Chapter 136 Brian
Returned
“I’m quite happy,” Rachel said, her voice betrayed a lack of conviction to Brian.
Previously, her happiness would be evident in her voice alone, no need for declarations.
Brian added, “Can you pick me up from the airport when I get back?”
“Sure.”
After the call, a profound emptiness washed over Brian, as if his heart, heavy as stone, was plummeting.
Five days passed, and Rachel had not initiated any communication with Brian. Brian himself resisted the urge to
call, lifting his phone only to set it aside again and again. Thus, there was no contact between them.
Ronald called Rachel. “Ms. Marsh, Mr. White’s flight lands tomorrow at noon.” His approach was thorough; he
not only notified her but also sent all necessary details about Brian’s return.
“Okay, I got it.”
As Ronald caught Brian’s gaze, he swiftly inquired, “Will you be there to pick him up?”
“Maybe.”
Ronald noted the briefness of her response.
He was about to inquire further, but Rachel interrupted, “I’m currently tied up. I need to go.”
The call ended abruptly.
Right after Ronald disconnected, he found himself under a probing stare. “What was her response?”
“She acknowledged the information,” Ronald answered, sensing the tension escalate.
Brian’s expression grew tense, his brow knitting together. “Is that it? She didn’t confirm she’d come for me?”
Caught in an uncomfortable position, Ronald hesitated. Rachel’s tone left doubt about her intention to appear.
Under Brian’s penetrating stare, Ronald kept his thoughts to himself, fearing to provoke further.
Brian’s impatience was evident as he drummed his fingers against the tabletop.
He paused, then instructed Ronald, “Try calling her again to ensure she remembers.”
“Understood.”
However, Rachel didn’t respond to Ronald’s ensuing calls. Despite several attempts, each call went unanswered.
Ronald finally suggested, “Sir, perhaps she might respond to you instead of me, even if I were to call ten more
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times.
Brian dismissed him with a gesture. “That’s enough, you can go.”
Once outside, Ronald exhaled deeply, casting a concerned look back at the shut door.
Brian’s stubbornness was legendary. Both he and Rachel were entrenched in their positions, neither prepared to yield or reach out first. Their mutual longing remained unacknowledged.
Yet in matters of the heart, compromise was crucial; without it, things might never resolve…
Ronald refrained from contemplating the what–ifs,
The following day, as the aircraft touched down, Brian deactivated airplane mode. He immediately checked for new messages. Disappointment set in, the message he was anticipating wasn’t there. His face hardened.
Stepping off the plane, he questioned Ronald, “Did you definitely tell her I was coming back today?”
Ronald nodded. “Yes, I explicitly stated it.”
“And the time? Could there have been a mistake?”
“Yes and no. I informed her eleven this morning, which was fifteen minutes prior to our actual landing.”
Brian found himself at a loss for words. All the details had been correctly relayed. Yet, there was no message
from Rachel.
With a sense of emptiness, Brian proceeded through the terminal, his cold expression ensuring no one dared
approach.
Ronald trailed behind, handling the baggage.
The terminal buzzed with a lively crowd, adorned in a field of vibrant attire.
Brian’s eyes swept over the assembly, searching for Rachel to no avail.
His frustration mounting, he was about to exit when a vibrant call stopped him.
“Brian!”
Doris, clad in a light yellow dress adorned with floral patterns and topped with a hat, rushed toward him.
Brian was taken by surprise as she threw her arms around him. Her embrace was firm, pulling him close.
“Brian, it’s wonderful you’re back. I’ve missed you terribly. Why didn’t you inform me of your return? I would
have remained unaware if not for Debby,” Doris lightly scolded, yet her grip did not loosen.
From nearby, Ronald interjected, “Ms. Marsh, you made it!”
Brian glanced over and caught sight of Rachel just a few steps away. She was clad in a white dress, which highlighted her radiant complexion. In her flat shoes, she stood silently, her slender frame almost blending into the background unless one looked intently.
“Rachel…” Brian said, swiftly loosening Doris’s grip on him, though she resisted initially.
He had to exert a little more effort. “Doris, please release me. It’s not fitting for you to hold on like this.”
Doris’s face fell into a pout, her displeasure evident.
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However, confronted with Brian’s stern look, she slowly withdrew her hands. Then, she quickly linked her arm through his and faced Rachel with a challenging stare. “Rachel, everyone knows how generous and forgiving you are. You wouldn’t be jealous of this, right?”
Her grin was daring and defiant as she gauged Rachel’s reaction.
Yet today, Rachel wasn’t in the mood to entertain her. With a mild smile, she responded, “Of course, it’s completely natural, given that he’s like a brother to you.”
Doris’s grin broadened, but Rachel continued, “It’s nothing like those over–the–top dramas on TV. Why would it
make me jealous?”
Brian sensed an undertone in her remarks but chose not to comment.
Meanwhile, Doris’s expression hardened, her smile disappearing.
As they exited together, Doris maintained her grip on Brian’s arm, while Rachel excused herself to answer a phone call.
She moved forward, distancing herself from the discomforting scene, worried she might lose her composure.
When they reached the car, Brian and Doris took the back seat.
Ronald called Rachel and said, “Ms. Marsh, please join us in the car!”
“No, thank you. I have errands to run, and I’m heading in a different direction. I’ll take a taxi. Go on without
me.”
