Chapter 176 Pissing Tracy
Off
Just when everyone braced for the elevator to trigger an overload warning, it operated smoothly without the slightest hitch.
No beeping, no red light–just seamless movement.
Tracy’s expression darkened in an instant. Her hands, resting stiffly at her sides, curled into tight fists.
Right then, she was the only person drowning in embarrassment.
The doors slid shut, and the elevator ascended smoothly.
Seizing the perfect moment, Rachel chimed in, “Since you missed the elevator, how about a coffee instead?”
“No need,” Tracy replied through clenched teeth.
“Alright then. Wishing you better luck next time squeezing in.”
As Rachel wrapped up her words, her phone buzzed with a message from Samira. “Wasn’t I super cool just now?”
Rachel replied with a thumbs–up emoji.
“BTW, Tracy’s not getting upstairs anytime soon,” Samira added.
“Why’s that?”
“It’s peak lunch hour. The first floor is swarming with delivery guys, and the elevators are packed,” Samira explained.
Rachel couldn’t help but smile, her mood unexpectedly lightening.
Maybe today wasn’t such a bad day after all.
But just as she stepped into her office, her phone rang again.
“Hello, is this Rachel Marsh?” The caller ID was unfamiliar, but the voice was oddly recognizable.
It was none other than a classmate from her‘ university days.
“Yes, speaking.”
Upon hearing Rachel’s response, the voice on the other end lit up with excitement. “Oh wow, Rachel, it’s really you. It’s me, Elsa! Do you remember?”
“Of course, I do. How could I forget you?”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Elsa Pierce cut to the chase. “Rachel, if you’re free, would you like to grab
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Chapter 176 Pissing Tracy Off
a coffee?”
Though they had been classmates, they were never particularly close.
And there was that old saying–when a long–lost classmate suddenly reaches out, it’s rarely for a good reason.
With that in mind, Rachel remained wary.
“Sorry, Elsa, but work’s been keeping me swamped lately.”
Elsa didn’t seem too surprised by the rejection. “That’s okay. I get it. It’s been years, and I know it must seem odd for me to reach out so suddenly.”
She then let out a sigh and added, “I’ll be honest. There’s something I’d like to talk to you about. But don’t worry–it’s not about borrowing money or pitching an investment.”
Elsa took a pause before continuing, “How about this–I’ll send you something your email tonight. If it interests you, we can talk then.”
Just as she finished speaking, another call started coming through on Rachel’s phone.
Seeing Jeffrey’s name flash on the screen, Rachel’s heart tightened.
“Elsa, sorry, I’ve got to take this. Something urgent just came up.”
Without wasting a second, she switched over to Jeffrey’s call.
Jeffrey had been job hunting all morning, and Rachel had been worried sick about him.
Still, she had promised to give him space, so she hadn’t interfered.
But now that he was calling, her stomach twisted with worry.
Her palms grew clammy as she quickly picked up. “Hey, Jeffrey?” “Rachel, I got a job!”
Hearing his words, all the tension inside her instantly melted away.
“OMG, really?” Rachel’s voice was filled with surprise and excitement.
“Yes! I really found a job. I start tomorrow.”
“That’s amazing!”
That evening, when Rachel got home, she found out that Jeffrey’s new job was at a café.
His main tasks were serving coffee and cleaning tables.
The pay wasn’t high, but both of them were genuinely happy.
After all, it was an honest job.
The next morning, both siblings woke up early.
They had breakfast together, and Rachel carefully reminded Jeffrey of the things he should be mindful of at
work.
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Jeffrey grinned. “Got it! I’ll remember everything.”
“Great.”
On his first day, Rachel personally took him to the café.
Although she didn’t go inside with him, she made sure to remember the name of the café and its address.
That afternoon, just as she wrapped up her work, she received a call from an unknown number.
Assuming it was another telemarketing call, she declined it without a second thought.
But the caller was persistent, dialing three times in a row.
Eventually, Rachel picked up. “Hello?”
A lively voice came through right away. “Rachel! Finally! You answered.”
The tone sounded way too familiar, as if the caller knew her well.
Rachel frowned slightly. The voice rang a bell, but she couldn’t put a face to it.
“Sorry, who’s this?”
“Hah! I knew you’d forget me. It’s Natalia. Seriously, how do you forget your own love rival’s name? No wonder you lost to that snake, Tracy!”
Rachel pressed her fingers against her temple, unsure whether Natalia was scolding her or just taking another dig at Tracy.
Maybe it was the shared disdain for Tracy, but they clicked almost instantly. Besides, Rachel had a decent impression of Natalia from their past encounters. “Is there a reason for this call?” Rachel asked, getting straight to the point.
“Do I need a reason? I just want to see you. Let’s have afternoon tea and chat.”
“I’m still at work, though. It’s office hours.”
Natalia grinned, sensing that Rachel wasn’t outright refusing. “That’s easy. I’ll just have a word with Brian. This massive company won’t crumble without you, will it?”
“But-”
Rachel barely got a word in before Natalia made up her mind. “Great! It’s decided. I’ll come up and get you, and we’ll go see Brian together. Which floor are you on?”
Once she got the floor number, Natalia strolled into the building, still holding her phone.
She barely made it a few steps before she was stopped.
“Excuse me, miss. You’re not an employee. You need an access card to enter,” the receptionist informed her.
Annoyed, Natalia dialed Brian’s number, but he didn’t pick up.
She could have called Rachel, but she deliberately chose Brian instead.
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If he personally came down, it would set a precedent–next time, no one would dare block her way.
And she had a strong feeling this wouldn’t be her last visit.
On the third try, the call finally connected. Natalia exhaled in relief, her voice turning syrupy. “Brian…”
But on the other end of the line, Tracy gripped the phone tightly, her expression darkening. “Who the hell are
you?”
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