NovelEnglishChapter 171 Ethan sat there, utterly devastated, tears streaming down his face as he stared at the family photo. His sorrow felt like a heavy weight, crushing his very soul.
Blood mixed with his tears, blurring Claire's face in the picture. In a frantic attempt to clean it, he only smeared it further, staining her image a deep crimson, as if mocking the tragic path her life had taken, always shadowed by suffering.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEven just the sight of the photograph brought a flood of painful memories, each more unbearable than the last. The ache in his heart was so intense he nearly fainted. He couldn't bear to open Claire's diary, instead shoving it into the drawer and slamming it shut with trembling hands.
Clutching the family photo tightly, Ethan tried to leave the storage room. But as he stood, the world spun around him, and he collapsed to the floor, blood spilling from his mouth again. His stomach felt as if it were being torn apart, the pain excruciating.
He lay there, struggling to rise, but his body refused to cooperate. With shaking hands, he fumbled for his phone and dialed Victor's number.
The call connected, and Victor's voice cthrough, tinged with confusion, "Ethan, what's going on? Why are you calling so late?" Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but his throat felt constricted, leaving him unable to voice his despair. Only the harsh sounds of coughing and the sickening noise of blood being expelled reached Victor's ears.
Instantly alarmed, Victor's voice grew urgent, "What's happening? Are you alright?" After a long pause, Ethan managed to choke out a few words, "I... I was wrong. I truly understand now..." His voice quivered with emotion, each word seeming to be dredged up from the depths of his shattered soul. Victor, though bewildered, sensed this was linked to Claire and urged, "Don't panic, take your time. Where are you now?" But Ethan seemed lost in his own world, continuing as if he hadn't heard, "I saw her awards, her acceptance letter, and that family photo... How could I have treated her so? How could I...?" Victor listened in silence, at a loss for comforting words, finally saying, "Stay calm. I'm coming to find you." After hanging up, Ethan lay there, staring vacantly ahead. Memories of Claire, her presence in the household, and all the moments he had overlooked, the dreams he had crushed, surged over him, drowning him in remorse. Looking at the blood-stained family photo in his hand, he imagined Claire's eyes filled with despair and closed his own in agony. How could he ever make amends? What could he possibly do to fix this...? Victor rushed to the Linwood family home. Nathan and Adah, roused from sleep by the commotion, were filled with a growing sense of dread upon seeing Victor's grave expression.
Under Victor's urgent prompting, they began searching for Ethan. They scoured every room, but he was nowhere to be found.
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Victor dialed Ethan's number again, following the sound of the ringtone which led them to the storage room. wa The door was ajar, revealing a glimpse of someone collapsed on the floor.
Victor's heart skipped a beat as he pushed the door open The metallic scent of blood hit him, momentarily halting him in his tracks.
Ethan lay sprawled on the cold, hard floor, surrounded by a pool of dark, crimson blood. His face was ashen, blood. devoid of color, with blood trickling from his mouth, leaving a trail down his chin. Despite the dire scene, his hand still clutched the family photo, now soaked with blood.
Victor hurried forward, kneeling by Ethan's side, "Ethan, Ethan, wake up!"
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