We were never meant to last 7

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Chapter 7

The ambulance siren tore through the night.

Bella sat on a hard bench in the hospital hallway, her hands balled up tight in her lap. The doctor had just told her that her parents were fine–just shaken, nothing more. Relief washed over her, leaving her shaky as she closed their door with a soft click.

At the end of the corridor, Calista’s desperate sobbing suddenly echoed, raw and piercing. Bella looked up in time to see doctors and nurses rushing by, wheeling a gurney. Sean lay on it, his white shirt soaked with blood, his handsome face ghostly pale.}

Calista clung to his hand, crying so hard she could barely get the words out. “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Sean… You stopped the plane to come find me, and I–I grabbed the steering wheel, I just wanted to get out-“}

Sean lifted a weak hand and wiped her tears away with his thumb. “As long as you stay… I’d do anything for you…”}

Bella’s chest tightened painfully. She turned away, walking faster, refusing to look back. She didn’t want to see. She couldn’t.)

The next few days blurred by as Bella stayed at the hospital, taking care of her parents. Every morning, she made a pot of nourishing soup and watched them eat it, spoonful by spoonful.

Nurses‘ voices drifted down the hallway, their gossip impossible to ignore:>

“Mr. Rangel spoils Ms. Marshall so much–even hurt like this, he still tries to make her happy.“>

know, right? I heard she wanted cake from that place all the way across town in the middle of the night, and he went to get it for her, bandages and all.”

Michael and Candace watched their daughter, worry etched on their faces. But Bella just peeled apples in silence, as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

“Bella…” Candace started, hesitant.}

“Mom, I’m okay,” Bella said, slicing the apple into neat little pieces. “I don’t love him anymore.“>

She meant it. The day Sean forced her mother onto that operating table, whatever love she had for him died. Now, all she wanted was to get her parents out–safe, and far away from all of this.

A week later, her parents were finally stable enough to leave.}

T

“Bella, we’re good now. Go home and start packing,” Michael told her, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll be leaving soon, and I doubt we’ll ever come back. There are things you’ll need to take care of before we go.”

Bella nodded and headed home. She was halfway through packing when the door swung open.

Sean stood in the doorway, face shadowed and tired. “Calista’s still shaken up. I want you to go to the temple and get her a protection charm.”

His tone left no room for discussion, like he was talking to the help.

Before, Bella would have argued. Now, she just nodded, her voice flat. “Okay”

She couldn’t risk saying no again. Last time she did, her parents almost paid the price. She wasn’t going to let that happen–not ever.

The temple was shrouded in early morning mist. Bella climbed the stone steps, pausing to kneel and bow at each one. By the time she reached the top–the nine hundred and ninety–ninth step–her knees were raw and bloody, but she barely felt it.”

As she stood, her eyes landed on the old bodhi tree, its branches heavy with red ribbons that danced in the wind. Curiosity pulled her closer, but when she saw what was written on them, her heart stopped.

May Bella find joy and peace. -Sean

Praying for Bella’s health. -Sean

I hope Bella will fall in love with me someday. -Sean!

Each ribbon was a wish Sean had made for her, some from years ago, some just before their wedding. Bella let out a bitter laugh and went inside the main hall.

She prayed for Calista, just like Sean asked, but also picked up two extra charms–for love and for closure.

Before leaving, she borrowed a pair of scissors from the monk and returned to the bodhi tree. One by one, she cut down every ribbon with her name on it, tossing them into the temple’s burner until they turned to ash.