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.

caught off guard by Moira’s cruel treatment of

Rachel felt no reason to restrain

today. Moira, we can settle the issue of him being

to get

would have confronted the issue head-on

however, was not about to let them walk away

her way. She cannot take Jeffrey with

hearing Moira’s commanding tone,

seeking

felt his fear and realized

“What happened today, Jeffrey?

let his emotions

she…” he stuttered, pointing at Moira, his expression aggrieved. “Bad…

the situation quickly, Rachel confronted Moira with a steely look. “I’m warning you, Moira. My brother would never steal from

the tension, Moira offered a weak smile and said apologetically, “Perhaps I was mistaken. But you

gave a

wealth and

primary concern was securing a profitable union with the Whites, fearing the marriage might fail and leave them empty-handed. They

Jeffrey,” she said, clasping his hand as they started to

expression darkened as she shouted, “Block their

several maids

to stop us,” Rachel exclaimed,

the maids to falter,

standing around?

was a

the floor, its shards scattering everywhere. With a chilling smirk, she warned, “Unless you want

doubting Rachel’s

what

tipped over a

right hand was a cherished jade

continue?”

tense moment, she conceded. “Alright, take him—but

down cautiously only after

was prudent to assume she might retract her permission at any

dozed off, resting against