Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 181

Chapter 181 

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Briana had given everything she had to this marriage, to this love. She felt at peace; there was nothing left for her to regret. 

Regret wasn’t hers to bear. 

What truly broke her heart was knowing Henry was gone from her life for good. 

Briana stood up and made her way upstairs. She said, “Let’s all just cool off for a bit.” 

Her steps were shaky, and for a moment, it looked like she might just collapse right there. 

Shepard kept his eyes on her, watching until she vanished from sight at the top of the stairs. 

He sat there by himself on the couch. 

The emptiness of the lavish living room made his solitude feel even more stark. 

Briana had lost Henry forever. 

Now, he was the one who had lost Briana. 

Shepard bowed his head, elbows propped on his knees, his back hunched. His face was set in a serious, somber expression, his features sharper and more forbidding than ever. 

After a long moment, he finally said, his voice rough, “Come here.” 

“Yes, Mr. Carter,” Daniel replied. 

Daniel appeared at the entrance of the living room right away. 

“Bring Eric and Vivian over,” Shepard ordered. “I want to see them.” 

Daniel looked uncertain for a moment. 

“What, I can’t see them?” Shepard said, his voice was cold as ice, his face dark as a storm. 

“Mr. Carter, Eric’s out cold; he’s not coming around for a while. And Vivian fainted from the shock; she’s still unconscious,” 

Daniel said. 

“Then wait till they wake up and bring them to me right away.” Shepard snapped. 

“Yes, Mr. Carter,” Daniel replied. 

Shepard gestured for Daniel to leave. 

Once again, the living room was empty except for his lonely silhouette. 

It wasn’t just for now; he’d be alone for years to come. Decades, maybe. This was his life now. 

He was the one who hurt the woman who loved him most, and no one could have wounded her deeper than he did. 

He thought, ‘How could I ever undo the damage? How was I supposed to make amends? 

‘Could I ever heal the scar I’d left on Briana’s heart? Was it even possible to erase it?‘ 

Even if they managed to piece things back together, the mirror was still riddled with cracks. 

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‘Henry, how could he just die like that?‘ Shepard thought, disbelief and sorrow twisting in his chest. 

If Henry were still alive, Shepard would have let Briana go to him without a second thought. 

Henry was someone truly worthy of her trust. 

She would have found real happiness and a good life with him. 

He thought, ‘But now, after the divorce, what was she supposed to do? Briana was on her own, raising the child by herself, and the Parker family had turned their back on her.‘ 

The light outside was fading. 

No lights were on in the living room. 

Until the sound of messy footsteps echoed through the silence.“Mr. Carter,” Daniel said from the doorway, “Eric and Vivian are here.” 

“Come in,” Shepard said. 

“Yes, Mr. Carter,” Daniel replied. 

The reek of blood hit Shepard as soon as he walked in. 

All the lights in the living room blazed on at once, making it as bright as broad daylight. 

The glare was so harsh, Shepard couldn’t even keep his eyes open. 

He shut his eyes for a second, waited for the sting to fade, then slowly opened them again. 

His eyes were so murderous, it felt like he could kill someone with just a look. 

Eric was soaked in blood, all ten fingers missing, just two mangled palms left. 

As soon as the bodyguard let go, he crumpled to the ground, occasionally twitching, eyes half–open, looking half–dead. 

Vivian wasn’t hurt, but her face was numb and vacant, her expression stiff, as she’d totally lost it. 

She looked insane. 

Shepard thought, his lips twisting into a sneer, ‘Crazy? 

‘Pretending to be insane just to dodge the truth?‘ 

He just scoffed, cold and mocking. 

“Shep, Shep,” Vivian said, scrambled and crawled to Shepard’s feet, her head tilted up in desperate pleading. “For the sake of all the years I’ve stuck by you, just give me a chance. Let me go, you’ll never have to see me, I promise. 

“I’ll go apologize to Briana, I’ll get down on my knees and beg her, whatever she wants, I’ll do it, no questions asked. I know I messed up, I really did, I swear I’ll never do it again. Please, I’m begging you.” 

Vivian had seen with her own eyes the kind of hell Eric had been put through. 

If even one of those punishments had happened to her, she’d be dead for sure. 

It was beyond terrifying. 

Shepard kicked her hard. 

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Chapter 181 

Vivian hit the floor, but scrambled right back up, crawling desperately toward Shepard’s feet again. 

“Try touching me,” Shepard warned, his voice cold as ice. 

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Vivian froze, every muscle locking up. Slowly, she backed away, slinking back to Eric’s side. 

Vivian glanced at Eric for just a split second, then quickly averted her eyes; she couldn’t bring herself to look at him again, her heart pounding in her chest. 

Eric looked like he was clinging to life by a thread. 

Honestly, he was lucky to be alive at all. 

Shepard sat back on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, his hand resting on the armrest, tapping his fingers lightly. He said, “Vivian.” 

“Yes, Shep, I’m here.” Vivian stammered, her voice shaking. “Ask me anything, I’ll tell you. I’ll say it all.” 

“Just tell me what you did,” Shepard said coldly. 

Vivian confessed, “Shep, you already found out, didn’t you? Yeah, it’s just like Sam said. I threatened him, had dirt on him, and forced him to start that fire. I wanted to set up a fake rescue, make myself look like the hero. 

“That fire wasn’t an accident; I planned the whole thing. I just wanted you to notice me, to make myself seen by you. I was just crazy about you; I love you; that’s all.” 

Shepard’s brows knitted together. “Say love one more time, and I’ll cut your tongue out myself.” 

Vivian cowered, not daring to say another word. 

“Why did you hook up with Eric?” Shepard asked, his voice cold as ice. “Answer me.” 

Shepard thought, ‘Was I not enough for her? 

‘And she still had the nerve to latch onto another guy. 

‘How utterly pathetic.’ 

Vivian shook her head frantically, her whole body trembling. She said, “I swear, I never went after him; he came after me. He forced me, Shep.” 

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke. She said, “Eric stumbled onto my deal with Sam, and since then, he’s been blackmailing me with it. Every time I didn’t do what he wanted, he’d threaten to rat me out to you about the fire. 

“I had no choice but to go along with him. I never wanted this, Shep. I hate him, and he forced me. I kept hoping to find the right moment for you to end him for me.” 

Just then, Eric’s voice rang out, weak, but burning with fury. He said, “You bitch.” 

He tried to haul himself up, but his body just wouldn’t listen. All lie could do was raise his trembling, mangled hand and point it at Vivian. 

He said, “You dump all the blame on me, huh? You think you’re some kind of angel? Please. You’re just a manipulative, fake- 

innocent snake. 

“Didn’t you moan like crazy when you were under me? Huh? Didn’t you? 

“You wanted to marry Shepard, but you were stringing me along at the same time. Tell me, how many women could play both sides like you?” 

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Vivian glared at him, gritting her teeth. She said, “You came looking for me. I never wanted to get mixed up with you” 

“You really think saying all that matters now?” Eric shot back, his voice shaking with anger. “Face it, we’re tied together in this mess. No one’s getting out clean.” 

“If you ruin me, Eric, what do you even get out of it?” Vivian screamed, her voice raw with desperation. 

“If I go down, you’re coming with me. Don’t even dream about walking away alive,” Eric spat, his words dripping with 

venom. 

“I’ve got two lives to worry about,” Vivian shouted, her voice trembling with rage. “You want to drag me to hell with you, just so you won’t be alone?” 

Vivian thought, jaw clenched in frustration, ‘Moron. 

‘Even now, he still doesn’t get it; 

‘If I survived and had the baby, at least Eric would still have someone to carry on his bloodline.’ 

Eric froze for a second, then it finally hit him what Vivian was trying to say. 

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