Chapter 544
Chapter 544:
Kailey lay still for a long time. At last, she gave a small, fragile nod.
“Get some sleep. When you wake up, it won’t feel as heavy p>
Aleena pulled the blanket over her and left the room without making a sound.
Kailey stared at the ceiling. Her mind felt empty. After several minutes, exhaustion dragged her under.
When she opened her eyes again, the sky outside had already turned dark.
She turned her head slightly and noticed someone sitting beside the bed. In the faint light, the man’s figure looked steady and composed, his breathing slow and controlled.
Silence stretched between them.
After a while, Ryan lifted his hand. Even in the darkness, he found her face without hesitation. His fingers brushed gently against her skin. “Don’t think about it. Your grandma wouldn’t want you blaming yourself p>
𝗥e𝖺𝖽 𝗍he 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝖾ѕ𝘵 tr𝘦𝗇𝘥𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝗀a𝗅ոо𝘃е𝘭ѕ.𝗰𝗼𝗆
Kailey stiffened. In a quiet voice, she asked, “Did you find out who it was p>
He didn’t answer right away. Then he lowered his hand.
“This isn’t something you need to handle. If someone did this on purpose, I won’t let them get away with it p>
The Owen family kept the memorial small. Only close relatives were invited, which made everything easier to manage.
Aleena chose a black dress for Kailey. After she changed, the two of them walked out together.
Kailey barely spoke. Aleena held her hand the entire time, yet no matter how tightly she gripped it, she couldn’t warm the chill that seemed to have settled deep into Kailey’s skin.
“Kailey, after today, we’ll live well. We’ll move forward. Alright?” Aleena said softly.
Kailey lifted her eyes to look at her. She didn’t know what expression she should show.
When the rituals ended and the relatives gradually left, she remained standing alone in the center of the spacious hall. Flowers surrounded her in every direction, and directly across from her stood Shirley’s photograph — the smile in it warm and unchanged.
Tears fell before she noticed. At first she made no sound. Then her shoulders began to shake, and the trembling only grew stronger.
“Grandma,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Grandma p>
After seeing the guests out, Aleena returned and found Kailey crouched on the floor, arms wrapped around her knees, crying so hard she couldn’t hold herself together.
Aleena assumed Kailey blamed herself for Shirley’s death. But only Kailey knew the truth. If she hadn’t been there that day, that tricycle would never have shown up.
When they returned home, the air inside felt heavier than ever before. In just a few short days, Sawyer looked noticeably older, as if the strain had carved years into his face. Even Aleena, who had always taken care of her appearance, couldn’t hide the exhaustion in her features.
With Shirley gone, the family felt unsteady — as if the foundation beneath them had silently disappeared. Only now did they realize what they had taken for granted. The laughter and warmth that once filled the house had mostly come from her.