Chapter 20
Adrian had arranged for the helicopter to pick him up the next afternoon. He couldn’t take Stella with him, and he couldn’t bear to watch her be affectionate with
The night before leaving, he sat alone clutching their wedding ring, rubbing Il over and over. When they’d first married, he’d been so angry he’d thrown it into the lowes hed. After returning home, he’d searched the villa’s barkyard for a day and night to find it again. This ring was perhaps the only connection left between him and Stella®
Suddenly, a massive roar shattered the nights since.
Aber the first explosion, a series of artillery for made the tent shake violently. Adrian jodied mwake, sipped the ring onto his finger, and ran outsile.[]
“Air raid! Everyone evacuatell” someone shmated. Piercing alarms cut throgh the night sky ||
Chiiside the tent was chaus–people scattering in all directions, screams he hadn’t heard in a while fiffed the air again. Searchlight beams riserved the night sky, enemy aircraft flying low in the distance. The explosions were deatening.]
Adrian immediately spotted Stella–she’d been knocked to the ground by the blast wave, her ears ringing. Not for way, an enemy soldier with a sniper rifle stood on high ground, the red laser dot aired directly at Stella
“Stella! Get down!” A familar figure suddenly hanged forward, shielding her with his body:||
BANG!
The sound of a bullet seating through flesh was crystal clear, Stella’s eyes widened as the watched blood bloom across Adrian’s chest. His body pressed heavily against hers, warm bland soaking through her combat vniform
Adrian? Adrian!!TM Her
shook as her fingers touched something sticky and wel
Adrian coughed up blond violently, his brow furrowed in pain, but when he saw she was unarmed, he forced his lips into a smile. This time. I finally protected you..]
His pupils began to dilate, but his hand still gripped her dreve tightly, as using his last ounce of strength
“No don’t.” Stella frantically pressed against his wound, blood gushing between her fingers. “Medic Stone get a medici“]]
Luras rushed over through the hail of gunfire, but froze the moment he saw the wound.
The ballet had hit his heart directly.
Adrian’s breathing grew weaker and weaker, but in gare stubbornly remained fixed on stella’s face. He tremblingly read his hand, sening to want to touch her fact, but it felt limply in mid air. On his left hand was their wedding ring–the ring he had thrown away self.|||
“I love you.” Then the last word faded into the smoke.]
“Nort” Stella head his still warm body, sobbing hysterically and the chaos of war.||
Qutude the emergency room, Stells stated through the blurry curtain at Adrian lying motionless on the bed, tears streaming endlessly down her face. Lucas held her Hand tightly, gently conducting her. Soon, the operating room lights went dark||
“He’s already stopped breathing.“[]
that, Everyone present drew in a sharp breath.]]
Stella looked at his rigid body and collapsed to the tour, her legs giving The fighting outside had stoppeil, but Adrian would never wake up again ||
There nonths later, at the Hayes family estate. ||
Stella stood before the ateratzat hall folding Adriana turn, Luras silently behind her.||
Mr. Hayes he had deteriorated year by year he ever imagined he’d have to bury another child
He took the with tregabling hands, tears streaming down his face. This boy… has finally gone to join his parents
In the portrait, Adriana sandle was bright and carefree, if he’d never had a worry in the world. Stella kivel down and kowtowed the times
Grupa. Fin sorry I failed to ju tarci Adrian…” ||
bat up with red rimmed eyes. “Child, don’t say that._-||
After a moment, he brought out a wooden box ||
“Thèse are Adrian’s frail belongings. I think… they should go to you.”[]
The box opened to reveal a blood stained wedding ring ||
ut what’s done is done. Your happiness is probably
The sul man continued. “That boy felt so guilty about you. After he came back, he kept telling me how sorry he was But what he’d want la ser moL.-|
Looking at the ring, countless images flooded Stella’s mind. She remembered their first meeting, when Adrian had gently taken her hand and said this would be her home now. She also remembered how he’d collapsed in her arms, his blood–covered hand trying to touch her face as he whispered those weak but beautiful final words: “I love you.-]]
She couldn’t hold back anymore, sabbing into Lucas’s shoulder. Maybe Ide was just full of missed timing and regrets.]]
Years later, on a spring day at a pastoral firm in Northern Europe.[]
“Mommy! The lamb was born!” A five–year–old girl ran joyfully into her mother’s aries, flower petals caught in her hair. [
stella gently wiped the dirt from her daughters face, glancing at Locas who was faing the fence nearby, Sunlight fell across his broad back, and his simple wedding band gleamed on his finger-
“Daddy said he’s making your favorite apple pie tonight! And roasted chicken er mer The Hille girl bounced excitedly.
Stella laughed at her adorable enthusiasm, picking her up and walling over to Lucas “Thanks for all your hard work, honey-
Lurss locked up with a gentle smile, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Alright, sweetheart, Mommy’s tired. Let Daddy take you to play.” He lifted their daughter down and toot her band, welding toward the nearby garden.||
Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Stella stretched and headed inside.
On the refrigerator inside many photos were displayed–family pictures of all three of them, photos from when she and Lucas were dating, and pictures of her with her bretiver.
Her game finally settled on a youthful, innocent photo. The young Adrian smiled as he draped his arm around her shoulders
Stella looked at it for a moment, gently wiping the dust from the photo’s surface, then grabbed two glasses of orange juice from the fridge and ran outside to catch up with the father daughter duo.
The day was bright and cloudless stella nestled in Lucas’s arm in they lay on the grass, their hands intertwined, and Lucas stole a kiss when their daughter wasn’t locking.
Stella fel credibly happy, because she knew that some people live forever in memory.
While others walk with you into the future.]]
The End
