Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Rachel followed the maid down to the basement.

Upon discovering that Jeffrey had been locked in there, she was seething with anger.

With a forceful kick, she burst through the door and entered.

“Jeffrey?” she called out, scanning the room but finding no sign of him.

Eventually, she spotted him hidden under a heap of discarded items.

The sight of his pale, frightened face and wide, scared eyes intensified her fury.

“It’s me, Jeffrey. You’re safe now,” she reassured him as she enveloped him in a comforting embrace.

In the dim basement light, Jeffrey recognized her and clung to her, his tears flowing freely and soaking through her clothes.

“Don’t worry, Jeffrey. You’re not alone anymore,” she reassured him. “We’ll leave this place soon, okay?”

He nodded eagerly, his face breaking into a relieved smile.

“Alright, dry those tears. We’re heading home,” Rachel coaxed.

“Okay,” he murmured.

Hand in hand, they walked back up to the living room.

Once there, Rachel said to Moira, “Jeffrey is coming with me.”

“What did you just say?” Moira gasped, leaping from the couch. “Rachel, have you lost your mind? Jeffrey is nothing but trouble. Do you really think Brian will marry you if you’re saddled with such a burden? Will the White family ever accept you? Go ahead, ruin your own life, but leave the Marsh family out of it.”

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Rachel’s gaze was cold as she retorted, “I’ve warned you about using ‘burden’ to describe him. And I mean it—Jeffrey is coming with me today, no matter what.”

Had her father and Moira not clung so stubbornly to Jeffrey’s custody, Rachel would have rescued him much earlier.

It was only after her family discovered her impending marriage to Brian and repeatedly assured her of their good intentions toward Jeffrey that she allowed herself a sliver of comfort.

guard by Moira’s cruel treatment

this realization, Rachel felt no reason to

need to leave with Jeffrey today. Moira, we

concern was to get Jeffrey out and

have confronted the issue head-on

let them

ordered sharply, “Block her way. She

hearing Moira’s commanding tone, was

back, seeking

felt his fear and realized he was deeply

asked, “What happened today, Jeffrey? Tell me everything, and I’ll

Jeffrey finally let

stuttered, pointing at Moira, his expression aggrieved. “Bad… she accused me… I

“I’m warning you, Moira. My brother would never steal from

said apologetically, “Perhaps I was mistaken. But you must understand, taking Jeffrey with you

a

them, it seemed wealth and

Whites, fearing the marriage might fail and leave them empty-handed. They

clasping his hand as

as she shouted, “Block their

maids

try to stop us,” Rachel exclaimed, shielding Jeffrey with her body and

gaze caused the maids

you just standing around? Grab them,”

there was

scattering everywhere. With a chilling smirk, she warned, “Unless you want your cherished possessions destroyed, let

scoffed, doubting

what she

over a

in her right hand was a cherished jade sculpture, a legacy from

continue?” Rachel

resolve wavering. After a tense moment, she conceded. “Alright, take him—but be careful with

setting the sculpture down cautiously

to assume she might retract her permission

they traveled, Jeffrey dozed