Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

Rachel finally registered the gravity of her provocative words as they hung in the air between them.

“I didn’t mean it that way,” she stammered, heat rising to her cheeks as she struggled to explain herself.

Brian’s imposing figure loomed closer as his fingers wrapped around her wrist. Something stirred within Rachel, and she found herself leaning into him, her arms encircling his frame with gentle desperation.

Her eyes sought his, luminous with unspoken pleas. “Brian, please don’t keep Tracy as your secretary,” she whispered, clinging to him. “If you truly want to help her, find her a position at another company. Otherwise, I cannot help but feel jealous.”

The warmth between them shattered as Brian wrenched his arm away.

His expression hardened into something unrecognizable. “I’ve always admired your generous spirit. But your treatment of Tracy seems unnecessarily mean. She’s newly returned and struggling to find her footing. I’m merely offering assistance.”

Rachel’s teeth worried her lower lip as the fight drained from her.

The stark contrast between love and indifference had never felt more apparent.

“You’re determined to help her, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” came his unwavering reply.

Rachel gazed at him, her heart splintering beneath the weight of his conviction. She pressed a hand against her chest, a bitter smile twisting her features. “Tell me, am I truly such an unreasonable, small-minded partner in your eyes?” His silence cut deeper than any words could have.

Find your next read on gⱯlnσν?ℓs․com

Something snapped within her. She seized a pillow and hurled it at him, tears streaming unchecked down her face. “You’re right about everything! I’m jealous, hot-headed, and intolerant. That’s who I am, petty to the core. Just leave! I can’t bear to look at you anymore!” Another pillow followed the first.

Brian caught it deftly, his expression darkening as their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills.

In all their time together, Rachel had been his refuge of endless patience and affection, rarely displaying such raw anger.

Even during their disputes, she had always been the first to extend an olive branch.

Brian waited, certain that if she would only embrace him and whisper, “I’m sorry, it was my fault,”

three, she remained resolute in her stance. His jaw tightened, his features carved from ice. “Rest well. Someone will take you

him with such force that

exposed skin—skin that his

beneath the blankets, seeking

her satisfaction at his obvious anger. “Son, did you have a fight with her?” she

women shouldn’t be spoiled excessively. Rachel should count herself fortunate to have caught your eye. You mustn’t indulge her so much. Today

through her words, “I’ll handle my

your mother. How can this not concern

the stairs to

still waited, hoping to

she would have descended those stairs with bare feet flying, not sparing

puppy-like devotion,

his defenses. Inevitably, his anger would dissolve, and he would gather her into his

reconciliations had always culminated in passionate embraces, their bodies intertwined as if

accommodating his every wish

acts brought her discomfort, she strived to please him, allowing him to draw forth her tears again and

deeply

marked a stark departure from their established pattern. Rachel seemed transformed

remained in his idling car for thirty minutes,

on, but the

on the gas,” Brian commanded, his voice sharp with

a commotion would draw her

him,

absence felt like a physical

he demanded, his body radiating

shifted uncomfortably. “Sir, we’ve reached

him,

of childishness. Ronald knew it.