Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rowan Vale 9

Posted by ADMINMMADMIN, ? Views, Released on December 18, 2025

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Vivian’s voice had been damaged in that fire, turning hoarse and raspy, almost grating to the ear. But now, it sounded crisp and much more pleasant.

Briana’s thoughts spun. ‘Looks like during Vivian’s years abroad, Shepard had spared no expense or effort to salvage her voice, and somehow managed to restore most of it!

“Shep, which do you think looks better, the color or the style?” Vivian asked.

“Oh, I like both of them. What am I supposed to do?” she added.

“Come on, help me pick, Shep,” she coaxed.

That kind of girlish sweetness was something Briana could never pull off. Around Shepard, she was always gentle, obedient, thoughtful, and gracious, but she just didn’t have that spark of youthful energy. After all, she wasn’t the one he loved. Vivian was.

Shepard’s voice was unmistakably gentle. “Anything looks good on you.”

That was a kind of tenderness Briana had never heard from him before. With her, he was always cold and distant. The difference between being loved and not being loved was painfully clear.

Briana lowered her eyes, and suddenly, something from the past flashed through her mind.

Back then, Shepard got into Aetherton University as the top science scorer in his school and even the entire Belaris. It was huge news on campus, and he became a role model for countless younger students, including Briana.

Even though they had a childhood engagement, she knew she couldn’t let herself fall too far behind Shepard. He was just too dazzling, and she couldn’t afford to be ordinary.

He said, “Briana, I’ll be waiting for you at Aetherton University.” Back then, his voice held the same. tenderness she heard now.

That one sentence from Shepard became the driving force behind everything Briana did during her high school years.

She studied like her life depended on it, memorizing vocabulary and working through practice tests even while walking, eating, or right before bed. In the end, she finally got what she wanted and was accepted. into Aetherton University.

When Briana was a freshman, Shepard was a senior. By the time she graduated, he was already the CEO of Carter Group. She had always been following in his footsteps, but in the end, she couldn’t keep up and lost

him.

‘Would everything have been different if that fire had never happened and Vivian hadn’t saved him?‘ Briana wondered.

Shaking herself out of it, Briana knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Vivian called out. “I’ll get the door,” she told Shepard.

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Chapter 9

“No need.” Shepard stopped her. Then he raised his voice and said, “Come in

Briana pushed the door open. Vivian’s smile vanished the instant she saw Briana

But Briana just smiled. “Sorry to interrupt,” she said. “Guess I came at the wrong moment

vouchera

She noticed that hats, hairpins, hair ties, and all sorts of cute little accessories were scattered across the couch.

She mused. ‘Shepard is always buried in work, barely has a second to himself, yet still made time to sit with Vivian and watch her try on every single thing. If that’s not true love, I don’t know what is

Fin

“But,” Briana continued, “if I remember right, this is exactly when we agreed to meet yesterday I’m just keeping my word.”

Vivian turned to Shepard, her voice soft. “Shep, you had an appointment with Briana? Why didn’t you tell me? Maybe I should step out so I wouldn’t interrupt you two.”

Shepard replied, calm and indifferent. “Why should you?”

“It still feels a bit awkward,” Vivian said.

“She took your place, and now she’s giving it back,” Shepard said. “Vivian, you need to be here for this.”

His thoughts spun. ‘T’d always wanted to marry Vivian. It was Briana who held onto that childhood promise and pushed me into marrying her. If anyone should feel ashamed, it’s Briana!

Briana hadn’t come here to argue. All she wanted was for Shepard to sign the surgery consent form because the operation couldn’t wait any longer. Whether he signed the divorce agreement or not, she honestly couldn’t care less.

But the way he spoke just made Briana feel awful inside.

Briana stepped right up to Shepard, her tone firm and serious. “I never stole anyone’s place. It was mine from the start. When I was ten, Grandma arranged for us to get engaged, and you never once said no.

“You wanted me to back down for Vivian, and I refused. Just because I stood my ground, you get to claim ! stole what was hers, huh? That’s not how things work, Shepard.

“Now, I’m giving up on you. But it’s not to help you and Vivian get together. It’s because I’ve decided to cut myself loose.”

Then Briana shot Vivian a look. “You’ve been coveting my leftovers for ages, haven’t you? And the man I’m throwing away? You’ve been pining for him all these years, right? If you’re that into secondhand stuff… Well, I guess everyone has their thing.”

Vivian’s face went pale, looking all weak and pitiful. Shepard pressed his lips together, anger flashing in his eyes. “Briana, you-”

“You knew I was coming this morning, and you still decided to play lovey–dovey with Vivian right here in the office? Is that supposed to be fun for you?” Briana cut him off.

She added, “If you’re so cager to flaunt your romance, why not start a live stream, letting the whole country watch and shower you with gifts?”

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13:06 Thu, 18 Dec

Chapter 9

Briana never pulled her punches when she fired back. Her comebacks were quick and savage.

# 5 vouchers

Vivian, on the other hand, played the part of the gentle, understanding one. She said softly. “You’ve misunderstood Shep. Briana.

“I was just restless and decided on my own to drop by. I didn’t know you two had plans, and he didn’t mention it, either. If I’d known. I wouldn’t have come.”

Briana shot back. “So now that you know, why are you still here?”

Vivian was at a loss for words. She just stared at Briana for a few seconds before letting out a soft sigh

“Briana. I get that you really don’t like me,” she finally said. “But honestly, you’re incredible and deserve someone way better. Whatever you had with Shep is over, so it’s time to let go. You two were never meant to last. It’s just you holding on too tight.”

Briana couldn’t help but laugh, half annoyed. ‘Seriously? Now Vivian thinks she can give me life advice?

she wondered.

Vivian looked all wounded and innocent. “After you two got married, I stayed overseas for five whole years. You were husband and wife, and I was just the outsider. If I’d tried to get involved. I’d have been the homewrecker.

“I only came back to Belaris once you were certain about getting divorced.”

If Vivian kept talking, Briana knew she would end up looking like the evil ex standing in the way of their happy ending.

“Enough. I don’t have time to listen to your drama, and I’m not Shepard, so save it, Briana said, her expression flat. “I’m just here to sign the divorce agreement. I’ve already got it ready. Shepard, do you want

to see?”

“I’ll call the lawyer,” Shepard said, turning to pick up the landline on his desk. Jerry Chavez from the legal department came rushing in within five minutes, full of urgency.

Briana handed over the divorce agreement. She’d just grabbed some template off the Internet, tweaked it a little, and barely glanced at the terms.

She always talked about money, but what she really wanted was love. In the end, she didn’t get the love she was after, and she wasn’t getting much cash out of this, either.

There was no way Shepard was going to hand over a fortune. She knew him–cold as ice, distant, and totally heartless.

Honestly, Briana didn’t even care about the divorce agreement. She was just using the whole divorce thing as an excuse to trick Shepard into signing the surgery consent form without him knowing.

Jerry read through the agreement carefully, and the CEO’s office was dead silent, only the sound of pages flipping breaking the quiet.

When he finished, Jerry pushed up his glasses. “Mr. Carter, there’s nothing in the agreement that’s unfavorable to you. The only things related to your assets are three million and a car.”