From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 151

She didn’t have time to mourn. Overnight, she forced herself to grow up, taking on the responsibilities her parents left behind and building her own support system from the ground up.

To everyone else, though, she looked like a heartless ingrate. People whispered that she felt nothing, that she didn’t even shed a tear for her parents. No one understood how much she was hurting inside.

Adolphus wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. He wanted her to feel him there, to remind her that she wasn’t alone. She still had him. She could lean on him, if she wanted.

They just stood there, holding each other, neither saying a word. The silence was only broken when Laurinda’s stomach let out a loud rumble. Adolphus couldn’t help but laugh.

“Hungry?” he asked, his voice gentle. “Let’s get something to eat.”

“Okay,” Laurinda said softly.

She slipped out of his arms. Her eyes flicked to the small, wet spot on his light sweater before she quickly looked away.

“Um... wait for me a sec. I need to go wash my face.”

She hurried off to the bathroom, the glass door clicking softly behind her. Adolphus looked down at his chest, where her tears had left a mark.

He didn’t realize how much her tears burned his heart. He wished he’d been more stubborn, insisted she leave with him. Maybe then she wouldn’t have carried all of this by herself. Maybe he could have been there through the nightmares.

While she was gone, Adolphus started packing her things into her backpack. That’s when he noticed a small bottle of pills buried at the bottom. He picked it up, read the label, and his heart sank. He put the bottle back, pretending he hadn’t seen a thing, and waited for her to come out.

Laurinda came out looking more composed. Together they left the room. Adolphus suggested they check out of the hotel, and Laurinda agreed. Hand in hand, they strolled through the nearly empty streets, hoping to find somewhere that would satisfy their hunger.

While they waited for their food, a noisy group shuffled in from outside.

Laurinda spotted the guy leading them right away. He was Jeniffer’s younger brother.

“Daniel, where could your sister have gone? We’ve been looking all afternoon and all night. Did she just vanish into thin air?” one of his friends complained.

“Yeah, Daniel, didn’t you say your sister had a ton of money? You don’t think she bailed just so she wouldn’t have to buy you that apartment, do you? Jane’s still waiting to get married, and you can’t tie the knot without a place to live. If you miss this chance, who knows when the next one will come?” another piped up.

“Honestly, Daniel, I never believed her when she came back and promised to buy you a place. She lived it up with the Austin family all those years and never offered before. Now that the Austins are done for, where’s she supposed to get the money? I think she was just stringing you along, and when you pressed her, she ran.”

“Look, I’m not trying to cause trouble,” someone else chimed in, “but that driver, Faust, worked for Jeniffer’s family for a few years and still managed to buy land and build a house back home. All you want is a nice apartment. That’s nothing to her. And she still wouldn’t do it.”