Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 167

Chapter 167 

The car raced through the bustling city streets, making a beeline for the outskirts. 

Briana lay unconscious on the ground. When she regained consciousness, she had no idea where she was. 

The surroundings were utterly silent. It was so quiet that she could hear the buzzing of cicadas, the faint rustling nearby, the gentle flow of water, and even the sound of her own breathing. 

Where am I?‘ Briana thought, her mind groggy and confused. 

Briana tried to shift, but realized her legs were tightly bound. She was trapped inside a burlap sack. 

“Looks like she’s waking up,” a voice came from outside. “What do we do next?” 

“I told you, let’s have fun first. But don’t take it too long, and we’ve got business to handle.” 

“Of course. This is gonna be a blast.” 

“I heard she’s some rich heiress.” 

“Money can’t buy a girl like her.” 

She could hear every filthy word and sleazy laugh. Nothing escaped Briana’s ears. 

“You bastards, don’t you dare,” Briana tried to shout, but her voice was so weak and shaky it barely sounded like her at all. 

The drugs were still messing with her system. Forget running, she could barely even stand. 

“What’s there to be afraid of?” someone sneered. “You’re about to meet your maker 

What‘ Briana thought, her head spinning. ‘Are they serious? These “d 

anyway.” 

They really want me dead. 

Briana’s mind raced. She thought, ‘Who put them up to this? Who’s really behind all this? Out of everyone I’ve pissed off, who wants me dead the most? 

‘Edward? Sophia? Or maybe Vivian? Or what if they’re working together?‘ 

“You guys are way too gutsy. Do you even have any idea who my husband is?” Briana bluffed, forcing fierce. “He’ll come for me, and when he does, you’ll wish you’d never laid a finger on me.” 

Jay the fet flotte gang her voice to sound 

“Oh wow, still trying to scare us, huh? Go on, scream all you want. Let’s see if your precious husband actually shows up,” one of them mocked. 

They all burst out laughing again. Briana bit her lower lip, trying to steady her nerves. It wasn’t long before she felt someone fiddling with the sack, loosening it. 

In a flash, the sack was pulled open, and daylight flooded in. She could finally see where she’d ended 

1. up. 

She found herself on the riverbank. Just a few feet away, the river roared past, wild and untamed. 

Three or four middle–aged, sleazy men stood nearby, their eyes fixed on her like she was a helpless lamb about to be slaughtered. 

At that moment, Briana really was nothing but prey, waiting for the kill. Briana’s mind raced as she pieced together what was about to happen to her. 

They were planning to violate her, then shove her back into the sack and toss her into the river. 

1:53 Wed, Jan 7 

Chapter 167 

She’d sink to the bottom, unable to move or call for help, doomed to drown alive. 

And with the current carrying her downstream, whether anyone would ever find her body was a complete mystery. 

Even if someone did find her, she’d be so soaked and swollen from the water that nobody would even recognize her. 

Just thinking about it made her blood run cold. Briana shivered. 

Just how much do you have to hate someone to go this far?‘ Briana thought. ‘Edward’s my family, for crying out loud. Could it be Vivian? It’s probably her. Vivian would probably love to see me ripped apart, no mercy at all! 

After a moment to collect herself, Briana shot the men a steady look. “Vivian sent you, didn’t she?” Briana struggled to sit up, glaring at them. “What did she offer you guys?” 

She needed to start thinking of a way out. At the very least, she had to stall for time. Shepard would definitely realize she was gone and come to her rescue. 

Every second counted. She had to stretch this out as long as possible. 

The wind howled along the riverbank, and under Briana was a rough, moldy wooden plank, damp and crawling with bugs. But right at that moment, none of that mattered to her. 

She shot a look at the river. It was late, no streetlights anywhere, just a bit of moonlight glinting off the water, making everything feel even more unnerving. It all just screamed one thing: fear. 

The water looked bottomless, dark, and terrifying. Briana was less than two feet from the edge of the river. All it would take was one kick, and she’d be sent flying straight into the water. 

And if that happened, she’d be done for. 

“Vivian? Never heard of her,” the bald, middle–aged leader waved dismissively. “We’re all here. So, who do you want to deal with first?” 

Briana clenched her jaw. “Whatever Vivian promised you, I’ll pay triple, five times, ten times. Just name it.” 

“Wow, big talk,” one of them mocked. 

Briana lifted her chin defiantly. “What, you think I can’t afford it?” 

The bald guy snorted. “You got it all wrong. I don’t even know Vivian. Whoever wants you dead? It ain’t some woman.” 

‘Not a woman? So, was Edward behind all this?‘ she wondered, a cold dread settling in her chest. ‘We’re family. How could Edward go this far? He really wants me dead?‘ 

“Enough, stop wasting time,” the bald guy barked. “Pick one, or we’ll choose for you, whether you like it or not.” 

Briana felt ice in her veins, utterly powerless, like fate had already sealed her doom. 

‘Am I really going to die here tonight?‘ Briana thought. ‘If they do that to me, the baby inside me wouldn’t stand a chance. If that’s how it’s going to end, maybe it’s better if I just throw myself into the river.‘ 

Briana turned to look at the river again. She’d never learned to swim, and she’d always been terrified of water. Just thinking about jumping in made her heart pound with fear. 

‘No way. I can’t do it,’ Briana thought, panic rising inside her. ‘How could I even consider something like that?‘ If she jumped, it’d really be over. There’d be no way out, no hope of rescue. 

Briana raised her head and looked around. But it was so dark she couldn’t see a thing, just rows of trees, nothing else. 

Chapter 167 

She squeezed her eyes shut. Will anyone really come to save me? Briana thought, her heart full of doubt and fear. Honestly, she had no confidence at all. She could only pray, only wish for a miracle. 

Will Shepard be the first to realize I’m gone, or will someone else notice? Briana thought, anxiety gnawing at her 

Even if they do find out, will they make it in time?‘ she wondered, dread creeping in. 

In the end, Briana let out a long, heavy sigh. ‘Guess everything comes down to fate, she thought, a bitter sense of resignation settling in. 

Far off in the darkness, Eric stood quietly in the shadows, having chosen the best vantage point to observe Briana without being seen. 

With a cold snort, Eric thought, “This time, let’s see her try to escape. Vivian is truly vicious. She’s not satisfied with just killing her. She wants to ruin her first. When a woman gets this ruthless, men don’t even matter anymore! 

In the Parker residence, Henry sat in front of his computer, fresh from his shower. 

He casually dried his hair, tossed the towel aside, and clicked on an audio file. He turned up the volume, eyes fixed, listening intently. 

As Henry kept listening, his face changed dramatically. His whole vibe shifted in an instant. He went from totally focused to stunned, then burning with rage, and finally, gripped by fear. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, he slammed the mouse down, jumped to his feet, and rushed out. 

At the same time, Henry started frantically dialing Briana’s number. It rang and rang, but no one picked up. 

Right away, Henry called Shepard. Still, there was no answer. 

‘What the hell is happening?‘ Henry thought, his heart pounding with dread. 

“Briana’s not picking up. She could’ve been snatched by Eric. And now even Shepard’s not answering. What the hell is going on?” Henry muttered, frustration and fear twisting his words as he paced back and forth. 

Henry looked absolutely panicked, clutching his phone so hard his knuckles turned white and the veins on his hand bulged. 

“Why the hell didn’t I listen to that recording earlier? Why did I waste time showering? Why did I have to finish my stupid work first?” Henry muttered, cursing himself, regret and frustration twisting inside him. 

田