Chapter 179 He Was Actually Worried About…
“Didn’t expect you here. You should’ve told me you were coming,” Brian said.
Natalia crossed her arms, pouting. “I did call, but your dear secretary decided I wasn’t important enough to let through.”
Tracy froze, momentarily at a loss for words.
So, this was really Natalia Carpenter. There was no mistaking it now.
“What’s going on?” Brian turned to look at them.
Tracy quickly stepped forward, putting on a forced smile. “Brian, it’s my mistake. People are always trying to meet you–some you don’t even know–so I assumed she was just another one of them.”
It sounded like a reasonable excuse.
“So I… I just…” Tracy’s voice faded, laced with just the right amount of pity, as if she were on the verge of tears. She turned to Natalia, her voice soft and pitiful. “Miss Carpenter, I’m so sorry. It was all my fault. If it’ll make you feel better, you can slap me again if you want.”
Natalia found her words utterly disgusting. This wasn’t an apology; it was a performance for sympathy.
Natalia scoffed and gave Tracy a cold look. “What’s with the act? You just want to cry about how I hit you, right? Fine, I’ll say it outright–I hit you because I felt like it. So what? If you’ve got the guts, hit me back.”
Tracy gasped and ducked behind Brian, shrinking into herself.
“Brian, that’s not what I meant,” Tracy said, her voice trembling just enough to sound pitiful. “Miss Carpenter, 1 apologize if I said anything wrong and upset you. Please don’t be mad. I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble between you and Brian.”
Natalia planted her hands on her hips, simmering with irritation.
She had heard of Tracy’s antics, but seeing them firsthand was a different experience.
And today had been a real eye–opener.
Tracy was really an artist when it came to playing the victim.
Natalia realized she had miscalculated. She had assumed this would be easy. Playing innocent for sympathy? Anyone could do that. Even she had pulled that trick on her father more times than she could count. If it was a performance Tracy wanted, she was happy to give her a show.
Without missing a beat, Natalia took a step forward, linking her arm through Brian’s and softening her voice.
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Chapter 179 He Was Actually Worried About Her
“I won’t deny it. I hit her. But only because she insulted me and hit me first. And look-” she touched her cheek with a small pout. “It’s still red. My dad’s taking me to a party tomorrow… If he sees this, he’s going to be furious.”
Brian pieced it together after hearing both sides.
So, they’d both thrown hands, but Tracy had been the instigator.
Tracy’s face drained of color while Natalia shot her a playful smirk, taunting her.
“Brian, you have to stand up for me. If my face gets ruined, my dad might…”
Natalia paused for effect, then cast Tracy a knowing look. “My dad might cut your face with a knife.”
Tracy was undoubtedly shaken by those words, but she didn’t let them get to her. She assumed Natalia was merely bluffing. Even so, she quickly apologized, saying, “I’m sorry, Natalia…”
“Only my friends get to call me Natalia. What makes you think you’re one of them?”
Tracy’s face darkened at her remark, but she swallowed her pride and bowed deeply.
“I’m sorry, Miss Carpenter. I take full responsibility. I shouldn’t have hung up on you, and I had no right to hit you.”
Natalia sat back down, taking a slow, deliberate bite of her cupcake. “But the problem remains–I’m still very upset.”
“Just tell me what I can do to make amends. I’ll do whatever you say.”
Tracy wasn’t naive. She knew that the more she humbled herself now, the more sympathy she’d gain from Brian later. A little humiliation now was a small price to pay for a bigger win.
“I take after my dad–merciless and never leaving debts unpaid. I prefer to settle matters right away, so…”
Without another word, she picked up her glass of coffee and dumped it over Tracy’s head.
The liquid soaked her hair, ran down her face, and dripped onto her neck before seeping into her clothes and pooling on the floor.
She stood there, drenched and miserable, looking every bit like a drowned rat.
It was almost enough to make someone pity her–almost.
“Well, that helped a little,” Natalia said, dusting off her hands as if she’d just completed a chore.
“As long as you are satisfied,” Tracy replied, forcing a tight–lipped smile.
Suddenly, she wobbled unsteadily, nearly collapsing.
Brian caught her just in time. “Go get changed and clean yourself up,” he said.
“Okay,” she mumbled before making a swift exit
Natalia smirked before turning to Rachel “Come on, let’s go.”
“Sure”
“Hold on. Rachel Marsh, stay here. Ronald, take Natalia for a walk outside. I need a private word with Rachel,”
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Chapter 179 He Was Actually Worried About Her
Brian interjected.
A private word? Was he about to have a conversation with her—or was this a scolding?
Rachel didn’t understand why he had let Natalia go unchecked, but she could see his concern for Tracy was
real.
“Alright then!” Natalia pouted, switching back to her playful act as she walked off with Ronald.
Now, it was just Brian and Rachel in the room.
The air was thick with tension, and Rachel found herself stepping back instinctively.
“Why are you standing so far away? Afraid I’ll bite?” Brian asked, a trace of displeasure in his tone.
“You’re funny. You’re my boss, and I’m just keeping things professional.”
Brian let out a short snort. Was she trying to put distance between them? If so, she’d find it wasn’t that simple —not unless he allowed it.
“Did you bring Natalia in?” Brian asked abruptly.
Rachel met his gaze. “And if I did? Are you saying it’s my fault she went after your secretary?”
Brian blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “That’s not what I was getting at,” he clarified.
Now Rachel was the one caught off guard. Wasn’t he blaming her?
“Then what is it?” she asked, still confused.
“They both threw punches. Are you alright?”
“I stayed out of it.”
“That’s not what I meant. I was asking if you’re hurt.”
Rachel was stunned into silence. So he hadn’t kept her back to reprimand her–he was actually worried about her?
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