Shadows Drift Beyond Memory by Xarin Vale novel Chapter 42

Chapter 4

[Why did you come looking for me?]

Maybe it was guilt over the words he’d said about me. Even though he knew I couldn’t hear, he still looked awkward

facing me.

I acted like nothing had happened, pulled out a tissue and wiped the dust off his clothes.

[Willow’s really worried about you.]

I relayed the message exactly as it was. Not a single extra word.

Quentin’s handsome face creased into a frown. He was about to reach out when Anna’s voice cut through from

behind him.

“Quentin! Are you coming or not?”

“What’s there to talk about with a mute?”

My fingers trembled slightly at my side. I reached out and caught Quentin’s wrist. [Come home with me.]

Quentin glanced around, clearly torn.

[Rachel, you go ahead. I’ll be home tonight.]

In the end, he pried my hand off and raised his arm, trying to pat my head like he used to.

I dodged again.

Something dark and heavy flickered in Quentin’s eyes. His throat bobbed, but he didn’t say anything.

[Quentin, I don’t like Anna Bennett.]

[If you leave today, let’s never see each other again.]

It was the first time I’d ever said something so harsh. Quentin looked genuinely surprised.

[Stop it. You’ve always been so good.]

[Anna’s not that bad. She’s just a little wild, that’s all.]

Good. Obedient. Well–behaved. Those were the words Quentin always used to describe me.

Now they’d become the reason I was being left behind–forced to choose, and losing.

19:08

His Girl Bro Lied ‘Not His Baby‘–DNA Played Along, But Baby IS His!

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Chapter 4

How fucking ironic.

I forced a weak smile, nodded once, and let go of his hand.

Quentin felt the warmth in his palm suddenly vanish. Watching my thin figure turn away left a hollow ache in his

chest.

Behind him, Anna’s voice rose again–whining, crying, demanding.

Until Quentin finally snapped. “Enough!”

I sat in the car, watching them in the rearview mirror–her clinging to him, him trying to pull free. A faint smile tugged at my lips.

A few minutes later, Quentin got in the car.

[Let’s go. Home.]

In the rearview mirror, Anna stomped her feet, wiping away tears.

I won, Anna.

Anna’s revenge came fast. The next day, the class group chat exploded.

[Whoa, is that our deaf–mute little princess?]

[Holy shit, that’s wild. The cold, aloof princess has this side to her?]

[Hot! Spicy! More, please!]

One disgusting sex photo and video after another spread through the school overnight.

I sat in the car with my backpack, staring at the chat logs. My whole body was shaking.

[What’s wrong?]

Quentin leaned in from the driver’s side, curious.

Before he could see, I shut off my phone.

[Nothing.]

I acted like nothing had happened. Like always, I walked into school with Quentin.

The whispers around me, the prying stares–I ignored them all.

But Quentin noticed. His face darkened more with every step.

His Ciel Den Lind ‘Not His Rahu‘–DNA Plaved Along. But Baby IS His!

31.29

Chapter 1

The second we got to class, he dragged Anna out without a word. She was crying the whole time.

“It wasn’t me!”

“I swear it wasn’t me!”

But no one would believe her. Least of all Quentin.

Anna looked at me like she wanted to tear me apart.

She cornered me in the girls‘ bathroom again. This time, she didn’t bother pretending.

“Rachel Campbell, even if I didn’t post those photos, I’m fucking thrilled they’re out there!”

“I hate that cold, stuck–up look on your face. It makes me sick”

“Everyone’s seen you naked now. What the hell do you have to be proud of?”

“You know what our game was? Quentin came up with it–whoever makes you cry wins! He hates that blank, emotionless face of yours the most!”

“Every time I hurt you, he loved it! Because he thinks you’re a burden, dead weight, a giant fucking problem!”

Rip.

My clothes were torn open again.

I’d always known I was a burden. Dead weight.

But hearing it from someone else’s mouth–it was like barbed wire, twisting through my heart.

Even though I’d prepared myself, tears still fell.

People’s hearts change. But I used to think Quentin was different.

Turns out, he changed worse than anyone. Crueler. More hopeless.

The pain in my body grew sharper. I couldn’t help but curl up.

Until Quentin burst into the bathroom, cursing Anna out and shoving her to the ground. He pulled me into his arms.

That embrace was still warm. But I couldn’t feel any warmth at all.

My tears soaked through his shirt, cold against his chest.

Quentin’s voice trembled with pain. “Anna, the game’s over

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Chapter 4

“If anything happens to her, I’ll fucking KILL, you.”

He tried to lift me, but I pressed my hand to his chest, pushing him away.

I shook my head, backing up step by step. Tears streamed down my face.

[You and I–we’re done too.]

[She said I’m your burden. Don’t worry, I won’t be anymore

Before anyone could react, I turned around and walked straight toward the window. Without a single moment of hesitation, I jumped from the third floor.

“Rachel!”

CRASH.

The sound made everyone cover their faces and stumble back.

Quentin’s heart felt like it exploded.

I was admitted to the hospital again. Quentin was sent back to school to pack up my things.

He opened my backpack – found the university application tucked inside. Stanford University.

Quentin took the form to our homeroom teacher.

“Yeah, she said she’s not going abroad anymore.”

“She didn’t tell you?”

Just then, Quentin’s phone rang – Willow’s panicked voice crackling through.

“Quentin, Rachel–Rachel can hear now!”

“The doctor said her hearing came back a long time ago!”

The phone trembled in his white–knuckled grip.

It felt like he’d lost something.

In that instant, his heart went completely empty.

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