Love's Redemption

Redmption 316



My heart skipped a beat.

Earlier, Bree had said that Chris sounded like he was leaving his final message, and now Jewel is talking about him getting his affairs in order as if he Suddenly, I recalled a dream I had, along with Chris' haunting question-what if he died?

It was true that I no longer harbored love or hatred for him. However, when it came to matters of life and death, I couldn't just ignore it, even if it was a Jewel was weeping, devastated, but she was crying to the wrong person. I wouldn't pity her, and comforting her was out of the question.

Still, based on what I knew of Chris, I answered honestly, "Chris isn't that kind of person."

If someone considered ending it all over a setback, they must lack responsibility. A person

like that couldn't be trusted to care for anyone, not even themselves.

"I also think Chris isn't someone who would just give up like that." Jewel echoed my

words, changing her tone. "But now I can't reach him, and after what he did, I'm really worried."

"If he's already taken care of everything for you, what's there to be worried about?" I retorted sarcastically.

I might be forgiving, but that didn't mean my kind words were without their edge.

This woman took my fiancé from me, and now she was trying to get close to me? I'm not so spineless.

"I'm afraid something happened to him. He doesn't realize that my real sense of security comes from him, not from the things he arranged." Jewel's words stabbed at me.

I chuckled. "Is that so? Then you should be looking elsewhere for that security. You won't find it here."

I was about to hang up when Jewel asked, “Madeline, if he contacts you or if you hear anything, will you let me know?"

"I'll pass along your message and tell him to reach out to you," I said, then ended the call.

A cold breeze swept past me,

making me feel chilly. Not far away, Brandon was still chatting with Ellie. Bree and Jewel's words swirled in my mind, and I finally decided to call Conrad.

He didn't answer right away, which wasn't the first time this happened. However, it used to be that whenever I called, he'd pick up immediately. "Maddie," Conrad answered just as the call was about to go to voicemail.

"Did I interrupt something?" I asked, staring into the night.

"No, I was just making dinner in the kitchen," Conrad explained.

Whether that was true or not, I couldn't tell.

"Did Bree call you?" I got straight to the point.

"She did. She talked about Chris and cried for a while." Conrad's voice was filled with helplessness.

After he finished, I added, "Bree called me too, and so did Jewel. They're both saying that Chris has been taking care of a lot of things like he's..."Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

I paused. “Like he's getting his affairs in order."

"Maddie, what are you saying?" Conrad rarely disagreed with me, but now he did.

"It's not just me saying it. I don't want to get involved, but they both came to me, so I need to ask you. Do you know where Chris went? Did he tell you anything?" wanted to make it clear that I wasn't asking because of any lingering feelings for

Chris.

Conrad's silence gave me my answer. Chris had reached out to him and likely shared something with him.

My chest tightened, but I didn't press further. I waited for Conrad to speak.

After about half minute, Conrad finally said quietly, "Chris told me he's exhausted, that he wants to take a real break. He said that as his older brother, I should take on the I responsibilities now. He just wants to go back to being the carefree Chris he once was."