If the Sun Has Faded Away (UNDER REWRITING)

Chapter 26: Building Walls

Hello Beautiful People!

I wish you and your loved ones a Wonderful Christmas!

Enjoy this Special Day with your loved ones.

My love to all of you!

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I had managed to find an isolated spot. Exactly the kind of spot I needed right now, a place where I could try to make myself presentable. A place where I could hide my shame.

A single tear trickled down my cheek as I fastened my bra. Crowther had seen it. He knew I had changed—become someone tainted. He'd never look at me the same way again. I wasn't the Divya he used to know. How would I ever face him now?

I buried my face in my hands, unable to hold back the flood of tears any longer.

A hand on my shoulder startled me.

"Divya..."

Quickly wiping my tears, I turned to face Crowther. The softness in his eyes made my heart ache.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you," he said, his voice gentle.

"I know..." I managed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you, Crowther."

He said nothing more, but his eyes, intense and searching, seemed to pierce straight through me. I couldn't hold his gaze any longer. My eyes dropped, searching for little Jessie, but she wasn't there. Panic began to well up inside me.

"Where... where's Jessie?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Calm down, Divya. She's safe."

I exhaled, but fear still clung to me. "Where is she?" I asked again, unable to contain the anxiety in my voice.

"She's right over there," he said, pointing to the wagon ahead.

I left my hiding spot, taking hurried steps forward until I finally saw her in the distance. She was sitting a few rows away, deeply engrossed in coloring. Her tiny hand clutched more pencils than it should have been able to hold, and one dropped to the floor. She quickly bent down to pick it up, and that's when she noticed me.

A radiant smile spread across her face. She blew me a flying kiss.

Despite everything, a smile tugged at my lips. Jessie always knew how to make me smile, even in the darkest of times. I pretended to catch her kiss in my hand, closing my fist around it to keep it safe. I blew her a kiss in return, and she beamed before returning to her coloring.

For a moment, I struggled with the urge to run to her. Somehow, I knew that this little child was the only one who could give me back the peace that had been stolen from me.

Suddenly, I felt Crowther's breath on my neck. I shivered.

I turned to face him. His expression was different now, no longer soft. His face was rigid, his eyes burning with an emotion I couldn't quite place. It was anger.

Who was he angry with?

He said nothing, so I forced a smile. "I'm glad I found you," I said, my voice too fast, too light. "Where are you going? I mean... Jessie and you?"

I was talking too much, too quickly, desperately trying to fill the silence. Silence scared me, because in the silence, Crowther would ask questions. Questions I wasn't ready to answer.

"I'm taking Jessie to Chester Zoo. She's been wanting to go for ages."

A faint smile appeared on his lips, softening his features for just a moment.