Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 321:

Rachel struggled to contain her emotion as tears traced silent paths down her cheeks.

Time seemed suspended until Jeffrey’s voice broke through her fog.

“Rachel, wipe your tears,” he murmured, offering a tissue.

Glancing up, she realized her face was glistening with moisture.

Under the theater’s spotlight, her smudged makeup created dark shadows beneath her eyes.

With unexpected tenderness, Jeffrey dabbed at her tears. His movements conveyed both care and uncertainty; it was clear this was his first time comforting someone in this way.

Instead of solace, the gesture unleashed a flood of memories. Rachel recalled their childhood, when she had always been the one drying his tears.

with scrapes and cuts. Too proud to cry aloud, he would shed

had rushed

to leave the world again. She felt sorrow rise

the movie we just

Jeffrey nodded emphatically. “Yes.”

when the heroine died?” To her surprise, he

pressed, curious despite

sister said if we die, we can see Mom again. And I miss

he

the mention of their mother, Rachel’s

echoing shared pain. Though they had never known their mother from birth, their longing for her remained a constant ache, especially when witnessing

stood shorter than

often mistook her for the elder sibling by several

???? ⓐt

young boys, Jeffrey had maintained an innocent, childlike perspective on the world