Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 269

Chapter 269 

Briana smiled through her tears. 

“From now on, whenever I see beautiful clouds, I’ll snap a photo and send it to you right away,” she said. 

“Okay,” Shepard nodded and said, “I’ll save every single one.” 

55.2008 187 

Someday, when they grew old, they would look back at those photos together, each one a little piece of romance that was theirs alone. 

Shepard wanted to raise his hand and gently stroke her hair. 

But for him right now, even that simple action was incredibly difficult. 

He just couldn’t manage it. 

Briana noticed what he was trying to do. She lowered her head and tucked it right into his palm. 

“See? This works just fine,” she said, her voice light and cheerful. 

As she spoke, she playfully wiggled her head in his palm. 

Shepard felt a gentle tickle in his hand. 

It was a warm, tingling sensation. 

Her soft hair flowed through his fingers, smooth as a waterfall. 

Shepard smiled softly. 

Briana looked up at him, her eyes meeting his, a gentle smile blooming on her lips. 

***** 

Early that morning, Briana hurried to the church. 

This was one of Belaris’s most famous churches, known for its powerful blessings and miracles. Year after year, a never- ending stream of people came to pray, make wishes, and give thanks. 

Briana was there, palms together, eyes closed, pouring all her sincerity into her wishes. 

She thought, ‘Please let Shepard be safe and healthy. 

‘Let him live a long, long life. 

And may everything go his way! 

From beginning to end, every single wish she made was for Shepard. 

The small lucky charm rested in her palm, imbued with her warmth. 

Finally, Briana bowed deeply in reverence. 

She thought, ‘Merciful God. 

‘Please bless my beloved with safety and peace! 

10:06 Wed, Feb 18 ! 

Chapter 269 

At that moment, Briana saw straight into her heart. 

‘I love Shepard,‘ she thought, the truth ringing clear inside her. 

From those awkward, dreamy teenage years all the way to now, more than ten years later, the person she loved most had always been Shepard. 

That had never changed. 

Even the anger, even the divorce, it all came from love. The hatred was just love in disguise. 

Where there was love, there was bound to be hate. 

When Briana walked back into the hospital room, Shepard was already awake. 

He was half–sitting up in bed, leaning against the pillows. 

As soon as he saw her, his eyes brightened just a little. 

“I’m back,” Briana said as she hurried over to the bed, holding out her fists for him to guess. “Guess which hand your present is in.” 

Shepard asked, “Is it a lucky charm?” 

“Huh? How did you know?” Briana asked, looking surprised. 

She slipped out to the church while he was still asleep, then hurried back as fast as she could. 

She figured he would feel uneasy if she wasn’t there with him. 

And honestly, she couldn’t stand being away from him for too long either. 

Briana went by herself, not telling a soul. 

“You smell like sandalwood,” Shepard said. “It’s really faint, but I can pick up on it.” 

Briana lifted her arm and sniffed herself, curiosity written all over her face. 

She thought, ‘Really?‘ 

She couldn’t smell a thing herself. 

“Alright, you got it,” Briana nodded and said, “Hurry up and guess; which hand has the charm, left or right?” 

Shepard looked at her hands, paused for a couple of seconds, then said, “Right hand.” 

“Correct,” Briana replied with a playful grin. 

Briana was astonished and a bit confused. 

‘Is he some kind of mind reader or fortune teller?‘ she thought to herself. 

She opened her right palm. 

The lucky charm sat there, calm and still. 

“I’ll tuck it under your pillow,” Briana said gently. “It’ll stay right here with you, keeping you safe.” 

She placed it carefully, and finally, her heart felt a little–lighter. 

10:06 Wed, Feb 18 

Chapter 269 

All she wanted was for him to be safe and for her own heart to find some peace. 

Suddenly, the sound of knocking echoed through the room. 

“Come in,” Briana called out. 

She thought it was just the nurse. 

But when the door opened, it was Richard and Isabelle. 

“Mom? Dad?” Shepard said. He was caught off guard, and a wave of guilt washed over him. 

“They must have been worried sick about me, seeing me like this, he thought. 

“We brought you breakfast,” Isabelle said with a smile. “Thought we’d drop by and see how you’re doing 

Richard said, “Yeah, hope we’re not bothering you.” 

Briana felt a little embarrassed. She said, “Don’t be silly, Richard, Isabelle. You’re always welcome here.” 

Richard and Isabelle exchanged a glance. 

In each other’s eyes, they saw a spark of joy and surprise. 

Both of them thought, their hearts fluttering, ‘She called us intimately again… 

It had been so long since they heard her call them that. 

Soon, Richard and Isabelle looked away, both responding warmly. 

Briana grew even more embarrassed. She said, “Let me help with the food…” 

“No, no, it’s fine, I’ll do it,” Isabelle said. “I took oatmeal for Shepard, milk for you, and brought some pastries you both love.” 

As she spoke, she began setting everything out on the coffee table. 

Briana went over to pitch in. 

Richard watched them bustling around, grinning from ear to ear; he couldn’t be happier. 

He walked over to the bed and asked Shepard, “Feeling better now?” 

“Yeah, much better, Dad,” Shepard replied. 

“Just focus on getting better. I’m handling things at Carter Group for now,” Richard said. “News about your accident has been kept quiet, so nothing leaked out. Once you’re feeling better in a few days, you can host an online board meeting.” 

“Okay,” Shepard replied. 

Shepard was the heart and soul of Carter Group. 

He had been missing for days without a word, so naturally, everyone was anxious. 

But now that he was awake, even if he had to stay in the hospital to recover, it wasn’t a big deal anymore. 

He could still handle any urgent matters that came up. 

“The company’s running smoothly, there’s nothing to worry about,” Richard said, shooting Briana a look and dropping his voice. “But when it comes to your relationship, that’s up to you.” 

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Chapter 269 

Shepard gave a small smile and said, “Dad, isn’t it obvious already?” 

Briana had stayed with him the entire time, caring for him and never leaving his side. 

The only time she stepped away was to pray for his safety and get a lucky charm for him. 

And just now, she called the 

by name, instead of Mr. and Mrs. Carter. 

Richard nodded repeatedly, saying, “Yeah, it’s obvious. Good, good.” 

With their relationship so solid, Richard could finally rest easy, all his worries put to bed. 

Meanwhile, Isabelle was chatting with Briana. 

“You’ve really been through a lot,” Isabelle said. “Pregnant and still spending every day at the hospital… Maybe I should send a couple of maids over to help out?” 

“Mom, you know how Shepard is; he doesn’t like anyone but those he’s close to getting near him,” Briana replied. “He’s stuck in bed and needs his bandages changed every day. If it’s not someone he feels comfortable with, he gets really irritated. 

“You’re right… Thank you for taking care of him,” Isabelle said gently. 

“It’s really no trouble,” Briana replied. “Honestly, if I’m not here with him, I just feel restless.” 

Isabelle patted her hand. “Yeah, being beside the one you love makes you feel fulfilled and grounded.” 

“I think it’s only when you’re with someone you truly love, and who loves you back, that you feel truly secure,” Briana said softly. 

Isabelle froze for a moment, a bit stunned. 

‘Love and love back… she thought, the word echoing in her heart. 

It was so hard to find someone who truly loved back in this world. 

Love was a luxury, something most people could only dream of. 

She never experienced it herself, but she wished her son could have it. 

For her and Richard, what remained was just the bond of family. 

They spent their whole lives together, hand in hand, growing old side by side. 

Briana ladled out a bowl of oatmeal, checked if it was warm enough, then picked it up and walked over to the bed. 

Shepard reached out his hand to take the bowl from her. 

10:06 Wed, Feb 18