Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 103

Chapter 10 

Chapter 103 

Briana took out the fruit knife again. 

Once more, she pressed it against her own neck. 

‘Til die right in front of you,” she said. 

This was her only option now. 

Shepard looked completely unfazed. Do you really have it in you?” 

“Why don’t you try me?” Briana shot back. 

**27%0 

“Why? So you and Henry are planning to keep each other company in the afterlife, huh?” Shepard narrowed his eyes. “Or maybe you three just can’t stand being apart, dead or alive?” 

Briana replied, “I was the one who went to Henry and seduced him. I even asked him to give me a child. If you want to take it out on someone, take it out on me. I did all this just to hurt you. Shepard. 

“We’ve been together for 17 years. Twelve years as childhood friends, five years married… Can you really say you’ve treated me right? 

“You do everything for Vivian, but what about me? Don’t you think I have reasons to hate you? To resent you? 

Since you chose Vivian, I chose Henry. I honestly didn’t expect to get pregnant. It was a shock. But I’m not getting rid of this baby. I’m keeping it.” 

Her grip on the knife was rock steady–not even a hint of a shake. 

Briana added, “I mean it, Shepard. I’ll raise this kid by myself. Henry won’t be the father, and I’ll be a single mom. You let him go. Promise me you won’t mess with him again.” 

Shepard just let out a cold laugh. “Why should I take orders from you? You really think you matter that much?” 

Briana didn’t say another word. She raised her head defiantly, exposing her neck even more. 

The sharp blade sliced into her skin. 

A thin trickle of red began to ooze out. 

Shepard’s lips were pressed into a thin, hard line. 

The knife kept slicing into her skin. 

Bit by bit, the blade sank deeper, slow and relentless. 

At this rate, it would slice right through her artery any second now. 

“Briana!” Henry called out weakly, “Don’t… Don’t do anything stupid…” 

Briana stayed perfectly still. “Henry, I can’t just let you get caught up in this because of me.” 

“Come on, Briana. Don’t talk about getting me caught up. I’m here because I want to be,” Henry replied. 

Shepard’s face darkened. “Shut up, both of you!” 

He was done listening to this. 

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He was also to lose it. 

Right at that moment, the ambiance pulled up with sirens blaring. 

The paramedics took in the chaotic scene and were momentarily at a loss. 

They didn’t even know who needed saving first. 

Was it Henry, sprawled on the ground and drenched in blood? 

Or was it Briana, pressing a knife to her own throat? 

“Save him,” Briana said urgently. “Hurry, he’s got serious external injuries, but we don’t know if there’s anything internal… He needs a thorough check–up. He’s been coughing up blood, and it’s really weak.” 

Only then did the paramedics rush over and lift Henry onto a stretcher. 

Henry’s gaze never left Briana. 

He couldn’t stop worrying about her. 

Briana gave a gentle shake of her head and whispered, “I’ll be okay.” 

Shepard was powerless against her. 

Even if there was no love left between them, there were still old ties between their families. 

He couldn’t just stand by and watch her get hurt. 

Only when Henry was safe could Briana face off against Shepard without anything holding her back. 

The ambulance sped off, sirens blaring. 

Briana slowly lowered the knife from her neck. 

She loosened her grip, and the knife clattered to the ground. 

Shepard walked over and sent the knife skidding across the room with a swift kick. 

He gazed at her. 

“You’d do anything to save Henry, wouldn’t you?” Shepard sneered. “Briana, well done. You’ve really pissed me off. From now on, let’s make each other’s lives hell.” 

“Fine.” Briana nodded. “But this is just between you and me. No third parties. No one else gets involved.” 

She thought for a second, then quickly added, “And the baby counts as a person, too.” 

Shepard grabbed her wrist. “You really think you’ve got me cornered, that I can’t do a damn thing to you, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Briana said. “And I can’t do anything to you either… When you and Vivian were all over each other, what could I do except just suffer in silence?” 

Looking back on those five years now, she honestly couldn’t figure out how she’d made it through. 

Night after night, it just dragged on. 

She was lonely, empty, helpless, and disappointed. 

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Chapter 103 

She wouldn’t mind letting Shepard suffer through the same he he had gone through. 

Briana looked down at the blood on the ground. 

Knowing it was Henry’s blood, she heaved a sigh. 

Shepard yanked her into the car without a wond 

The door slammed shut 

Briana just sat there, silent and resigned, ready to face whatever came next. 

Shepard was sure to drag her back to the Carter Estate and keep her on lockdown. 

From now on, she’d be trapped–her freedom gone for good. 

And on top of everything else, she couldn’t divorce him. 

Briana turned to glance at Shepard. 

He sat next to her, resting his head in one hand and massaging his temple, blood streaking his fingertips and staining his 

shirt. 

He casually wiped it away, totally unfazed. Because he hadn’t been hurt at all. 

So you’re really not going through with the divorce?” Briana asked, checking the date on her phone. “The divorce process will end in 10 days.” 

She’d survived every single one of them since they filed for divorce. 

In the beginning, she’d been so naive and thought those thirty days would be over in a flash. 

She had never thought things would get messy. 

Turns out… These last 20–some days have been crazier than my whole twenty years before,‘ she mused. 

“We’re not getting divorced,” Shepard said, his voice icy. “And don’t even think about running to Henry.” 

“So it really doesn’t bother you that your wife is carrying another man’s kid? You can just wear that crown and play the fool?” Briana shot back. 

“Briana, trust me. I know exactly how to make you and Henry’s lives a living hell,” Shepard snapped. 

“But you still need me,” Briana said, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. “Without me playing along, you can’t cover things up with the Carter family.” 

Especially Evelyn, who had already been tricked once, would not fall for it again. 

Shepard raised an eyebrow. “You don’t need to play along. Grandma knows you’re just acting out because you’re pissed.” 

“You!” Briana shot back and was absolutely furious, but there was nothing she could do–completely powerless against him. 

It had always been the same story with them. No matter what, nothing 

ever really changed. 

They were both just powerless against each other, stuck in this endless stalemate. 

When Briana was dead set on marrying him, Shepard couldn’t say no. 

Now that Shepard refused to let her go, Briana was trapped, and she could only keep living as his wife, whether she liked it 

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Like hell I’m out of options! Briana thought stubbornly, refusing to back down. 

On the way back to the Carter Estate, Briana was racking her bra, plotting her next move. 

Soon cinsigh, Briana’s thoughts turned to Vivian. 

No way Vivian’s going to accept this divorce being called off. She’s bound to make a scene, Briana thought to herself. 

Briana’s eyes lit up as she had made up her mind. 

As soon as she got her phone back, she messaged Vivian: (Shepard’s refusing to divorce me. Did you know?] 

After hitting send, Briana slipped her phone away and gave Shepard a sly, satisfied glance. 

Shepard caught that look right away. 

“Up to no good, huh?” he asked. “What are you plotting?” 

Briana just shrugged, playing it cool. 

She was waiting for Vivian to call. 

She couldn’t wait to see how Shepard would try to sweet–talk Vivian out of this mess. 

There was no way Vivian would just let this slide. Vivian was bound to make a scene. 

Time crawled by, minute after minute… 

Half an hour went by… 

An hour passed… 

Vivian still hadn’t called Shepard. 

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