Chapter 322
Aubree let out a sigh of relief; it seemed Brielle had ventured out on her own. A walk to clear her head was probably for the best, instead of staying put and being bombarded with constant updates about Max and Alivia’s escapades.
Meanwhile, Brielle was still in the car; her phone was on airplane mode, which meant no more incoming messages. She decided to spend the night in a hotel in the city she had reached.
After booking a room, she parked her car and headed inside.
This was a neighboring city to Beaconsfield, and the hotel, nestled in a small county town, wasn’t exactly top–notch. In the dead of night, a sudden pounding at the door jolted her awake. *Bang! Bang! Bang!”
“Boom!”
A cacophony of sounds twisted her brows in an instant as she sat up in bed.
The noises continued outside, peppered with the cursing of men in a local dialect Brielle couldn’t understand. She pushed a table against the door for added security.
The hotel lacked any means to contact the front desk, and even if she called the cops, by the time they arrived, it might be too late for whoever was in trouble. One table wasn’t enough, so she barricaded the door further with chairs.
The pounding lasted until after eleven, and she glanced at her phone. Her birthday was nearly
over.
No cake, no well–wishes.
Her lips twisted into a wry smile, consoled by the thought that at least she had witnessed a
beautiful sunset.
Once the noise ceased, she curled up in bed and drifted back to sleep. At the crack of dawn, she rose, eager to reach Radiant Light Church in time to possibly catch the sunrise.
After a two–hour drive around the scenic mountain roads, she parked her car beneath the Radiant Light Church. The sun was just peeking out from the sea of clouds, a fiery orb. Her gloom lifted entirely, and she couldn’t resist stepping closer to breathe in the fresh air of nature. The sun, like a giant golden coin, began to radiate beams of light.
Watching the sunrise, Brielle felt the insignificance of humanity in the vast scheme of the universe. Her brief chapter with Max, in the grand timeline, was minuscule, so there was nothing to fret over.
She dropped some coins into the donation box and prayed. Then she took out Julian’s urn and entrusted it to the church’s reverend, hoping for spiritual guidance.
After completing these rituals, she remembered Aubree’s instructions and pulled out a few
Chapter 322
wooden plaques. After pondering, she wrote down Aubree’s wish:
May Aubree and Andrew be lied together for life.
Upon hanging the plaque on a tree, she considered her next move and wrote–Wishing for Mark’s health and longevity.
With the third plaque in her hands, she was at a loss; she had no wishes of her own. After much thought and ensuring no one was watching, she wrote down–Hoping Max might give liking me a try. The idea of Max with Alivia made her feel like a lowly interloper. She quickly erased it and rewrote–Wishing myself a happy birthday.
Feeling relieved, she hung the plaque up.
The scenery at the Radiant Light Church was stunning. It was surrounded by mountains, yet no one was there to share it with her.
Just as she thought this, a voice called out from behind. “Brielle?”
She stiffened, thinking she’d misheard, and spun around. “Kenzo?”
Kenzo was dressed casually, looking somewhat surprised. “What are you doing here?”
Brielle couldn’t admit the real reason for her visit, so she bit her lip awkwardly. “Just felt like paying respects, I’ve been through a lot lately, and I feel like my luck’s been down.”
Kenzo chuckled, eyeing the tree with the hanging plaques. “What did you wish for?”
Brielle was glad she had changed the last plaque because when Kenzo saw the first one she’d written, he laughed softly. “Did Aubree ask you to write that?”
Brielle blushed slightly, nodding. “She made sure to tell me before I came.”
The plaques were right there, hard to ignore.
Brielle had never felt so wise. If Kenzo had seen her original third wish, the embarrassment would have been unbearable. Just the thought made her cringe. It was such a cheesy line, and it came from her hand.
Indeed, being in love could make one do silly things.
“Is today your birthday?”
Kenzo’s voice was always gentle, his gaze warm.
Brielle felt a touch embarrassed, “Um.”
