Chapter 216 Natalia Was
Heartbroken
“I’m just wondering–what right do you have to make demands of me?” Rachel met his gaze head–on.
As a boss? Or an ex–boyfriend?
Brian’s expression remained impassive, but his voice carried a distinct chill.
“I’m your boss. That should be enough of an answer.”
Right.
How could a mere manager like her defy the company president?
Without so much as a glance in Brian’s direction, Rachel strode straight into the fitting room.
When she reemerged, she handed the clothes directly to Tracy.
“Have a lovely time with your secretary, my dear president.” Her tone was light but laced with sarcasm.
“Natalia, let’s go.”
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Rachel didn’t wait for a response, already making her way toward the exit.
Natalia hesitated, torn between wanting to stay longer with Brian and standing by her friend.
After a brief internal struggle, loyalty won out.
“Brian, I really do like you, but you’re being wa
too cruel to Rachel.”
With that, she turned and hurried after Rachel.
Because of what happened with the dress, Natalia couldn’t shake her unease about the party that evening.
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She sprawled on the sofa, looking utterly defeated.
Sensing her mood, Rachel spoke up. “Let’s go to the party.”
“I thought you weren’t planning to go.” Natalia tilted her head, surprised.
“I’m not,” Rachel admitted, then met her gaze. “But you want to, don’t you?”
Natalia hesitated for a moment before nodding.
Rachel reached out a hand. “Then let’s go.”
“Are you really coming with me?” Natalia asked, her eyes lighting up.
Chapter 216 Natalia Was Heartbroken
Rachel assured her. “I’ll be right there with you.”
Natalia was easy to read. Her emotions always showed on her face.
Rachel knew that if she refused, Natalia would probably back out too.
At exactly seven, they arrived on time.
The party was set at an outdoor villa, glowing with warm lights.
The air buzzed with conversation, the sound of clinking glasses blending into the hum of music.
The moment they stepped inside, Natalia’s eyes began darting around, scanning the crowd for Brian.
But with so many guests and such a vast venue, he was nowhere in sight.
“Let’s split up,” Rachel suggested. “If I spot him, I’ll text you.”
Natalia beamed. “Rachel, you’re the best!”
Rachel had barely taken a few steps when she spotted Brian.
Though the venue was filled with men, he was always the one who stood out the most.
His refined presence and effortless charm were simply unmatched. And with so many eager to curry favor with the White family, people would go to great lengths just to approach him.
So, spotting him in the crowd wasn’t difficult.
Amidst the sea of guests, Brian held a wine glass, a faint, unreadable smile playing on his lips as he effortlessly commanded attention.
The sight transported Rachel back to their university days.
Back then, he was the most sought–after man on campus, the one every girl admired and desired.
There was never a moment he wasn’t surrounded, layers upon layers of admirers forming a barrier
around him.
And Rachel? She had only ever watched from a distance, unable to get close.
She would stand there quietly, craning her neck, hoping for just a glance.
Now, years had passed. The setting had changed, but he remained at the center of it all–while she
remained unseen.
It turned out that no matter how much time had passed, she still wasn’t the one standing by his side.
They were only meant to walk part of the journey together, never the whole way.
“Natalia, I found him. Just look where the crowd’s thickest.”
“Okay! I’ll be right there.”
Natalia rushed over without hesitation.
Chapter 216 Natalia Was Heartbroken
“There he is!”
Rachel gestured toward Brian.
The moment Natalia spotted him, she lit up and dashed toward him without hesitation.
Rachel didn’t stick around. She quietly turned away, slipping outside.
Luckily, the villa was expansive, making it easy to find a secluded spot to clear her thoughts.
After two hours, judging that the party was winding down, she returned to look for Natalia.
“Rachel! Where did you go? I’ve been searching for you everywhere!”
The instant Natalia saw her, she ran up and threw her arms around her, sobbing uncontrollably.
Tears streamed down her face, her whole body trembling.
Rachel steadied her, concern knitting her brow. “What happened?”
“I… I…” Natalia hiccupped through her sobs, her breaths uneven, her eyes swollen and red.
Rachel held onto her, rubbing her back in a soothing motion. “Take a deep breath. Just tell me when
you’re ready.”
It took a while for Natalia to calm down, though her voice still wavered with emotion.
“I–I confessed to Brian… but he turned me down.”
A failed confession was painful.
Rachel knew that no words could truly ease that kind of heartbreak.
“Does he like Tracy that much? So much that nothing else matters? That he can just ignore everything?”
Her voice cracked with frustration as she wiped her tears away.
“I don’t believe it. Brian must have feelings for me. I know he does.”
She inhaled sharply, determination flaring in her eyes. “This is my last chance. If I lose this time, I swear,
I will move on him.”
Without another word, Natalia spun around and took off.
Rachel blinked, momentarily stunned, thinking she was about to confess again.
She thought that if Brian could make Natalia give up, it would be for the best.
They were never meant to be, and if Natalia forced herself between him and Tracy, she’d only end up
hurting more.
Backing out before it was too late–before she lost herself completely–would be the wisest thing she
could do.
However, Rachel’s stomach twisted uneasily as Natalia’s words echoed in her mind.
“Does he like Tracy that much? So much that nothing else matters? That he can just ignore everything?”
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Chapter 216 fiatale Visitation
A chill ran down her spine. Something wasn’t right
Without hesitation, she turned and sprinted in search of Natalia.
But by the time she found her it was already too late,
By the large swimming pool, Natalia stood rigid, her hand gripping a knife, the blade pressed against Tracy’s neck.
The steel gleamed under the lights, cold and merciless,
Her hair was a tangled mess, her face streaked with dried tears, and her swollen eyes burned with raw despair. “Brian, you rejected me because of her, didn’t you?” Her voice was unsteady, trembling on the edge of madness.
“Natalia, calm down.”
“Just say it–yes or no!” Natalia’s grip tightened, her entire body shaking as she teetered on the brink of
a breakdown.
“It has nothing to do with her. Natalia, listen to me. Put the knife down.”
Despite the gravity of the moment, Brian remained composed, his voice steady.
“No!” Natalia’s breath hitched, her chest rising and falling erratically.
“You’re lying–you’re trying to trick me!”
In her distress, her hand trembled violently, causing the knife to waver.
The blade was razor–sharp, and the slightest movement left a thin, crimson line on Tracy’s neck.
A streak of blood surfaced against her pale skin, stark and jarring under the harsh lights.
Brian’s face darkened in an instant, his eyes turning sharp with warning. “I’ll say this once more–put the knife down. Don’t do something you’ll regret.”
Natalia let out a hollow laugh, her lips curling as if daring him. “And if I don’t?”
“If you hurt her, I won’t let it slide.” Brian’s voice was deadly calm, each word edged with ice. “Even if you’re a Carpenter, you won’t be an exception.”
A cold shiver ran through the air.
“Fine. Let’s see what you’ll do.”
With a sudden, reckless motion, Natalia slashed forward. Rachel shoved through the crowd, her voice rising in desperation. “Natalia, don’t-”
But it was already too late.
