Chapter 318 Gone
Chapter 318 Gone
67
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“Dawn…” Sandra steadied her arm, unsure how to console her. “Grandma wouldn’t want <i>to </i>see you like this. Pull yourself together, alright?”
With Harry there, he handled all the hospital formalities.
What remained now was arranging the funeral and informing the rtives.
Given the situation, Sandra, as thedy of the house, had no space to mourn. There was still a mountain of things to manage.
After bidding Jessica farewell onest time, they returned home. She helped Dawn back into her room.
Dawn hadn’t spoken a single word all day, which was unsettling.
“Sweetheart.”
Sandra’s tone softened, careful not to startle her.
She reached out and brushed a hand over her face. “Grandma was old already, and her health had been declining. Don’t take this upon yourself. None of us wished for this to happen.
“But everyone has their own destiny. Maybe it was simply Grandma’s time. Leaving this world is just another kind of beginning.”
Dawn slowly raised her head. Her eyes were red and swollen.
“But Grandma saved me.”
Her voice was shattered, almost unrecognizable. “If not for me, how would Grandma have …”
“In Grandma’s heart, you were her babe too,” Sandra said firmly. “She only felt peace once she knew you were safe. So let’s not torment ourselves. Let her rest easy, alright?”
Dawn stared nkly for a while before she gave a faint nod.
“Then try to get some proper rest. You’ll feel a little better once you wake up.”
Sandra let out a sigh, guided her to lie down, tucked the nket over her, and went downstairs.
Perhaps because her mind was empty, Dawn gazed at the ceiling for a few minutes before sleep quietly
took her.
She slept deeply. When she woke, the night outside was pitch ck.
She turned her head. Someone was sitting beside the bed.
A man sat there in the darkness, his presence calm yet distant. The faint glow around him made it feel like a quiet barrier she couldn’t cross. Even his breathing carried restraint.
<b>15:40 </b>Fri, Dec <b>5 </b>
Chapter 318 Gone
After a long silence…
Austin raised his hand.
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Though the room was too dark to see, his hand found Dawn’s face without hesitation. “Don’t think too much. Grandma wouldn’t want to see you punishing yourself.”
Dawn stiffened. Her voice came out low. “That man … did you
He didn’t respond.
A momentter, he drew his hand back.
find out who he was?<b>” </b>
“This isn’t something you need to worry about,” he said quietly. “If it turns out to be intentional, I’ll make him answer for it.”
For the memorial, the Osbornes only invited close rtives and declined outsiders, keeping everything private.
Sandra chose a ck dress for Dawn. After changing, they left together.
Dawn was too quiet–unnaturally so. Sandra held her hand tightly. It was cold, no matter how much warmth she tried to give.
“Dawn, once we send Grandma off, we have to keep living. Promise me?”
Dawn looked up at her, uncertain how to respond.
Only after the ceremony ended and the guests had gone did she move again.
She stood in the empty hall surrounded by white chrysanthemums. Before her was Grandma’s smiling portrait.
Tears slipped down without warning. She cried soundlessly until her trembling shoulders gave her away.
“Grandma.
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Grandma.”
Not long after, Sandra returned from escorting the guests. She found Dawn crouched on the floor, hugging her knees, weeping so hard she couldn’t speak.
Sandra assumed her daughter was consumed with guilt because Grandma had died saving her. But only
Dawn knew the truth…
<i>No. </i>
If not for her, that tricycle would’ve never appeared.
When everything was finally settled and they came home, the atmosphere felt heavier than ever. In just a few days, Harry seemed to have aged years, and Sandra’s usuallyposed face had turned pale and
<b>15:40 </b>Fri<b>, </b><b>Dec </b><b>5 </b>
Chapter 318 Gone
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drawn.
With Jessica gone, the house felt hollow–its warmth gone with her.
They suddenly realized how muchughter that sharp–tongued, lively old woman had brought into their home.
They sat in silence for a while in the living room. Harry rubbed the bridge of his nose and stood. “You’ve all done enough these days. Get some rest.”
He headed to the bedroom first.
Sandra, worried for Dawn, hesitated, but before she could speak, Dawn said softly, “Mom, go get some sleep. I’m alright.”
“Alri
Sandra had been running on fumes for days and truly needed rest.
Still, her daughter…
She gave Dawn’s shoulder a reassuring pat. “Sweetheart, life and death are beyond our control. Don’t dwell on it too much, okay?”
Dawn nodded. “I know.”
Sandra went to her room.
No one knew how long Dawn sat there in the darkened living room. Then footsteps sounded at the door. Austin walked in, weary from travel; his sharp features shadowed and rough, a faint stubble lining his jaw.
He saw her sitting on the couch and frowned slightly. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
“Not tired.”
Dawn met his
gaze. “Did
you
find anything?”
He paused, as if weighing what <i>to </i>say.
After a brief silence, he loosened his cor and sat beside her. His tone dropped low. “Nothing. He’s just a local vendor. Sells breakfast by the subway every morning.”
Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.