Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 202

Chapter 202 

Henry wrote, [You keep putting off the divorce because you’re worried Briana might end up with me. But honestly, you’re overthinking it.] 

[From what I know about her, she’d rather be alone for the rest of her life. Luckily, she has a child to keep her company | 

[Reading this, Mr. Carter, you probably suspect that Briana and I have a child together, and that things between us aren’t as innocent as they seem. But the reason I’m writing this letter is to tell you.] 

[The child isn’t mine. The child is yours. I’ve liked Briana for a long time, but I’ve never crossed any boundaries with her. My feelings started with affection, but always stopped at respect.] 

The letter slipped from Shepard’s fingers, fluttering softly as it fell. 

It floated down, landing gently on the floor. 

Shepard’s face was a whirlwind of emotions, stunned, disbelief, shock, joy, panic, and helplessness. 

Every feeling was tangled together on his face, making it hard to tell what he was truly feeling. 

For a split second, Shepard’s mind went completely blank. 

He never imagined Briana’s child had anything to do with him. 

‘Our child?‘ Shepard thought, stunned. ‘Wait, how could we have a child together? No, that can’t be. Henry told me himself. the kid was his.‘ 

Shepard slumped back in his chair, head tilted up, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed hard, his brows tightly knit as he tried to process it all. 

He needed time to process this truth. 

Memories came flooding back, one after another. 

The first time he found out Briana was pregnant, he was waiting outside the maternity ward. 

Charles was the one who told him. 

Back then, everyone thought the baby was Shepard’s. 

Even Shepard thought so himself. 

Even Briana herself said so. 

But after that surgery, he was surprised to learn Briana was still pregnant. 

Briana told him the baby belonged to Henry. 

‘What the hell is going on?‘ Shepard thought, his mind spinning. ‘Did that surgery even happen? Is the kid really mine? Or is it not mine after all?‘ 

Shepard’s mind was a total mess, everything jumbled up and out of control. 

‘Henry wouldn’t lie to me. No way,’ Shepard tried to reassure himself, clinging to that thought. 

He’d always assumed Briana was into Henry from the start. 

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Chapter 202 

He’d hurt her so deeply, and while he was wrapped up with Vivian, Briana, whether out of revenge or just feeling lost and alone, ended up turning to Henry too. 

I was wrong. Everything I thought was wrong, Shepard thought, his mind reeling. 

A knock sounded at the door. 

“Mr. Carter,” James’s voice came from outside, “Jerry from the legal department is here.” 

Shepard steadied himself and said in a deep voice, “Come in.” 

Jerry walked in and sat down across from Shepard. 

“Mr. Carter, I’ve prepared the divorce agreement for you to look over,” Jerry said, handing it over carefully. “If there’s anything you’re not happy with, just let me know and I’ll fix it, or if you want to add something.” 

Before he could finish, Shepard took the document and tore it in half without a second thought. 

Jerry just sat there, mouth hanging open, totally stunned. 

‘Why? Why would he do that?‘ Jerry thought, completely baffled. 

The entire legal department had spent days working on this divorce agreement, pulling all–nighters, holding meeting after meeting, and scrutinizing every single word and clause to make sure both Shepard and his wife would be satisfied. 

Plus, the Carter family had been keeping a close eye on things the whole time. 

The pressure was really mounting for everyone in the legal department. 

Divorce was no small matter. 

If things went south, half of Shepard’s net worth could be on the line. 

But Shepard was ready to hand over half his fortune without hesitation. 

Even so, it still had to be properly negotiated and signed off in an official agreement. 

That’s why this divorce contract was so important. 

But Shepard didn’t even glance at it. 

He just ripped it in half. 

“Put the divorce agreement on hold,” Shepard said, his voice steady. “It’s not needed right now.” 

Jerry blinked, stunned. “Huh?” 

‘All those sleepless nights did we do all that for nothing?‘ Jerry thought, feeling like his whole team’s effort just went up in 

smoke. 

‘Wait, so Mr. Carter’s not getting divorced now?‘ Jerry wondered, still reeling. ‘Can’t he just give us a straight answer? Is he divorcing or not?‘ 

Shepard snatched up his suit jacket and rushed out the door without a second thought. 

‘I have to see Briana, he thought, urgency pounding in his chest. 

Right now. No more waiting. 

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If the kid was really his, he’d risk everything; he’d fight with everything he had to win Briana back. 

There was no way Shepard could just watch Briana live out the rest of her days as a single mom, all alone. Not if he had anything to say about it. 

He wasn’t dead, he was alive, and he had to step up and be the husband and father he was supposed to be. 

With this child, it wasn’t just the two of them anymore, now there was a kid in the mix. 

Shepard hurried to the elevator, jabbing at the button over and over, his impatience barely contained. 

He was burning up inside, desperate to get to her. 

James looked at him, totally baffled. “Mr. Carter?” 

The elevator doors opened, and Shepard rushed inside without a second thought. 

He tuned out everything around him, nothing else registered. 

All that mattered was the voice in his head, shouting at him: he had to see Briana, and he had to see her right now. 

James froze for a second, then turned around to see Jerry, who had just walked out of the CEO’s office. 

Turns out, Jerry was just as confused as he was. 

“What just happened?” James whispered, “Did you say something that freaked Mr. Carter out?” 

“I–I didn’t even get a chance to say anything,” Jerry blurted out. 

“Huh?” James just stared, still lost. 

Jerry replied, “The moment I handed him the agreement, he ripped it up and just walked out.” 

James and Jerry just stared at each other, both totally baffled. 

Outside the Carter Group building, Shepard jumped into his car, slammed his foot on the gas, and tore off toward Dreamscape Gallery. 

His phone started ringing. 

He frowned. 

‘Who could be calling me at a time like this?‘ Shepard thought, irritation flickering across his face. 

He glanced at the caller ID. It was Evelyn. 

Shepard had no choice but to answer. “Hello, Grandma.” 

“You’re out of the hospital now, so why haven’t you come by the Carter residence yet?” Evelyn asked. “Don’t tell me you’ve already snuck off to the office to bury yourself in work again. You just can’t sit still for a minute.” 

“Grandma, I’m on my way to see Briana. I don’t have time to talk right now. I’ll call you later,” Shepard said, his voice 

hurried. 

“Huh? You’re going to see Briana?” Evelyn blurted out, totally thrown off. 

Evelyn was left completely stunned by what he said. 

They hadn’t even invited Briana to the family dinner tonight. 

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There was no way Briana would show up anyway. 

The whole point of tonight’s family dinner was to check in on Shepard now that he was out of the hospital. 

And of course, the family wanted to sit down and hash out the details of the divorce. 

Shepard gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Yeah, I have something really important to talk to her about.” 

Evelyn was totally baffled. “What on earth are you up to?” 

“I’m hanging up. I’m driving,” Shepard said, ending the call before Evelyn could say more. 

“Wait.” Evelyn tried to protest, but Shepard had already hung up. 

The line went dead. 

Shepard hung up, switched lanes, and floored it, speeding ahead as fast as he could. 

He was burning up inside, desperate to get to her. 

Briana had no idea Shepard was on his way to see her. 

She was sitting in her studio, completely lost in her art. 

If all went well, she’d have Beneath the Waves finished by tomorrow. 

The gallery event was coming up fast. 

El 65 youthart 

Lately, Briana had been sleeping a lot and barely eating, those first trimester symptoms were really kicking in. 

Briana leaned over her palette, working her brush back and forth, blending colors until she got the shade she wanted. 

Suddenly, footsteps approached, heading straight for the studio. 

The sharp click of leather shoes on the floor rang out clearly. 

‘Who’s here?‘ Briana thought. ‘Why is someone rushing over like that?‘ 

Only one person came to Briana’s mind. It was Shepard. 

‘It must be him!‘ Briana thought, her heart racing. ‘Why would he come here?‘ 

Briana immediately got up, eager to see what was going on. 

AD