Chapter 26 He Doesn’t Truly Love You
“Did you take any medicine?” Jeffrey asked innocently.
Without a word, Rachel responded by affectionately patting his head.
Jeffrey didn’t realize that some pain couldn’t be healed by pills, especially when it came
to the matter of heart.
“You need to take your medicine just like I do. It’s important,” he urged earnestly.
Rachel smiled and nodded enthusiastically. “You’re absolutely right. You set a great
example!”
Exiting the hospital, Rachel encountered Tracy.
Dressed in a hospital gown, Tracy appeared frail yet her flushed cheeks suggested she
was less ill than she appeared.
“Hold on,” Tracy called out to her.
“Is there anything I can I do for you?” Rachel asked.
“We have to talk,” Tracy said bluntly.
“And what if I’m not interested?”
“You’ll want to hear this, I’m sure. You’re probably more eager than anyone to learn about Brian’s feelings towards me,” Tracy retorted, striking a nerve.
They settled into seats at the hospital café.
“Rachel, correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Brian propose to you on Christmas?”
Reluctantly, Rachel acknowledged the fact. “Yes, that’s right.”
“Do you realize the significance of that date?” Tracy asked with a smug air, then continued, “It’s my birthday. And it was also the day I got married to my ex–husband.
I even shared our wedding on social media that day.”
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As Rachel absorbed the words, her complexion drained slowly.
She refused to accept what she heard.
But the harsh truth stung sharply, forcing her to face it.
Tracy’s grin grew broader. “You see, Brian’s proposal was merely a vindictive move against me. Face it, Rachel. He doesn’t truly love you. He’s merely burdened by guilt. Had I not been married then, his proposal would never have happened.”
Her words sliced through Rachel, each one a precise strike that left her reeling in silent agony. In that moment, she felt utterly defeated, stripped of her power to respond.
What a cruel twist of fate.
The proposal she had cherished turned out to be nothing more than an act to spite
another woman.
How ironic.
“Rachel, just let him go. He’ll naturally drift back to my side.”
Rachel managed a scornful laugh. “If you’re so sure, why even bother with me?”
“I could easily pull him back to my side, but I thought to offer you a graceful way out,” Tracy said.
Rachel was shocked by such an obvious excuse for trying to steal someone else’s fiancé.
“Your lack of shame is astonishing.”
Tracy merely laughed off the insult. “You can say whatever you like.”
Looking up, Rachel noticed Brian approaching.
Tracy’s smile returned instantly. “Let’s put it to a test, shall we?”
“Test what exactly?”
As Tracy passed her coffee to Rachel, the cup was abruptly jostled, spilling the hot
coffee across her hand.
“You…” Rachel started, but her words were cut short as a tall figure intervened.
“What’s going on? You need to be more careful. Let me have a look,” Brian exclaimed as he examined Tracy’s hand, his voice laden with a level of concern that Rachel had
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Chapter 26 He Doesn’t Truly Love You
never witnessed directed at herself.
Rachel knew she was defeated.
“It’s okay, Brian. The coffee was just warm, really. “No need to make a big deal,” Tracy
said gently.
“Okay, just making sure you’re…” Brian started to say but stopped mid–sentence, visibly startled as he finally noticed Rachel. “Rachel, what are you doing here?”
Rachel couldn’t help but find the situation somewhat humorous,
He had instantly noticed Tracy, but he seemed only just to have seen her.
“I came to visit Jeffrey in the hospital and just ran into her by chance,” Rachel explained.
“Is jeffrey okay?”
“He’s getting better.” Rachel didn’t want to say more, eager to end the conversation and
leave.
“Your secretary still isn’t fully well; perhaps focus on her needs. I’m leaving now,” Rachel said, moving to leave.
“Hold on.” Brian caught her arm. “Why don’t we leave together?”
“Sure.”
Before leaving, she overheard Brian advising Tracy, “Remember to follow what the doctor said and stick to light meals for a while.”
He then added, looking at the table, “And cut out coffee or any other stimulants.”
“Sure,” Tracy responded, her voice dripping with sweetness.
Rachel and Brian then climbed into the car together.
The atmosphere inside was oppressively silent.
Midway through the journey, Brian broke the silence. “Rachel, can we talk?”
“Talk about what?”
“I wasn’t home last night. I know it bothered you. Given Tracy’s poor health and my role as her only friend, I felt obligated to be there. If you’re upset, I understand if you
direct it at me.”
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Was he suggesting she take her frustrations out on him? It took Rachel a moment to grasp the implication of his words. Did he really believe she had intentionally confronted Tracy?
“Do you actually think that lowly of me?”
The man sitting beside her suddenly seemed like someone she didn’t recognize.
“I’m willing to move past this, but I expect you to consider your actions more carefully
in the future,” Brian said, his voice resolute.
As they neared the company, Rachel made a request. “Ronald, could you stop the car, please?”
Ronald, caught in a moment of indecision, awaited a directive until Brian sternly said,
“Stop, and let her out.”
The moment Rachel exited, the car hastily drove off.
Later that night, Rachel stayed at work until late, not returning home until ten.
The bedroom was empty, shrouded in darkness and
erily silent
Flicking on the light, she allowed herself a quiet smile.
She had planned to work late, unsure of how to confront R..
that evening.
However, it appeared there was no need for avoidance; he hadn’t returned home.
In the middle of the night, Rachel was awakened by pain.
Lately, she had been plagued by sudden, sharp pains that sometimes escalated to almost intolerable levels.
Following such a restless night, it was only natural that Rachel felt out of sorts the next
morning.
Thankfully, a bit of makeup helped her appear more composed.
Come Monday morning, she readied her reports and made her way to the top floor.
Entering the office, she caught snippets of conversation among the secretaries. “Did you notice? Tracy and Mr. White arrived together this morning.”
“They seemed quite close, walking side by side!”
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“There’s talk that he has a girlfriend, though he’s kept it under wraps. Could Tracy be the one?”
A voice chimed in confidently, “It’s pretty clear, isn’t it? She became his secretary as soon as she got here. Who else would it be?”
Rachel typically paid no mind to rumors.
However, this time, the chatter struck a chord.
Her performance during the meeting was unusually poor, marked by glaring errors.
As the meeting concluded, Brian’s tone was cold. “The rest of you may leave. Rachel Marsh, you need to stay.”
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