Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 8

Chapter 8:

In the blink of an eye, Brian’s long strides brought him closer, his face etched with concern.

Tracy, sensing his concern, quickly reassured him. “Brian, please don’t worry. It was all my fault earlier. I wasn’t holding the cup properly. Rachel had no part in this.”

Rachel’s lips curled into a sarcastic smile, her eyes cold with disdain. For a brief moment, when Brian had approached, she had allowed herself to believe that he might actually care, that his concern was for her.

Her heart had softened, only to be shattered by the realization that she was wrong.

He wasn’t here for her, only rushing to protect Tracy.

Rachel’s expression hardened, her voice devoid of emotion as she finally spoke. “This has nothing to do with me,” she said, her tone calm but cutting. “If I had wanted to hurt her, the whole cup of coffee would have been thrown at her, not just a few splashes.”

Brian’s expression darkened, an unreadable intensity settling in his eyes. Before he could stop himself, his hand reached out, fingers curling firmly around Rachel’s wrist. “Rachel…” he murmured, his voice husky, laced with an unfamiliar hesitation.

The sound of his voice, once a balm to Rachel’s soul, now sent a jagged ache through her chest. She steeled herself, masking the storm beneath her calm exterior. “Release me,” she said quietly, though the faint tremor in her words betrayed her.

Brian, however, didn’t release her. Instead, his grip only tightened.

Rachel inhaled deeply, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “Alright then,” she said quietly, her voice carrying the weight of something unspoken. “Tell me, do you even know what I’m afraid of?”

“You…” Brian faltered, taken aback by her question. He was momentarily lost for words, realizing how little he understood her.

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“Forget it,” she said quietly, her hand slipping from his as she pushed him gently away. “I must have been asking for too much.”

Rachel turned away, her footsteps steady, yet each step carried the weight of an unbearable truth. She didn’t glance back, unwilling to reveal the turmoil within. Though her exterior remained composed, the pain had already carved deep wounds in her heart.

Brian had always remembered everything about Tracy; her fears, her anxieties, the little details that made her who she was. He knew she was afraid of darkness and confined spaces. But he…

Rachel’s fears, never realized that she, too, was terrified of the dark, that the sensation of sudden drops and falling sent a wave of panic

and her twin brother had entered the world on the same day, but from the beginning, their lives had been shaped by loss.

words and cold indifference stung less with him by her side. At least she wasn’t completely alone. But everything changed the day he was diagnosed with autism. The world labeled him defective and unworthy. From that moment on, both of them became burdens

and survival meant enduring, adapting, and expecting nothing from anyone. Everything worsened

like secrets, too shameful to acknowledge, they spent their days

couldn’t risk turning on a light. Visibility meant discovery, and discovery meant punishment. If Moira ever found out about

of the dark? It was the raw, visceral terror that seeped into her bones, a fear so deep it consumed her. But Brian—he never

Rachel kept walking, forcing herself forward as she always had, one

she unexpectedly bumped into Ronald. His expression was one of surprise. “Ms.

between them. It was obvious Brian had sent him to buy the ointment for

the subtle limp in Rachel’s stride, her unsteady and strained

as she answered, “You should go.

the office, he quickly realized that the ointment was for

up at him, his tone

hand, her tone playful yet insistent. “Brian, I only want you to

the ointment tube, unscrewed the cap, and was about to apply it when something inside him shifted. With a quiet sigh, he handed the ointment to Tracy instead. “Use your right

trouble, I can have Ronald take you to the hospital,” Brian offered, his voice calm,

hesitated, her pride taking over. “No, I

a sign of connection. But as she watched Brian immersed in his work, his concentration unshaken, a familiar sense of

with a deep sigh, she decided to leave. There would

Samira arrived at the modest

and looked as though she had just stepped out of school. Her appearance struck a chord with Rachel, evoking

commanding. The woman across from them looked up

her gaze unwavering as she locked eyes with the woman. “I think you recognize this,” she said, her voice calm but

examined the draft. “How did you know?” she stammered, clearly

nearly identical, with only slight alterations. What you’ve done is not only plagiarism, it’s also an infringement of my intellectual property.” She paused, giving the woman time to absorb her words. “I expect you to retract your submission and acknowledge your error. If you refuse, I have no choice but

her expression a mix of confusion and realization. She

her curiosity piqued. “What’s happening? She seems lost. Do you think she’s feigning ignorance, or is she genuinely

composed, her eyes never leaving the woman. “Let’s wait and

“Alright,” Samira replied.