Chapter 137 He Knew Everything
Rachel’s words cast a glacial shadow over Brian, chilling the air around him.
The frigidity even seeped into Doris’s skin, triggering an involuntary shiver.
“What work could possibly be so crucial that it warrants skipping your lunch break?”
Brian’s voice sliced through the atmosphere with unmistakable authority.
Rachel tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and responded with deliberate softness, “I’m not actually skipping lunch. I’ll simply grab something quick on my way.”
“Get in the car.” Brian’s command hung in the air, crystalline and unyielding.
“I’m sorry, but this work matter requires my immediate attention,” Rachel explained, her lips drawing into a thin line as she met his gaze.
They remained rooted in place, locked in a wordless battle of wills.
“Delegate it to someone else. Get in the car now,” Brian reiterated, his tone brooking no argument.
Rachel’s lips tightened further as she clenched her fists, emotions churning within her chest like a turbulent sea. The bitter discomfort of the situation brought unwelcome tears to her eyes. Her feet seemed transformed into lead, immovable and anchored to the spot.
“Doris, you get out,” Brian suddenly directed.
Doris was startled at his instruction, but upon noting the determination etched across his features, she
complied without protest.
The moment she stepped out, Brian emerged from the vehicle as well.
In one fluid motion, he grasped Rachel’s arm with purposeful firmness.
“What are you doing? Release me!” Her voice trembled violently with indignation.
Without uttering a word, he lifted her and deposited her into the car. As she attempted to rise, he swiftly pulled her onto his lap, securing her waist with unwavering hands.
Forced to sit facing him, their eyes aligned on the same level. Her breath escaped in angry bursts, its warmth ghosting across his face.
The atmosphere crackled with tension, yet his grip remained resolute, holding her firmly in place.
“No matter how urgent your work is, it can wait until we’ve shared lunch together!”
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“I’m not hungry,” she protested.
“Then simply watch me eat.”
Tears welled in Rachel’s eyes, reddening them with frustration. In her view, he was always forceful, never considering how his actions affected her.
“Brian…” Doris, standing outside, finally intervened, her voice laden with grievance. “Where should I sit?”
“You take the front,” Brian replied.
Doris hesitated. “But I want to sit with you.”
Rachel seized the opportunity. “Since she’s so eager to be with you, I’ll sit in the front.”
It had been nearly a week since they’d last seen each other, and Rachel still hadn’t reconciled her feelings. She remained uncertain how to navigate his presence.
Brian grasped her again, his warning unmistakable. “Don’t entertain thoughts of leaving me.”
Recognizing the futility of her protest, Doris reluctantly claimed the front passenger seat.
During the drive, Brian turned to Rachel. “What would you like for lunch?”
“Whatever,” she replied dismissively.
Doris interjected eagerly, “Brian, I’m craving something spicy.”
Rachel lifted her eyelids slightly. “My stomach has been troublesome lately–I can’t handle spicy food.”
“Then perhaps we could try that new restaurant with curry dishes,” Doris suggested. “I’ve heard their ingredients are exceptional.”
“I apologize, but curry doesn’t agree with me,” Rachel countered.
Her opposition today seemed deliberate, though it wasn’t entirely intentional. Her stomach truly couldn’t tolerate spicy food, and she genuinely disliked curry.
From the front seat, Doris began a tearful lament. “Brian, I’m sorry. I don’t understand what I’ve done to earn her dislike. If my presence is unwelcome, I can leave.”
She glanced toward Ronald and said, “Stop the car.”
Brian hastened to reassure her. “You’ve misunderstood. If spicy food is what you desire, then spicy food we
shall have.”
Doris brightened immediately. “Brian, do you truly mean that?”
“Of course,” he confirmed with a nod before turning back to Rachel. “Doris rarely makes requests. Let’s indulge in spicy food today, and afterward, I’ll take you wherever you wish to eat.”
His words sounded like negotiation, but his mind was already made up.
Rachel said nothing, gazing out the window while a cold numbness spread through her heart. She understood the futility of objection. Brian would invariably prioritize Doris above all else.
Despite being his girlfriend, Rachel felt eclipsed by someone who wasn’t even family, someone who had been
Chapter 137 He Knew Everything
absent for years while she remained faithfully by his side almost daily.
They arrived at the restaurant shortly thereafter.
The noon hour had not yet drawn crowds, allowing them to secure a private dining room overlooking the
street.
Once settled, Doris attached herself to Brian’s side, regaling him with workplace anecdotes that ranged from amusing to frustrating and everything between.
Rachel sat in isolation, maintaining her silence until Doris deliberately drew her into conversation. “Rachel, have you encountered anything interesting at work recently?”
Recalling the complaints several female colleagues had shared days earlier, Brian tensed immediately.
To his evident disappointment, Rachel merely shook her head with deliberate lightness. “Just the usual routine -nothing worth mentioning.”
Brian’s gaze intensified, his tone dropping to a glacial register. “Is it truly nothing, or are you simply withholding information?”
“Truly nothing,” she replied.
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet with those words.
The server arrived with their meal shortly afterward.
Rachel glanced at the dishes only to discover they were liberally studded with chilies, far too spicy for her
current health to tolerate.
S
Unwilling to compromise her wellbeing, she rose decisively from her chair. “You two enjoy. I have pressing matters to attend to and need to leave.”
“Sit down!” Brian’s voice cut through the air like a frozen blade.
“I explicitly told you I cannot handle spicy food. If this is what you wish to eat, proceed without me. Why insist on my presence?” Rachel snapped, clutching her purse and moving toward the exit.
“Is that so? You can embrace and cuddle with another man, but you cannot share a meal with me?” Brian’s unexpected accusation stopped her mid–stride.
She turned slowly, disbelief etched across her features. “What did you just say?” Her eyes widened, unblinking, as she demanded, “I want you to repeat that.”
“A few days ago, at the company–who carried you to the car? What? Do I need to reiterate the question?”
In that devastating moment, the composed façade Rachel had carefully maintained shattered completely.
Her heart splintered like delicate glass, fragmenting into countless pieces.
The realization crashed over her in waves: he knew everything.
Yet despite this knowledge, he had allowed Juliet to strike and humiliate her without intervention.
