Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 166

Chapter 166 

“Seventeen years… What did I really give her? And what did she give me?” Shepard said, his hands pausing for a moment as he pulled at the weeds. 

He hesitated, then went on, “She was incredible. So gentle, so caring, smart, and genuinely kind. The kind of woman anyone would dream of marrying. 

“And for five years as Mrs. Carter, she never slipped up once. She was exceptional. At home, she kept everything running smoothly. Out in public, she was always by my side, looking flawless and handling the social scene like it was second nature. 

“She treated me so well, was so composed, that I forgot she could totally crush it without me. Just look at her now, running Dreamscape Gallery, chasing her passion, and living her best life. She’s back to being the woman she used to be. 

“But what did I give her? Nothing but hurt, endless hurt. I married her, then left her out in the cold. I poured all my attention into another woman, gave away everything that should’ve been Briana’s. And that other woman? She never cared about me.” 

Shepard didn’t mention Vivian’s name at all. She wasn’t worth it. She wasn’t even worth Briana’s parents knowing who she 

was. 

“Briana gave me everything, her whole heart and soul, and I just let it slip through my fingers,” Shepard sighed deeply. “If I finally give her everything now, is there any chance she’ll come back to me?” 

His sigh was carried away by the wind, fading into the distance. Talking as he worked, Shepard had the grave cleaned up in no time. 

Shepard pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the dirt off his fingers. Then he pulled out his phone to check for service. There was no signal. 

Being out in the sticks and up on a hill meant the signal was basically nonexistent. 

Shepard wasn’t bothered by it at all. It was perfect, finally, some peace and quiet, just him and his thoughts. 

He still didn’t have the courage to face Briana and own up to his mistakes, so he decided to come here first, to Briana’s parents, to make amends. 

Shepard stood up straight, shoulders squared. The wind tousled his hair. 

“Am I really going to lose her forever? I can’t even picture my life without her,” Shepard said. 

“Honestly, when she asked for a divorce, it was like something inside me just went missing. But at the time, I didn’t take it seriously. I just ignored it,” he reflected. 

“As time passed and everything came to light, I finally understood what that emptiness really was,” Shepard admitted to himself. 

“It was her love, her whole heart, given to me without reservation. But she took it all back, and Shepard said, giving a bitter smile. 

now it’s 

gone 

for good,” 

Shepard gave a bitter laugh. “And now she’s pregnant. But the child isn’t mine,” he muttered, the words stinging more than he’d expected. 

“Honestly, she deserves someone like that, thoughtful, gentle, always there for her, treating her the way she should be treated. Maybe she should’ve married a guy like that from the start,” he said, regret heavy in his voice. 

“And yet, she picked me. And now she says she wishes she hadn’t,” Shepard whispered, the pain clear in his 

eyes. 

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Chapter 166 

Shepard had a flood of words bottled up inside, and right now, he finally poured his heart out. This was the only refuge he could find. The only place he could truly hide from the world. 

“I regret it, too. I really do,” Shepard rasped. “I should’ve treasured her. We could’ve had a happy, complete life together, but my ego, my self–importance, and my blindness turned everything into this mess.” 

“I’m unforgivable. Rayden, Monica, if you were still here, would you have tried to persuade her to forgive me?” Shepard whispered. The moment he said it, he realized just how naive he was. 

If Briana’s parents hadn’t passed away, she would’ve been the pampered princess of the Lane family. She would never have been betrothed to me as a child. 

Her parents would’ve picked the best of the best for her. Even if they never found her a husband, it wouldn’t have mattered. She could’ve lived her whole life as the pampered princess of the Lane family. 

The sky was getting darker. It was getting colder in the cemetery. But Shepard had no plans to leave. 

Standing here, he felt more at peace and grounded than anywhere else he’d ever been. So for that moment, he had no intention of leaving. 

Shepard needed this time to really think things through, to decide his next move, and what he was going to do. 

He thought, ‘Should I let her go? Or should I fight for her? Should I beg for forgiveness, or just give up?‘ 

Shepard needed a long, uninterrupted stretch of time to really see what was in his heart. 

The sky was getting darker by the minute. 

***** 

At Dreamscape Gallery, Briana sat in her studio, gazing at a blank white sheet of 

paper. 

‘Should I paint Divine Muse again?‘ she wondered. ‘Or maybe I should try something new?‘ She just sat there, lost in thought, her eyes fixed on the paper. 

Time ticked by, and the world outside grew quieter and quieter until it was completely silent. 

Her phone sat nearby. No messages, no calls. She had all the freedom she wanted. 

But Briana couldn’t shake off a nagging feeling. “This really isn’t like Shepard. Normally, he’d be texting me about when I’m coming home, or he’d send someone to check on me, or just show up at the gallery himself, she thought. 

‘Is he really just leaving me alone now? Has he finally decided to let me go?‘ she wondered. ‘Honestly, I wouldn’t mind that at all‘ 

Briana stayed in the studio for a long time, until sleepiness finally caught up with her and her mind grew fuzzy. Only then did she stand up, yawning as she started packing up her things. 

Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Briana left the gallery and headed toward her little e–scooter. 

The streetlights were on, casting a soft glow over the empty road. There was hardly anyone around. Briana pressed the key fob, and the taillights flashed. 

She walked over to the driver’s side, her steps light, and pulled open the door. 

Suddenly, Briana looked in the mirror. A dark figure was coming right at her. 

‘Am I just imagining things? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me?‘ Briana thought, her heart skipping a beat. 

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Chapter 166 

The shadow was closing fast. Briana’s heart leapt into her throat. Instinctively, she spun around and hurled her bag at the shadowy figure. 

“Who’s there?” Briana yelled. 

“What do you want?” she demanded. 

Briana cried out, but her scream was instantly muffled. But it was hopeless. Briana was caught in a setup so perfectly planned that there was no way she could escape. 

The shadow lunged at her, slammed a hand over her mouth, and pinn 

back. 

her down with such force she couldn’t even fight 

Briana’s legs flailed desperately. Briana picked up on a strange, sweet smell coming from their hand. 

‘Crap!‘ Briana thought, her heart racing. ‘Don’t inhale.’ Briana held her breath, but it was already too late. 

Suddenly, a sack was yanked down over her head. 

Briana was shoved inside, the rope pulled tight, trapping her so she couldn’t move an inch. 

Her head swam, her strength drained away, and her kicks and punches got weaker and weaker. 

Everything went dark, and Briana passed out. Her phone, bag, keys, and everything went flying and hit the ground. 

The shadow just kicked all her stuff under the car, making sure it was out of sight. 

Just then, a car screeched to a halt with its door wide open. The figure hoisted the sack over their shoulder, leapt inside, and the car peeled away into the night, vanishing from the scene in seconds. 

The street was still dead quiet. It was like nothing had ever happened. Everything seemed perfectly ordinary again. 

“All done,” one of them said. 

“Man, that was a piece of cake,” another snickered. 

“Honestly, I thought she’d have some bodyguards with her,” a third scoffed. 

“Who cares, let’s just drop her off and get outta here,” the first one 

laughed. 

The car was filled with cocky laughter. They were riding high on their success. 

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