Chapter 485

• Ruby was sobbing uncontrollably, her tears shaking her frame as if the weight of the world pressed down on her alone. Despite everything, she clung tightly to Samuel’s shirt, as if holding onto him was the only anchor keeping her from unraveling completely. Her eyes had long since run dry, but the raw vulnerability in her voice was impossible to miss she was a woman on the edge, desperate for something real in a sea of betrayal.
• “Such a disaster,” Rafael murmured, standing and gently taking my hand. His grip was firm, a quiet reassurance in the chaos.
• He turned to Helen, who still looked frozen, her face pale and stunned. “Mom, let’s go.”