Shepard’s hand rested on the wheel. The moment he heard the click of Briana’s seatbelt, he pulled away.
As they left the house behind, a few stray raindrops dotted the windshield, then more.
A quiet settled between them.
On the air vent hung a small car freshener. Briana remembered clipping it there herself.
The scent had worn off ages ago. Now it was just for show.
Out of habit, she reached over and fiddled with it.
“It’s out,” Shepard said, breaking the silence.
“Yes,” she replied. “They don’t last long.”
“You were always the one who replaced them,” he said. “My driver told me you made them yourself.”
Briana hummed softly in response.
Shepard felt a sudden urge to ask her to make more. He’d come to rely on that familiar scent, but he didn’t want to owe her any favors.
It was just a car air freshener. He knew he could live without it.
“I’m going back to the Evergreen Estate,” Briana said quietly.
As for the Carter Estate, she had no intention of ever setting foot there again.
“I never planned on having you move back in,” Shepard replied, his tone cool. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
Briana let out a short, dry laugh. “Good.”
But there was still the matter of Evelyn to consider.
“Do you think your grandmother has someone watching us?” Briana asked. “What do we tell her if she asks?”
“Her people don’t have access to my house,” Shepard said.
Briana gave a slight nod. “Great, then,” she murmured, turning her gaze to the world passing by the window.
She couldn’t understand how two people once so close had become complete strangers. It made no sense to her, and she refused to dwell on it.
The silence between them was heavy. Yet both of them knew breaking it only brought clipped tones and sharp words.
The rain hammered against the roof. All Briana wanted now was to get out of Shepard’s car and put space between them.
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Chapter 25
She was about to ask him to pull over at the neat light. With an umbrella in her bag and a bus amp nemby, genting home wouldn’t be a problem
Out of nowhere, Shepard stomped on the brake
Briana pitched forward, only to be thrown back against the sent me the belt locked right
Confusion washed over her fare as she wondered what was going on
Before she could ask, he had already unclipped his belt, anatched up an umbrella, and slid out into the downpour.
Shepard opened an umbrella and walked around the car towards the rondable,
It was only then that Briana noticed someone standing there. Looking closer through the rain, she saw it
was Vivian.
Vivian stood motionless in the pouring rain, completely soaked through.
Shepard moved the umbrella over her head and, in one Huid motion, took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Briana rolled the car window down a little.
She heard Shepard ask, “Vivian, what are you doing out here?”
Without a word, Vivian stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his
chest.
Shepard held the umbrella over them, his free hand coming up to gently stroke her hair. There they stood, holding each other quietly in the dark and the rain.
What a moving scene, Briana thought. She felt like an outsider watching a love story play out, even though she was the one who was married to him.
“What are you doing out here in all this rain?” Shepard’s voice was edged with worry. “You’ll catch your death of cold. Have some sense, won’t you?”
Vivian clung to him. “Don’t be angry, Shep. I just missed you… That’s all”
Her voice was thick with tears. “I know this was wrong and reckless, but just couldn’t help it. I know I’m not welcome at your family’s home yet, so I thought if I waited here, I might catch a glimpse of you driving by.
“I didn’t expect it to rain, and I didn’t bring an umbrella. I was too scared to call you, in case you were still with your family and it wasn’t a good time”
Shepard frowned slightly as he gently wiped the rain and tears from her face, his movements careful and
tender.
Briana remembered how she used to hide her tears, every single time. He never saw her cry, not once
She never wanted to be a burden, and her pride kept her from ever showing him her vulnerability
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Now, the sight of Shepard being so patient and gentle with another woman’s tears made her ache inside.
“I’m sorry. Shepard.” Vivian said between quiet sobs. I’m just causing you more trouble.”
She looked so delicate and sorrowful. The sight would soften anyone’s heart, even Briana’s.
“Am I being unreasonable?” Vivian looked up at him, her eyes red–rimmed. “Maybe I should go abroad again. When I’m here in the city, when I’m near you… I can’t seem to help myself. I just want to stay by your side.
“The thought of you back there with Briana, having dinner with your whole family… All of it made me so jealous, Shep. I couldn’t stand it,” she choked out, tears now streaming freely down her face.
Gently wiping her tears, Shepard said, “Silly, let’s get you into the car first.”
He slipped an arm around her and turned her toward the car,
That simple gesture was a painful reminder for Briana. At the family dinner, he’d put his arm around her, too, though that was just a calculated display for everyone to see.
It had felt stiff and unnatural, and she’d hated every second of it.
She had told herself he just wasn’t good at showing affection. But the truth was, he simply hadn’t wanted to show it to her. With Vivian, it was completely different.
The line between being loved and not being loved had never felt so sharp.
The rain fell hard, and the umbrella was barely large enough to cover Shepard and Vivian. He held it over her, letting his own suit jacket grow heavy with rain.
He stopped at the passenger side, hesitated, and then opened the door.
That was when Vivian finally noticed Briana. “You’re here,” she said, voice edged with surprise.
“Where else would I be?” Briana replied evenly. “I wasn’t going to wait outside.”
Rain swept in through the open door, spotting the edge of Briana’s skirt.
She looked at Shepard, wondering to herself, ‘Is he really asking me to get out so Vivian could sit up front?‘
Her suspicion was confirmed when Shepard spoke the command, “Get out.”
Briana had been ready to leave the car minutes ago, but the scene outside had held her attention just a little too long.
Walking away on her own was one thing, but being told to get out was another.
“It’s fine, Shep,” Vivian said softly. “I don’t mind sitting in back…”
“No,” Shepard cut in, his voice low but clear. “This seat belongs to you more than to her.”
When Briana didn’t move, Shepard’s eyes turned cold. “Get out.”
Vivian gently tugged his sleeve. “There’s no need for that. The seat isn’t important. It’s where I am in your
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Chapter 25
heart that matters to me.”
She moved toward the rear door as if to open it.
35 vouchers
Briana wasn’t trying to hold her ground. She simply felt a sudden, hollow pain. After everything they had been through together, his complete indifference was like a cold blade.
She reached for the hem of her skirt, ready to step down.
But Shepard misunderstood. He thought she was reaching to slam the door shut.
Before she could react, his hand closed around her wrist, and he pulled her out of the car with a hard, sudden jerk.
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田
AD
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