Chapter 27 Why Is It So
Hard To Make That Clear
As the door clicked shut, Brian stepped forward. “Are you feeling unwell?”
Rachel instinctively took a step back, shaking her head. “No.”
“Really?” Brian frowned. “You look distracted.”
“I was just thinking about Jeffrey’s custody case. It’s been on my mind,” Rachel replied, casually offering an excuse to deflect his concern.
“Eric is an expert in this field. Leaving it to him should be fine.” Brian reassured her, his voice steady.
“I hope so. If there’s nothing else, I’ll get back to work.”
When had things between them grown so distant?
A dull ache settled in Brian’s chest, an inexplicable irritation gnawing at him.
Rachel’s steps slowed as she reached the door.
She turned around, her eyes serious as they locked onto Brian’s. “Earlier, when I arrived, I overheard some rumors floating around the office. They were saying Tracy is your girlfriend.”
Brian was caught off guard for a brief moment before his expression quickly returned to
its usual calm.
His cold, chiseled features gave nothing away.
“It’s just office gossip. People will always talk,” he said evenly. “If you know it’s just a rumor, don’t let it get to you. Rachel, I’ve told you before–Tracy and I are just friends. Now, we simply have a superior–subordinate relationship. Nothing more.”
Brian’s explanation left no room for doubt.
Rachel took a slow, steady breath.
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Chapter 27 Why Is It So Hard To Make That Clear
After a long pause, she finally spoke. “If you’re just friends, why is it so hard to make
that clear?”
“It wouldn’t be hard,” Brian said, his cool gaze steady. “I just don’t see the point.”
Rachel nodded. “I understand.”
His stance couldn’t have been clearer.
Even if she pressed him for more, what difference would it make?
Without another word, she turned and walked out.
When she stepped into her office, she found Tracy already there, waiting.
Her poised stance and unreadable smile made it clear she had come with intent.
“What do you want?” Rachel asked, her voice cold, making no effort to be polite.
Tracy’s smile brightened as she handed her an invitation.
“The company is throwing me a welcome party today. Brian arranged it himself. I wanted to invite you personally.”
Rachel’s lips curved into a faint, icy smile.
“To watch and Brian flaunt your affection? Or to play the unwanted third wheel?”
Tracy’s purpose was painfully obvious–she wasn’t here to invite her. She was here to
make a statement.
Rachel’s response was cutting as she tossed the invitation straight into the trash.
“How dare you?” Tracy’s face darkened with fury. “Rachel, you really don’t appreciate my kindness, do you?”
“A kindness as fake as yours? I don’t need it,” Rachel snapped, leaving Tracy momentarily speechless, her expression twisting in anger.
“Well, I’ve done my part and delivered the invitation. Whether you show up or not is your choice,” Tracy said, her voice dripping with mock sympathy.
“But Rachel, unless you see it for yourself–how Brian treats me, how he spoils me- how will you ever let go?”
Tracy’s words struck like a blade, cutting deep.
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Chapter 27 Why Is It So Hard To Make That Clear
Just as Rachel reached for her water, a sharp, searing pain knifed through her chest and
stomach.
The sudden intensity stole her breath, the sensation spreading like wildfire through her
body.
She slumped forward, pressing her hands against her abdomen, trying to steady her breathing, but the pain only tightened its grip.
Her vision blurred, her body cold with discomfort.
Just then, Samira walked in.
Catching sight of Rachel’s pale face and hunched form, she rushed over. “What’s wrong? You look awful! Should I call Mr. White?”
Knowing the bond between Rachel and Brian, Samira’s first instinct was to reach out to
him.
“No, don’t bother him,” Rachel said weakly. “It’s just a stomachache. Just get me some
medicine.”
Samira hurried back with the medicine.
After taking it, Rachel lay down on the sofa, exhaustion settling over her like a heavy
blanket.
“Rest well. I’ll inform everyone not to disturb you,” Samira said gently.
“Thank you,” Rachel murmured.
Once Samira left, sleep pulled her under, her mind slipping into a hazy dreamscape.
Memories rushed in, vivid and consuming.
The day Brian had pulled her from the swimming pool, she had fallen for him instantly.
From that moment on, she had gathered every detail about him, watching from the shadows, never daring to step into his light.
Wherever he went, she found an excuse to be there too.
Even if she never spoke to him, just catching a fleeting glimpse of him was enough to
make her heart race.
But to Brian, she had been invisible.
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Chapter 27 Why Is It So Hard To Make That Clear
And yet, she never minded. Loving him in silence had been enough.
Her only stroke of luck had been attending the same high school as him.
But Brian was a star–brilliant, admired, effortlessly excelling in everything.
Rachel, on the other hand, struggled. Her only strength was literature. Numbers had never made sense to her. He was at the top, she was at the bottom.
Even though they existed in the same school, their worlds had never once overlapped.
Her only chance to see him was during lunch and dinner breaks.
Brian’s classroom was on the fifth floor, while hers was on the second.
That meant he had to pass by the second floor on his way to the cafeteria.
But the school had multiple staircases, and they never used the same one.
To catch a glimpse of him, Rachel would sneak over to the staircase and wait.
Blending into the crowd of students from other classes, she would steal glances at him
from afar.
Sometimes, luck was on her side, and she’d get close enough to take in the sharp lines
of his face.
In those moments, her heart would race, and she’d clutch her chest, barely able to
contain the rush of excitement.
Other times, she wasn’t as fortunate and could only watch the back of his head as he disappeared down the stairs.
Even then, she felt content.
Those fleeting seconds of watching him descend the steps became her greatest
motivation throughout her sophomore year.
But when she entered her senior year, Brian had already left for college,
Their paths would never cross again.
She had cried beneath her blanket for three days and nights, forgetting to eat.
By the time she fainted from hunger and was rushed to the hospital, she thought her youth, her silent love, and all her dreams had ended.
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Chapter 27 Why Is It So Hard To Make That Clear
Brian’s stellar grades meant he was destined for the country’s top universities.
But with her mediocre performance, even sleepless nights buried in textbooks wouldn’t
get her there.
Then, a month later, she heard something unbelievable.
Brian had rejected offers from elite universities, choosing instead to enroll in a key university in their city.
For him, it was a devastating fall from grace.
Everyone assumed he had failed his exams.
Rachel thought so too.
She didn’t know whether to feel relieved or sad.
Relieved because, for the first time, she might have a chance to attend the same school
as him.
Sad because the boy she admired so deeply hadn’t reached the future he deserved.
Her chest tightened at the thought.
Still, she kept watching him from the shadows, until one day, she saw Brian with his arms wrapped around a girl with a ponytail.
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