Chapter 199

A teardrop landed on her phone screen. Maria wiped it away, but her tears kept falling, like a string of beads broken and scattered all over the place. Her heart ached as she read every word—she had no idea Rachel Collins had gone through so much. Rachel’s life had been short and miserable. Not a single good day, and even the way she died was heartbreakingly tragic. Thunder cracked outside without warning, followed right after by a sudden downpour, slamming against the windows like her own turbulent emotions. Maria stood up and looked out the window, her gaze drifting far away. In a daze, she saw a flash of that first crew dinner—Rachel with her sweet smile, petite frame, and those big round eyes like a cautious rabbit, darting everywhere. It sparked an instinct to protect her. Another loud clap of thunder shattered the memory like glass. Maria was yanked back into reality, tears streaming down her face. “Rachel… did it hurt?” she whispered silently. “You went through so much in this l