Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 160

Chapter 160 

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“Mr. Carter,” the bodyguard said, “the wind’s picking up. You should get in the car. What should we do about Sam?” 

“Keep an eye on him,” Shepard said. 

“Yes, sir.” 

“And,” Shepard added, “bring Vivian to Carter Estate.” 

“Yes, Mr. Carter.” 

Shepard ducked into the car. 

The wind was kept out, but its howling still reached his ears. 

His hands and feet were still icy cold. 

He wanted to start the car, but found he just didn’t have it in him. 

His hands felt limp, trembling slightly. His heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it might leap right out of his throat. 

Countless memories rushed through Shepard’s mind. 

The memory of Vivian dragging him from the flames was something he could never forget. It was the one he relived the most. 

But now, it just felt like a cruel joke. 

He finally realized it was all just a trap Vivian had meticulously orchestrated. 

She played with fire and gambled everything, just to catch the eye of the Carter family’s heir, the future head of Carter Group. 

Shepard was a victim. But the truth was, the one who suffered the most in all of this wariana. 

Briana lost her love out of nowhere, and her fate was rewritten forever. 

Everything that should’ve belonged to Briana ended up in Vivian’s hands, all because of Shepard. 

A long sigh filled the car, heavy and lingering. 

Shepard tilted his head back, clutching the steering wheel hard. His Adam’s apple bobbed with emotion. 

He shut his eyes, hiding the tears threatening to spill from the corners. 

Just what have I been doing these past five years?‘ Shepard wondered. ‘I’m such a bastard, lower than scum. 

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He went all out for the people who hurt him and played him for a fool. 

But the one who truly loved him and waited for him. He turned his back on her. 

Shepard’s eyes grew misty. Guys weren’t supposed to cry unless their heart was truly broken. 

But at a moment, there was no point in crying. 

Briana never cried in front of him. 

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Her eyes would get all red, but she’d just turn away, lower her head, and swallow her feelings in silence. 

Back then, Shepard just got irritated, thinking she was just fishing for his sympathy. 

Now, it hit him that she’d been hurting so much back then. 

Shepard took several deep breaths, but he just couldn’t start the car. He called the bodyguard over and moved to the back seat. 

Back at Carter Estate, Shepard scanned the living room. 

Vivian was nowhere to be seen. 

“Where is she?” he demanded. 

‘Shouldn’t Vivian be here, waiting for her reckoning?‘ Shepard thought. 

“Mr. Carter,” Daniel replied, “we can’t get in touch with Ms. Fletcher. She’s not answering her phone or replying to messages. I even sent some people to her place. They knocked and rang the bell, but nobody answered.” 

“Are you saying Vivian’s gone missing?” Shepard demanded. 

“We’re still looking,” Daniel replied. “Mr. Carter, please be patient.” 

Patience was the last thing on Shepard’s mind. 

He was itching to wring Vivian’s neck with his own hands. 

‘Did she bolt because she couldn’t face the consequences?‘ Shepard wondered. ‘She found out Sam got exposed and caught, so she hightailed it out of here. As if she could actually get away!’ 

Shepard decided to move heaven and earth to hunt Vivian down and drag her back. 

“Make it quick,” Shepard said, dropping onto the couch and resting his elbows on his knees. “I want to see 

Vivian.” 

With that, he waved Daniel and the servants out of the room. 

Daniel bowed and turned to leave, motioning for the servants to follow him. 

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Shepard was left alone, sitting quietly on the couch. 

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The luxurious living room, packed with pricey furniture, just felt icy. There wasn’t a trace of warmth anywhere. 

He had a million things he could do, and so much he wanted to say. He especially wanted to talk to Briana. 

But in the end, he just sat there in silence, trying to process it all. 

Because right now, he didn’t dare to face Briana. 

Shepard picked up his phone, found Vivian’s number, and hit call. 

It rang and rang, but no one picked up. 

‘What could she possibly be doing right now? Where could she be?‘ Shepard wondered. 

***** 

In a lounge tucked away in the corner at Fletcher Group, Eric paced back and forth, hands clasped behind his back. 

Vivian sat on the couch, her eyes vacant and hollow, just tuning out Eric’s venting. 

“Those shares. I can’t believe they gave them to Briana,” Eric fumed. “I didn’t get a dime out of it! What the hell for? Am I really less than some outsider? 

“So, all this time, I was just stuck in some pointless job at Carter Group, working myself to death for nothing? Okay, I get not being able to outdo Shepard, but Briana? Seriously? Guess I really didn’t give her enough credit!” 

Vivian turned her head, her face numb as she looked at Eric. “The paperwork’s signed and it’s official, but the shares haven’t actually transferred yet. 

“It still takes time and some procedures. If you don’t make a move soon, those shares will end up in Briana’s name for real. 

“And even if Briana dies, you still won’t get those shares. Her brother Charles will inherit them. That means the Lane family gets everything for free.” 

Eric was fuming. “Enough. I get it, okay? I know what’s at stake.” 

“Let’s do it,” Vivian said through gritted teeth. “We really can’t afford to wait any longer.” 

“You want Briana dead even more than I do,” Eric said. 

“Obviously,” Vivian nodded. “If Briana’s out of the picture, my odds get way better. And right now, if she dies, Evelyn’s shares won’t just fall into the Lane family’s lap. You’ll still have a shot at grabbing them for yourself.” 

Eric stopped in his tracks, his brows twisted into a scowl, looking downright dangerous. After a moment, he muttered, “Yeah. Briana’s a massive threat to both of us.” 

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“She has to die,” Vivian spat, clenching her fists. “She’s getting more powerful, more attention, and she’s digging into the arson case from back then. If she finds anything, I’m toast. And if I go down, Eric, you’re screwed too.” 

“Plus,” Vivian suddenly changed her tone, “we’ve got a kid now. You need to think about our baby.” 

She reached out and gently tugged at Eric’s sleeve, looking so pitiful that it’d melt a was already his woman, Eric couldn’t help but feel even more pity for her. 

“Alright,” Eric said, stepping closer and patting her head. “Let me think about how 

Vivian snuggled into his arms. But as soon as she caught Eric’s scent, her stomach turned. 

‘This must be straight–up physical revulsion, Vivian thought. 

‘s heart. Since she 

Briana out.” 

For some reason, her mind flashed back to years ago, when she’d gone out of her way to seduce Sam. 

Sam was pushing sixty, and he had that distinct old man odor. 

But Vivian was willing to put everything on the line. She’d do whatever it took to win him over and keep him under her control. 

She’d given up too much to get here. There was no way she’d let herself fail now. The idea of watching everything fall apart at the finish line was something she just couldn’t stomach. 

Her phone was tossed in her bag, set to silent. She couldn’t care less about it. And then, the battery died, and it shut off by itself. 

‘Perfect. Now no one could bother me,‘ she thought. 

After a long stretch of silence, Eric finally spoke, “So, what’s the surefire way to make sure Briana’s dead? No way we let her stay alive. Vivian, what kind of death do you want for Briana? Let’s really talk this through.”