 

Shepard’s love didn’t disappear; it simply moved from Briana to Vivian, a painful truth Briana could never accept. 

She thought bitterly, ‘How could over ten years of closeness vanish overnight, all because of a fire and the moment Vivian saved him? 

‘Did that fire really destroy what we had?‘ 

Briana often wondered how Shepard would have treated her if she hadn’t insisted on going through with their marriage agreement. 

Not marrying him would have been her lifelong regret, but marrying him became her living nightmare. 

Shepard scoffed and dropped her wrist, his voice laced with disdain. “See? You haven’t changed at all, Briana.” 

The moment he let his guard down just a little, she was swayed. That old, familiar softness returned to her 

eyes. 

“Stay?” Shepard said, his lip curling. “I couldn’t stand another second looking at you.” 

Briana swayed slightly, feeling foolish for getting lost in the past while staring at him now. 

She believed that the man she had loved died in that fire. The one who survived belonged only to Vivian. 

Ever since the fire, he’d been pulling away, and after their marriage, that distance turned into utter contempt. 

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Briana drew a quiet breath, steadying herself. “Shepard,” she said, her voice dangerously low, “why didn’t you just die in that fire?” 

If he wanted to trade cruel words, she could match him. She’d like to see whose words cut deeper. 

“Now you’re wishing I was dead?” Shepard shot back. 

“If you had died back then, I would have carried you in my heart forever. I would have never married. anyone else,” Briana said, a bitter smile on her lips. “But now… I want you to watch me build a wonderful life without you.” 

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