?Chapter 1282:


    Mud tried to drag her down, and her feet nearly slipped out from under her.


    “Ms. Hudson!” The call came from her bodyguard, who hurried after her, arms outstretched to steady her.


    Sadie refused to slow down or listen, driven by a need to see for herself.


    Within moments, the scene came into focus.


    Stretched out on the ground, a figure was hidden beneath a pristine white sheet.


    That silhouette was heartbreakingly familiar, its outline slender and unmistakable.


    Shock hit her so hard she could barely breathe.


    Sadie’s eyes went wide with horror.


    She reached forward, her hand shaking uncontrobly as dread filled her chest.


    The sheet seemed impossibly heavy, resisting every ounce of her strength.


    Somehow, she found the will to lift a corner of it, her breath caught in her throat.


    Time itself felt suspended as she peeled the fabric away.


    Beneath the cover, a face stared up—drained of color, unmoving. Those eyes, once so alive, remained closed forever, the sparkpletely gone.


    Tiny beads of water still clung to those longshes, sparkling in the faint light.


    Recognition hit Sadie like a blow—Tina was right in front of her. It truly was Tina.


    A wave of dizziness crashed over her, and a piercing ring filled her ears.


    Backward steps came instinctively as her knees buckled, nearly sending her to the ground.


    Nothing made sense—how could this be Tina?


    Her mind rejected what her eyes insisted was true.


    The young woman who once buzzed with energy, who tackled every task with cheerful efficiency, who stood by Sadie’s side through every storm—nowy silent, still, and cold as stone.


    Gone was the radiant smile. Gone was the gentle voice calling her name.


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    A piercing grief twisted deep inside Sadie’s chest.


    Her lips quivered as she attempted to say Tina’s name, but no sound escaped.


    Every breath felt strangled, her throat raw and aching.


    Tears filled her eyes, making the world a blur, each drop stinging more than thest.


    A hollow ache consumed her, a pain that left her gasping.


    Questions spun in her head, desperate for answers.


    Why was Tina here, like this? How did ite to this?


    The reality felt impossible—how could Tina be gone?


    Every part of her screamed in denial.


    Nightmare or not, she dug her nails into her palms, hoping pain would snap her awake. No matter how hard she pressed, the sting in her hands only proved this was all too real.


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