Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 509:

Her gaze met his—steady, clear, and heartbreakingly distant. It was as though she were speaking about someone else’s story, not her own.

Brian felt a lump in his throat, rendering him momentarily speechless.

Rachel, sensing his discomfort, shifted the topic with gentle resolve. “Thank you for managing the situation with the trending topics. I know it was the PR department, but it was your instructions that set it in motion. And I also know you did it to shield Carol from unnecessary worry. But anyway, I still owe you thanks.”

A bitter, almost rueful smile tugged at the corners of Brian’s mouth, but his eyes were distant, betraying a deeper turmoil. “What if I told you it wasn’t just about my grandma?”

Rachel’s confusion was palpable. “What do you mean?”

She looked at him more intently now, searching his face for some clue, but his expression was guarded, unreadable.

ever considered that maybe I helped you because I wanted to? And I couldn’t stand watching you get pushed around? Maybe I did it simply because I felt it was

a flicker of emotion crossing her face before she masked

darkened slightly, but his words remained steady. “I’m not trying to make

chuckle. “That’s not something to joke about.

a response, she turned away, pulling the blanket up around herself, trying to shut out the conversation

efforts to focus on the soothing quiet of the room, Brian remained there, standing behind her. His presence was too close, too palpable. The weight of his gaze felt like a quiet pressure, as if he were searching for something in the stillness

Brian’s voice broke through the silence. Rachel, unwilling to let the tension stretch any further, turned slightly, her voice calm but resolute.

lingered for a moment before he spoke

well. If you need anything, don’t

complete darkness when I sleep. If that’s

He turned off the lights, plunging the room into a thick, enveloping darkness. The absence of light made the world feel distant, almost unreal, the air heavy with a calm that neither

to breathe in the quiet,