The Bond Between Us (Anastasia and Herman) novel Chapter 732

Having something like that around, who wouldn't be freaked out? Colton glanced at the glass jar on the desk, covered by a red cloth. Inside, floating in formaldehyde, was a baby who hadn't made it. This was what they called "raising a ghost" in Thailand.

Colton couldn't take it anymore. He turned away, packed his things, and was ready to leave. Who could live in a place like this? The house was filled with the eerie presence of Cynthia's daughter's ashes and this ghostly thing. It was enough to give anyone nightmares.

With his bags by the door, Colton hesitated, then turned back to stand at Cynthia's bedroom door. Seeing her still caught up in her peculiar rituals, he frowned and said, "Cynthia, I'm leaving. Take care of yourself."

Cynthia, lost in her trance, didn’t even notice Colton speaking. He turned, picked up his suitcase, and left. Only after she finished her ritual did Cynthia realize all of Colton’s belongings were gone. She understood then that she had been left behind. Sitting on the couch in a daze, she muttered to herself, sometimes crying, sometimes laughing.

Meanwhile, over in Springfield, Anastasia had cried almost all her tears, but she couldn’t allow herself to break down. Feiman and Katelyn were already bedridden from the stress, and if she fell apart too, the family would be in shambles. Even Flynn, usually unreliable, was stepping up, handling crisis after crisis with some newfound resolve.

Anastasia refused to believe Herman was truly gone. She drove again to the landslide site. The overnight downpour had swollen the river, and rescuers warned that people might have been swept away. If the flood had buried someone under the mud and rocks, finding them would be nearly impossible, and survival was grim.

Anastasia wouldn’t give up. She followed the river downstream, determined to find Herman. Christen and Flynn joined her, braving the drizzle and searching the riverbank all day. Eventually, they found a body.

Seeing the bloated corpse washed up on the shore, dressed similarly to Herman, Anastasia was terrified and couldn't bring herself to check. Flynn, mustering his courage, turned the body over. The face was battered by rocks and caked with mud, swollen beyond recognition. Without the familiarity of a loved one, identifying it would've been impossible.