Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 262

Posted by Adminj, ? Views, Released on February 18, 2026

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Chapter 262

Just as Olivia finished speaking, there was a knock at the door. Everyone turned to look at the door in unison.

“Mr. Carter’s surgery is over,” the nurse announced from the doorway. “Family members can go in now.”

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Briana didn’t hesitate. She rushed out the door. On the way, she hated how slow she was moving. ‘Come on, move faster, she urged herself.

The nurse had said the surgery was over, and the family could go in.

‘Is this good news?‘ Briana wondered.

If things had gone south, the nurse would’ve just told them he didn’t make it, that the surgery was a bust.

With that thought, Briana’s mood lifted a bit..

Just as Briana reached the operating room doors, the nurse was already pushing Shepard’s bed out.

“Shepard!” Briana yelled. She dashed over to him.

But before she could even reach the bed, the nurse quickly blocked her way.

“You can’t touch him right now. Please keep your distance,” the nurse said firmly. “He’s hooked up to a lot of tubes.”

Briana had no choice but to step back a couple of paces, watching him from a distance.

He was the person Briana once held closest to her heart. Now, even reaching out to touch him felt like a luxury she could only dream of.

Shepard was wearing a breathing mask, his eyes closed, and the blood on his face had been wiped away. He looked so peaceful, as if he were just taking a nap. But he wasn’t really sleeping. He was in a deep coma.

There wasn’t a hint of life in him, just a heavy, lifeless vibe.

Just like that, Shepard was being wheeled away.

Briana hurried over and stopped them. “Where are you taking him?”

“To the ICU,” the nurse replied. “He’s still not out of the woods yet.”

Briana wobbled unsteadily, her body swaying as the shock hit her.

‘He’s still in danger?‘ Briana thought, stunned. ‘But the surgery’s over, isn’t it? Shepard should be fine now!‘

She just stood there, lost and helpless, as all her support had vanished.

It wasn’t until the attending doctor finally stepped out and pulled off his mask that she snapped back to reality. “Are you Mrs. Carter?”

“Yes,” Briana replied quickly. “That’s me.”

“Mr. Carter’s condition is very serious,” the doctor said. “He’s got multiple fractures, lost a lot of blood, a concussion, and—”

The doctor kept talking, but Briana was so out of it that she didn’t catch a single word. She just watched his lips move, mind completely blank.

‘With all those injuries, he must be in so much pain, Briana thought.

her

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Chapter 262

After a moment, Briana finally asked, barely above a whisper, “He’ll wake up, right?”

“We can’t promise anything right now,” the doctor replied. “But we’ll do everything we can.”

“What are the chances he’ll wake up?” Briana pressed, her voice trembling.

“Honestly, it’s impossible to say right now,” the doctor said.

Doctors were always so unclear, never giving a straight answer about anything.

Briana suddenly felt dizzy, her body shaking all over once again.

Olivia reacted fast, steadying her. “Briana, honestly, this is already good news. They can still treat him, still try to figure something out. It’s way better than them just coming out and saying he’s gone.

“Didn’t we just say Shepard’s got fate on his side? Someone as powerful as him, who’s always been in control, there’s no way he’s just going to disappear like this.”

Briana closed her eyes and kept taking deep breaths, trying to steady herself.

She wanted so badly to stay positive, to hope for the best. But Henry’s fate was a constant warning in her mind. One moment, he was alive and well, and the next, he was just gone.

The doctor softened his tone. “Mrs. Carter, things aren’t looking great for Mr. Carter right now, but it’s not all bad either. Please be patient.

“If there’s any good news, you’ll be the first to know. He’s always kept himself in good shape, so that gives him a better shot at recovering.”

“Just tell me, what’s the longest I’ll have to wait? A few days? A week? Two weeks?” Briana pressed.

If he had to stay in the ICU for two whole weeks, that would basically be like being a vegetable.

‘If Shepard ends up in a vegetative state, what am I supposed to do then?‘ she wondered. ‘Am I supposed to cling to that tiny shred of hope that he might wake up, waiting for the rest of her life? It’s so cruel

“Honestly, it all depends on how Mr. Carter reacts after the surgery and how his body bounces back,” the doctor explained. “Mrs. Carter, I really can’t give you a clear answer right now.”

‘Here we go again with the same vague answer, Briana thought, feeling totally powerless.

After a long pause, she nodded. “Okay. I’ll wait. I’ll wait for the day he wakes up.”

The doctor hurried off, leaving Briana and the others standing there by the emergency room doors.

Isabelle stepped forward to comfort her. “Briana, we do our best and let fate decide. Don’t let yourself get too upset. You need to take care of yourself.”

“I will, Isabelle,” Briana replied, forcing a smile. “You should go home and get some rest. You’ve been with me all day. You must be exhausted.”

“I couldn’t sleep even if I tried,” Isabelle sighed. “But I do need to go see Richard first, and then head back to the Carter residence.

“Evelyn calls me every day for a video chat. If she notices we haven’t been back to the Carter residence, she’ll definitely ask about it.”

“You haven’t told Evelyn about Shepard yet, have you?” Briana asked.

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Chapter 262

Isabelle shook her head. “We wouldn’t dare let her know.”

“Let’s keep it from her,” Briana said. “Let her enjoy herself on the island.”

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“Thank goodness she’s on the island,” Isabelle sighed. “If she were here, there’s no way we could hide this from her.”

Briana held Isabelle’s hand tightly. She stayed silent, but the moment spoke for itself; they both knew exactly what the other was feeling.

“Mrs. Carter, don’t worry,” Olivia said. “I’ll stay here with Briana. And Charles is here too. Between the two of us, she’ll be in good hands.”

Isabelle nodded. “I’m trusting you two with Briana and the baby.”

“We will!” Olivia replied.

Charles chimed in, “As long as I’m here, Bri

and Mr. Carter will be just fine.”

When it really mattered, Charles was someone you could count on.

He just didn’t have much talent for business. But when it came to managing relationships or handling crises, he was a natural.

Back in the hospital room, Olivia helped Briana lie down on the bed and tucked the blanket around her.

She patted Briana’s hand gently. “I’m here for you, Briana. I’ll be by your side every day, no matter what.”

“Me too,” Charles chimed in right away. “Briana, don’t be scared. If the world comes crashing down, I’ve got you covered.”

Olivia shot Charles a look. “Seriously, stop with the talk. Nothing’s that dramatic. Can’t you say something nicer?”

“Come on, you know what I meant,” Charles said, then smacked himself on the mouth. Okay, that really came out wrong.

Briana lay there quietly, her eyes lowered. No one was sure what she was thinking anymore.

Olivia couldn’t really find the words to comfort her. No one could guarantee that Shepard would ever wake up. It was up to fate now.

“Once I’ve rested up, I’ll head to the church,” Briana murmured. “I want to pray for Shepard and get him a charm for his safety.”

“Absolutely, go for it,” Olivia said. “And hey, maybe Shepard will wake up before you even get the chance to rest!”

Charles shot Olivia an approving look. ‘She really knows how to say the right thing, he thought.

Briana blinked, then suddenly looked up. “Do you guys think I’m a troublemaker?”

Olivia and Charles froze for a second, their hearts dropping.

“No, absolutely not,” Olivia said quickly.

“Come on, that’s impossible,” Charles added.

Briana murmured, “It’s like everyone I care about leaves me, one after another. My parents, Henry, and now, it’s Shepard.”

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Chapter 262

Isabelle shook her head. “We wouldn’t dare let her know.”

“Let’s keep it from her,” Briana said. “Let her enjoy herself on the island.”

“Thank goodness she’s on the island,” Isabelle sighed. “If she were here, there’s no way we could hide this from her.”

Briana held Isabelle’s hand tightly. She stayed silent, but the moment spoke for itself; they both knew exactly what the other was feeling.

“Mrs. Carter, don’t worry,” Olivia said. “I’ll stay here with Briana. And Charles is here too. Between the two of us, she’ll be in good hands.”

Isabelle nodded. “I’m trusting you two with Briana and the baby.”

“We will!” Olivia replied.

Charles chimed in, “As long as I’m here, Briana and Mr. Carter will be just fine.”