A faint smile appeared on Joelleâs face. Aurora, tugging at Adrianâs hand, asked, âMommy, Mr. Miller! That star is twinkling. Is it Ryland winking at us?â
Bending down, Adrian lifted Joelle slightly with one arm. âOf course. Ryland will always be with us.â
Seeing the family of three together, cheerful despite their grief, Shawn felt a sense of relief. His eyes wandered to Katherine.
She looked up at the sky, deep in thought, until Shawnâs gaze caught her attention. She glanced his way, but Shawn had already diverted his eyes.
Leah sniffled from the cold. âThe night air is growing chilly, sir. Iâll go get a blanket.â
They had left their phones in the car, shielded from the harsh criticisms bombarding Joelle from the outside world. Adrian had even hired online supporters and manipulated entertainment news outlets to quash the backlash, but his efforts proved fruitless. To protect Joelle from the onslaught, they agreed to leave their phones behind during outings. In the faint glow of the carâs interior, Adrianâs phone continued to light up, flashing the name âMichael.â
Leah came rushing back breathlessly.
In her haste, Leah had forgotten the blanket, clutching only a phone as she sprinted the last hundred meters. âSir! Mr. Frye is on the line!â
Her announcement captured everyoneâs attention as Adrian took the phone.
âMichael?â
From the other side, Michaelâs voice broke through, fraught with despair. âAdrian, come help me. Iâm at my limit. I canât handle this alone!â
Adrian immediately understood what was happening. Laceyâs heart condition was serious; the doctors had already said there was no way to fix it.
After Lacey and Michaelâs discharge from the hospital, everyone had been bracing themselves for the inevitable. But with Joelle also needing support, Adrian could only offer comfort to Michael over the phone.
âMichael, Iâm tied up here. Bring Lacey back.â
âIâ¦â Michaelâs voice faltered, despair unmistakable as he sat in the hospital corridor, his face buried in his hands, nearly tearing his hair out. âI just canât handle it. I canât face her! Please, Adrian, you have to come!â
Every gathering must eventually part, but Michael was not ready to let go.
Before Adrian could respond, Joelle intervened, âGo. Bring Michael and Lacey back. Iâll be fine on my own.â
Joelle was well aware that both Lacey and Michael were Adrianâs closest friends. With Michael stranded and struggling in a distant city, she could only imagine how worried Adrian must be for him. That evening, Joelle quietly watched as Adrian left for the airport.
At four in the morning, Joelleâs phone rang. It was Adrian calling from afar, his voice thick with grief. âLacey passed away at 3:30 AM.â
Joelle gently stroked her sleeping daughterâs hair, trying to stifle her sobs as tears streamed down her face.
Adrian continued, his words heavy with sorrow. âThe Hudson family plans to hold the funeral here, so I wonât be back for a while.â
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