?<strong>Chapter 435:</strong>


    She turned her head, locking eyes with Adrian. A bitter smile crept across her lips. “You arrived sooner than I expected.”


    Adrian hesitated, acutely aware that any trace of life had drained from Joelle’s face, leaving only an overwhelming emptiness.


    “Joelle, please,e down.”


    Joelle was lost in her sorrow, her voice barely above a whisper. “Adrian, there’s something I need to tell you. Rnd might still be alive. The police mentioned that Wade fled, and they couldn’t find Rnd’s body. The charred…”


    “Remains we saw back then? They could have belonged to someone else entirely. Rnd could still be alive.”


    Adrian was only partially engaged, but he grasped the weight of Joelle’s words. “Alright, let’s track him down together.” He reached out his hand towards Joelle.


    Joelle stared vacantly at his hand for a moment, as if trying toprehend the gesture. “You should have been honest with me.”


    Adrian felt a sudden jolt in his heart. “Joelle, there are some matters that simply aren’t worth your energy. Individuals whock significance will never be deserving of your sorrow. Conversely, those who genuinely love you will recognize and cherish the essence of who you are.”


    Tears cascaded down Joelle’s cheeks as she looked at him, a deep sense of injustice evident in her expression. “I’m utterly exhausted, and it feels like no matter what I do, I can’t seem to get it right. I feel like a total failure.”


    “You’re not!” Adrian responded without missing a beat. “If you were truly a failure, why would I still hold you in such regard?”


    Joelle shook her head in despair. “My very existence is a strain on everyone. I don’t know how to confront Aurora or face others in the future. I don’t even know how to face you. I’m truly worn out, but I realize that caring for someone like me must be even more draining.”


    “I’m not tired!” Adrian replied firmly.


    As soon as Adrian finished his words, Joelle turned away, her back a picture of unwavering resolve. “Joelle!”


    Joelle gazed up at the sky, leaving him with nothing but the sight of her turned back.


    Without a moment’s hesitation, Adrian lunged forward, only to realize that he was too far away to close the distance between them.


    He wasn’t a superhero; he couldn’t soar to her side in the blink of an eye. All he could grasp were the strands of Joelle’s hair as she leapt—something he could touch yet ultimately could not hold onto.


    “Joelle!” Adrian shouted, his heart pounding, as he watched her close her eyes and plunge onto the inted cushion below, a moment suspended in time.


    With a solid thud, she sprang back up a short distance.


    Adrian’s heart felt as though it were being constricted in a vice. He leaned against the railing, the heaviness in his legs anchoring him to the spot. “Mr. Miller?”


    Adrian offered no response, instead inhaling deeply to steady his racing thoughts. After stumbling a few steps, he hurried back to the elevator with a sense of urgency. Once downstairs, he spotted Joelle being lifted onto the ambnce.


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