Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 59

Briana forced a smile and turned to look at Shepard beside her. 

‘Well, that’s just great. There’s no hiding it now. Not just the Carter family, but the whole Belaris kriows about 

1. it. 

‘No wonder Shepard had been sitting on the couch, smoking and looking all gloomy early this morning. No wonder Evelyn had called them over to the Carter residence,‘ she thought. 

“Seriously, couldn’t you have kept a low profile? You just had to be all over each other right at the restaurant entrance and in front of the parking lot,” Briana sighed. “Now it’s all over town.” 

She shrugged. “Don’t look at me, I had nothing to do with it. I only just found out myself. Shepard, don’t even start with that ‘Briana set up the paparazzi‘ nonsense.” 

She’d been accused by Shepard and Vivian so many times, she was quick to wash her hands of it and prove her innocence. Shepard glanced at her nonchalantly. His gaze was unexpectedly calm. 

‘Bet he’s already got a plan for dealing with the Carters, Briana thought. 

Shepard was the first to head out of the villa, clicking his key fob. The Rolls–Royce waiting by the steps flashed its headlights. Shepard slid into the driver’s seat. 

Briana walked up to the front passenger door and paused for a second. ‘Maybe I’ll just take the back seat. It’s not like we have to put on the happy couple act anymore,‘ she thought. 

Just as she reached for the back door, Shepard lowered the window on the passenger side. “Get in. Now.” 

Briana pursed her lips. ‘Can this guy ever say something nice for once? He’s always barking at me to get out or get in,‘ she thought. 

“Briana, I’m not going to say it again,” Shepard snapped. 

She reluctantly got into the passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. 

“Fine, I’m getting in. No need to be so bossy,” Briana muttered. “Can’t you just talk to me like a normal person for once?” 

As soon as she buckled up, Shepard floored the gas. Briana’s body lurched forward, only to be snapped back into her seat by the seatbelt. 

She also said, “Can you please focus on driving safely? Safety first.” After all, she was carrying two lives inside her. 

Shepard kept his eyes on the road. “You’re awfully talkative today.” 

“I–I’m just in a good mood,” Briana replied. 

“Come again?” Shepard said, a little surprised. 

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Briana answered honestly, “I said, I’m actually in a pretty good mood right now.” 

Shepard slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched against the pavement. Briana lurched forward again, nearly smashing into the windshield. 

“If you can’t drive, just let the driver handle it,” she said with a frown. “Why are you stomping on the gas and brakes like a maniac? Are you trying to kill us or something?” 

Shepard reached over, gripping her chin and making her face him. “Tell me. Why are you in such a good mood?” 

Briana met his eyes. “Because I don’t have to keep up this act with you anymore.” 

She could finally speak openly and honestly to everyone, saying that she was divorced, no longer in love, had let go, and moved on. 

She was finally closing the book on seventeen years of young love and stepping away on her own terms. It took real courage and resolve, but Briana made it happen. 

So when Olivia sent her the latest gossip, Briana didn’t feel anxious or lost, or worry about how to face the family. Instead, she just felt free, like a weight had been lifted. This was the day Briana had been waiting for. 

Shepard’s gaze was cold and unreadable, as deep and dark as midnight. He stared at Briana for a long moment before asking, “Are you just pretending to be happy?” 

Briana just stared at him, totally baffled. 

She was so happy she could’ve set off fireworks right then and there. Honestly, the only thing Briana was worried about now was Evelyn’s health. 

‘God, I just hope this doesn’t make her sick. All I want is for her to stay healthy and live to a hundred, Briana thought. 

“And another thing.” Shepard pressed. “Why should I believe you had nothing to do with those photos of Vivian getting out? Why shouldn’t I think you tipped off the paparazzi?” 

Briana rolled her eyes. “How does exposing your affair help me at all?” 

To everyone else, Briana had lost her reputation, her spot as the Carter family’s wife, and now she was just the punchline for Belaris’s high–society ladies. 

But Briana had already decided on divorce ages ago. She was done with all the secrets and fake smiles. So honestly, having it all out there was a huge weight off her shoulders. 

Shepard said coldly, “You could’ve used all that family pressure from the Carters and the Lanes to make me dump Vivian.” 

Briana honestly just wanted to shake some sense into Shepard. ‘Why does he always think I’m the one blocking the divorce? Have I not spelled it out enough? Isn’t it obvious from the way I’ve been acting? 

‘What else do I have to do or say for Shepard to finally get it? I just want to cut ties with him for good and 

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Chapter 59 

never see him again, ever,‘ she thought. 

20 

“Shepard, do you think that my actions over the past twelve days didn’t succeed in winning you back, and instead pushed you closer to Vivian? 

“So now I’ve started using different tactics, leveraging public opinion and the support of our elders to help win you back?” Briana shot back. 

“Yeah, you could totally do that,” Shepard replied. 

“Fine,” Briana said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Just wait till we get to the Carter residence. Keep your eyes peeled and your cars open. You’ll see exactly how I handle this.” 

She turned away, pulling her chin out of his grasp, and sat upright and stiff in the passenger seat. The whole drive, neither of them said a word or even looked at each other. The silence between them was heavy and suffocating. 

Meanwhile, in the Carter residence’s living room, the air was heavy and still. 

Evelyn sat at the head of the sofa, eyes closed, absently turning a string of prayer beads in her hands. Richard and Isabelle sat off to the side. 

As parents, they had to be there. Shepard’s marriage was falling apart. This wasn’t something Evelyn could handle on her own. 

Isabelle was dressed in a custom–made long dress, her hair styled in an elegant updo. Her skin was smooth and firm, making her look decades younger than her actual age. 

She carried herself with a graceful, aristocratic air, and it was obvious she kept her figure in great shape. 

One could tell she must’ve been a total stunner back in the day. Some women just never lost their charm, no matter how many years went by. Shepard’s eyes and eyebrows bear a five or six out of ten resemblance to Isabelle’s. 

Richard sat off to the side, his face serious and authoritative, deep lines furrowing his brow. 

Isabelle coughed twice, her throat dry and itchy. She was about to reach for her water when Richard got there first, picking up the cup and handing it to her. 

“Thank you,” Isabelle said. The couple treated each other with a polite and respectful distance. 

Evelyn slowly opened her eyes, looked over at them, and then at the clock. She asked, her voice soft, “Shepard and Briana still aren’t here yet?” 

“They’re on their way, Madam,” Steven replied quietly. “Tiffany from Carter Estate said they left about twenty minutes ago.” 

Evelyn let out a quiet hum. “Who knows how the Lanes are taking all this. Let’s just do our best to handle it and not let this mess up the peace between our families.” 

What really had her worried was how she was going to break the news to her old friend Wrenley. 

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Chapter 59 

20 

Briana had lost her parents since she was little, and Wrenley had been like a mother to her ever since. If this marriage fell apart. Evelyn would never be able to face the Lanes 

Just as Evelyn was about to ask Richard and Isabelle about their stance on the situation, the sound of footsteps grew louder as someone approached. 

Soon, Shepard and Briana walked in together, side by side, at the entrance to the living room. 

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