Hope Crawls Through Ruins by Kain Rwan Vale 79

Chapter 79 

“How did I end up with a fever? Seriously” Briana grumbled to herself 

Feeling like a ton of bricks, she hauled herself off the couch and dug through the meds that came with the takeout delivery until she fished out a thermometer. 

Henry really thought of everything. Briana mused. 

Not just meds, he even threw in a thermometer, 

Briana took her temperature. 

It was 100.4 F. 

She just had a mild fever. 

She rummaged around a bit more and found some cooling gel patches. 

She stuck one on her forehead right away. 

Briana checked the time. 

It was already 8 PM. 

Wait, so, I’ve been asleep for a whole four hours! she wondered, 

She coughed a couple of times, took a sip of water, grabbed her car keys, and headed out of the gallery. 

She was in a total daze, coughing every so often, her throat feeling like it was being scraped raw. 

By the time she finally managed to drive herself back to Evergreen Estate, she was running on fumes, completely spent, both body and mind. 

The lights were off in the villa. 

Charles was almost never home. 

Lately, he’d been really throwing himself into his business, so he barely set foot in the house anymore. 

Briana propped herself up against the wall, kicking off her shoes while feeling around for the light switch. 

Click! 

The crystal chandelier in the living room suddenly lit up. 

The place was flooded with light, almost as bright as midday: the glare was brutal. 

Briana couldn’t handle that kind of brightness. She squeezed her eyes shut, and all she saw was a flash of red behind her eyelids. 

After a few seconds, Briana finally got used to the glare. She blinked a few times before opening her eyes. 

Brian’s throat felt like sandpaper and fire. She slipped on her slippers and headed to the kitchen for some water. 

She’d barely taken a few steps when, “Ah!” 

Briana’s scream echoed through the whole villa, so sharp and shall that it could’ve shattered glass. 

1/5 

Chapter 79 

Her face twisted in panic and fear, and she staggered, nearly losing her balance. 

Her heart thudded in her chest, wild and frantic. 

“Y–you?” Briana gullped, her voice trembling. “Shepard, why are you just sitting there on my couch, not even turning on the lights? You didn’t say a word!” 

She had no idea anyone was even in the house. 

As she walked by, she caught sight of Shepard lounging on the cach, one leg casually crossed over the other. 

There were a few cigarette butts in the ashtray, 

Briana felt like her soul nearly left her body. 

Her throat was already killing her, and now, great, it felt even worse, like someone was scraping it with a knife. 

Briana was still freaked out, clutching her chest and trying to steady her breathing 

She was pretty sure her fever had just shot up again. 

Shepard stared at her, deadpan. “Am I really that scary?” 

“Obviously!” Briana snapped, still rattled. “If you came home, flipped on the lights, and found someone just sitting there in the dark, wouldn’t you freak out? Especially since I’m a girl.” 

Tm not some creep, Shepard replied, deadpan 

“You’re even scarier than a criminall” Briana snapped. “When did you show up? And how the hell did you get in here?” 

Shepard just lounged there, totally chill. “Getting into your place Was that supposed to be hard?” 

You broke into my house!” Briana snapped. 

“Yeah Shepard nodded, completely unfazed. “Go ahead and call the cops” 

Briana was so mad that she couldn’t even get a word out, her chest aching with frustration. 

She was already feeling like crap from being sick, and now this just made everything worse. 

“Get out,” she snapped, jabbing a finger at the door. “You’re not welcome here.” 

Shepard stood up without a word and walked over to her, taking his time. 

He looked at the cooling patch stuck to her forehead. 

Then, without asking, he reached out to feel her forehead. 

Briana pulled away, eyeing him warily. “What are you trying to do?” 

Shepard stayed silent, just reached out, grabbed her wrist, and tugged her right up to him, feeling her forehead to check her Temperature. 

Damn, she was scorching hot. 

“You’ve got a Jever.” Shepard said, sounding exasperated. “Do you even know how to take care of yourself? Did you take any 

medicine 

“No.” Briana tuttered. 

2/5 

12 Thu, Dec 25 

Chapter 79 

“Why not?” Shepard asked, frowning. 

do you 

Briana shot back, clearly annoyed. “Why do you even care if I take my mede 

All you ever do is run your mouth. I can’t take medicine if there none here. And you ask why I didn’t me any? Did you call a doctor or something?” 

Shepard’s expression darkened. 

15 પ 

4J 

it take any 

did 

you buy 

He’d already bought the medicine. 

“Seriously, she doesn’t even realize I was the one who got her the meds? Shepard thought, a bit irritated. ‘Who else would bother to do it if not me? She’s such an airhead if she can’t even put two and two together. 

Does she really think a pile of cold meds just magically appears out of thin air? 

But Shepard couldn’t care less about taking credit. 

Let her stay clueless, whatever, he wondered. 

He wasn’t looking for any praise, and the last thing he wanted was for her to think he actually gave a damn. 

Seeing Shepard’s dark expression, Briana wasn’t scared anymore she was just too wiped out to care. 

She was exhausted and feeling like crap; all she wanted was to lie down and sleep it off. 

Maybe if she drank enough water, she’d wake up feeling better tomorrow. 

Being sick already made her feel weak and cranky, and having Shepard around just made her feel even sicker. 

So, she wasn’t exactly in the mood to be nice. 

“Figures, you didn’t take your meds,” Shepard said, his voice sharp. “You’re puking, burning up with a fever, and still trying to tough it out! Briana, if you wanna die, just get it over with already 

His tone was just as bad as hers. 

Briana didn’t even have the energy to bicker with him. She just turned away to leave. 

Shepard didn’t give her the chance. He scooped her up in his arms at once. 

Too weak to struggle, Briana just curled up in his arms, looking pitiful. She muttered, “What exactly are you trying to do?” 

Shepard set her down on the couch, grabbed a blanket, and draped it over her. Only then did he answer, I’m calling your family doctor” 

He’d already bought the medicine. 

He’d already called the family doctor. 

How much more am I supposed to do for her? Shepard thought a little exasperated. 

Shepard dialed the family doctor and gave the address over the phone. 

Then he sat down beside Briana, taking in how pale she looked. 

She almost never looked this exhausted and fragile. 

Briana always put on her best face for the world, smiling, lively, Bursting with energy. But this exhausted, vulnerable side of 

Mu, Dec 25 

Chapter 79 

her was something only those closest to her ever saw. 

But actually, that wasn’t quite true. For the five years she was his wife, she was always flawless around him, perfect, never a single misstep, like a machine that never broke down. 

So during those five years of marriage, Shepard never once saw her sick. 

Maybe she was just really good at hiding it, or maybe he just never cared enough to notice. 

Funny how now that they were not even married, he was finally acting like a real husband. 

Her lashes drooped, casting faint shadows beneath her tired eyes 

I don’t need you looking after me, Briana muttered “Just go home.” 

Trying to kick me out?” Shepard shot back 

“You don’t have to do this.” Briana muttered “Shepard, we’re not husband and wife anymore.” 

Shepard shrugged, “We might not be married, but we still grew together.” 

Briana’s lashes quivered 

She twisted her 

er lips into a mocking smile. “When you hurt me, did it ever matter to you that we grew up together?” 

Shepard reached out for her cheek, but Briana quickly turned her head away 

His hand paused in the air, fingers curling slightly before he pulled it back. 

Truth was, he really shouldn’t have come 

He couldn’t even explain to himself why he was here. 

When he saw her coughing on the livestream, a restless worry crept up inside him. 

La 

No matter how much Shepard tried to drown himself in work, hoping to keep his mind busy, whenever he had a spare moment, Briana would always pop into his thoughts. 

Just go, Briana said, closing her eyes. “It’s just a little bug. I’m not dying, and I’m not about to let myself kick the bucket. I plan on sticking around till I’m a hundred.” 

She still had so much left to do 

She wanted to make a name for herself as an artist, just like Leonard. 

She also wanted to be a mom to watch her own kids grow up day by day. 

Life had so much more to offer than just love and relationships 

Shepard pressed his lips together, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. In such a rush to kick me out? What? Got someone coming over? Huh?” 

else 

Chapter 80