Chapter 91

The police had received a tip from a concerned citizen: someone had found a cell phone and a pair of shoes by the river.

By the time Briony and Stella arrived at the station, the officers were already reviewing security footage.

A young female officer handed Briony a sealed evidence bag. Inside were the phone and the shoes, and she asked Briony to identify them.

The phone was Julia's.

And those shoes... Briony recognized them instantly. She'd just bought them for her mother on a shopping trip a few days ago.

Briony's heart dropped, but she shook her head in denial. "These aren't my mom's. They're not..."

"Bryn, please," Stella said, choking back tears as she tried to comfort her. "We have to cooperate with the police—maybe Julia just went somewhere else afterward, okay?"

Briony stared at the phone and shoes before her. After a moment, she closed her eyes in despair. "They're my mom's."

The officer offered a gentle reassurance. "Don't panic. We're reviewing all the security footage along the river. As soon as we know something, we'll tell you."

Briony nodded numbly, her hands clenched together so tightly they had turned white.

There were several cameras installed along the riverbank, and the police soon confirmed what they feared: Julia had jumped into the river at 7:19 p.m. the night before.

standing at the water's edge for

the camera couldn't capture her

mother on

endless hour, what had her mom been

one could give her an

what about herself? While her mother had been wandering

her mom on a little getaway to Sunwave Bay after her upcoming surgery-a change of scenery to help

before she could even buy

footage as Julia climbed over the railing, arms outstretched,

a splash. The water rippled, then

like that,

her eyes, clutching her chest as she slowly

The world

knelt down and threw her arms

could she

mother-the only person in the world who had truly loved and cared

her gaze was vacant and hollow, as if

her whisper,

Star, I have to find

her even tighter. "Okay, okay. I'll help

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