Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 245

Chapter 245 

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Briana could clearly feel it. Their hearts, once so distant, were finally drawing close again. It felt like she was right back in the honeymoon phase, back to those college days when they were head over heels for each other. 

That was when their love was at its purest, its most passionate. 

Briana gently held Shepard’s face, taking in every detail. 

Time had etched its traces on his features. 

He was no longer that young man in his early twenties. Fine lines had appeared around his eyes and between his brows. 

She guessed she wasn’t any different. 

Briana etched every detail of Shepard’s face into her memory, then snuggled into his embrace. 

“What if the surgery doesn’t go well, Shepard? How would you handle it?” Briana asked softly. 

After the happiness faded, they had to face reality. It was a harsh topic, but it needed to be discussed. 

Shepard replied, “No, it’ll be fine, Briana. You have to trust what modern medicine can do.” 

‘With the best doctors in the world and the most advanced hospitals, how could they not save Briana?‘ Shepard thought. 

No matter what kind of heart she needed, Shepard would make sure to find it for her, the healthiest, most compatible one. 

“I mean, just in case,” Briana whispered, “we should think about everything, good or bad.” 

Shepard opened his mouth, but no words came out. Because honestly, he couldn’t handle the idea of losing Briana. 

Briana knew it, too. If she died, it would devastate Shepard. 

Briana closed her eyes, her nose filled with the gentle pine aroma that lingered on Shepard. She felt at peace. 

“I promise you, Shepard. I’ll get the treatment and choose not to have the baby. But you have to promise me. 

“If something happens to me, and you lose both the baby and me, promise me you’ll keep going, stay healthy, and live a peaceful life, alright?” Briana said softly. 

Shepard stayed silent. 

“Even if I’m gone, your life keeps moving forward. I don’t want to see you lose yourself or give up on everything, alright?” Briana said softly. 

There was no response. 

Briana reached up and gently tugged at his sleeve. “Okay?” 

After a long pause, Shepard finally managed to choke out a sound from his throat. “Got it.” 

“Alright, it’s settled. We both make promises, and we both make compromises. If I do my part, you have to do yours.” As she spoke, Briana hooked her pinky around his. 

“Pinky promise,” she said. 

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Chapter 245 

Shepard echoed, his voice rough with emotion. “Pinky promise.” 

Back when Briana wanted a divorce, she only thought about a living separation from Shepard. 

She never imagined that one day, they might have to face a farewell brought by death. 

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If this were Briana’s way of punishing Shepard, it would be unbearably cruel, so cruel that she’d use her own life to make him pay. 

But the truth was, Briana never intended to punish Shepard with her life. But God had its plan. 

“Let’s look on the bright side,” Briana said, pulling away from his embrace and flashing a smile to lift the mood. 

“Maybe after the doctors run all the tests and check everything, they’ll say I can keep the baby and still go through with the surgery!” she added. 

“Isn’t that right? Isn’t it?” Briana leaned in close, her nose touching his, demanding an answer. 

“Right?” she insisted. 

Shepard could only agree. “Right.” 

He gently caressed her face. 

After so much hardship, they were finally close again, no longer awkward or reserved with each other. 

But what stood between them now was the relentless passage of time. 

Is it only when we truly lose someone that we realize what we really want, who we really love?‘ Shepard thought. 

The servant stood at a distance, unable to bring themselves to interrupt. 

It had been a long time since the staff had seen Shepard and Briana so loving with each other. 

Briana’s eyes crinkled into crescent shapes as she smiled. 

“Alright, let’s have dinner. I’m starving,” she said, taking his hand. “Come on, let’s head to the dining room.” 

The dining room table was set with four dishes and a serving of soup. It was a typical home–style dinner. 

The first thing Briana did was grab her fork and start loading up Shepard’s plate with food. 

“Eat up. You look like you’ve lost weight lately,” Briana teased. “You’ve been staying with me, and now you’re so skinny. People might think I’m starving you or something!” 

Before long, Shepard’s plate looked like a mountain of food. 

“Since you served it, I’ll definitely finish it,” Shepard said. He picked up his fork and ate slowly, taking his time. 

He didn’t have much of an appetite, but seeing Briana enjoying her meal so much, he didn’t want to dampen her spirits. 

Even though they’d both agreed to end the pregnancy to save Briana’s life, that faint, lingering sadness still hung over them, refusing to go away. 

They were the baby’s parents. 

9:10 am PPP 

Chapter 245 

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If there was any way to keep the baby, neither of them would ever want to lose this new life that was about to arrive. It was like choosing between two parts of themselves; neither one was easy to let go of. 

Given the situation, the only thing Shepard could do was save Briana. That was the only way. 

Three days later, in Dreamscape Gallery, Briana sat in the art room at Dreamscape Gallery, brush poised in her hand, ready to begin her fourth masterpiece, New Dawn. 

The vision was clear, the inspiration was flowing. All she needed now was time, and plenty of it, to pour her heart into every stroke until the painting was complete. 

She set up her easel by the window, palette in hand. 

On the couch across the room, Shepard had his laptop balanced on his lap, wearing wireless earbuds as he worked. 

They were inseparable, always together all day, no matter what. 

For Shepard, every extra moment with Briana felt like a blessing, a happiness he treasured and never took for granted. 

Who knows what the future holds? Will there still be time?‘ he wondered. 

All of a sudden, Shepard’s phone started buzzing. 

He glanced at Briana, who was lost in her painting, then quietly got up and headed out the door. 

“Hello?” Shepard said. 

“Mr. Carter,” James said, “the medical team just arrived at Belaris Airport.” 

“Got it,” Briana replied. 

“So, when will Mrs. Carter be admitted to the hospital?” James asked. 

Shepard paused for a few seconds. “First thing tomorrow morning.” 

“Got it, Mr. Carter. I’ll take care of the arrangements,” James replied. 

After hanging up, Shepard didn’t go straight back into the art room. 

Instead, he walked to the end of the hallway, stood by the window, and lit up a cigarette, gazing outside as his thoughts drifted. 

He felt the weight of it all pressing down on him. But whenever Briana was around, he acted like everything was fine, never letting her see how much it really got to him. 

All he could hope for was that, after Briana was admitted for tests, they’d finally get some good news. 

He didn’t dare wish for both Briana and the baby to be safe; he wanted her to live a little longer, just a little longer. 

The cigarette burned all the way down, but Shepard didn’t even take a drag. He remembered Briana hated the smell of cigarette smoke. 

He lingered by the window for a bit, letting the breeze clear away any trace of smoke, and only then did he head back to the studio. 

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Chapter 215 

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Finished your call Briana asked, still focused on her painting. “Are they pushing you to head back to the office?” 

She didn’t even turn around, brush in hand, but it was like she knew everything that was going on. 

“No” Shepard replied. 

“You’re sweet–talking me again,” Briana said with a grin. “With you glued to my side like this, the shareholder of the Carter Group must be losing their minds without you.” 

Before Shepard could reply, Briana went on, “I know what you’re going to say. No matter how important your work is, I’m always your number one, right?” 

She finally put her brush down and turned to face him.