Chapter 40 Brian’s Guilty
Rachel held her silence, which prompted the nurse to reiterate her concern. “Your condition is quite serious. You’ve had a high fever for the last two days, and it hasn’t let up. It would be safest if your boyfriend could be here with you consistently.”
Shaken from her reverie by the nurse’s words, Rachel muttered in agreement, “Okay, I’ll speak with him.”
“That’s wise. Please call him as soon as you can. I’m genuinely concerned about your wellbeing,” the nurse replied.
Once her IV was set and the nurse had exited, Rachel reached for her phone and dialed
Brian.
He answered quickly, his tone revealing his fatigue. “Why are you up so late?” he asked,
his voice rough with tiredness.
“Brian, are you still with Tracy Haynes?” she inquired.
“I am. She caught a nasty fever after getting caught in the rain. I’ll visit you tomorrow,” Brian responded.
Her hand clenched around the phone, loosening and then tightening again as she
processed his words.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she struggled to find the right words to respond.
The pause during their phone call was excruciating until he finally spoke up. “If that’s all, try to rest.”
“Okay.” Her response was automatic, yet immediately she felt a pang of regret.
How could she just pretend everything was fine?
She was about to end the call but stopped herself.
“Hold on, Brian. There’s something important,” she blurted out, her words rushing to escape. “I also developed a fever last night. The doctors were really concerned–they said I went into a deep stupor. It’s pretty serious, and I really need you here.”
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Chapter 40 Brian’s Guilty
Her pulse thundered in her ears as she finished speaking, waiting anxiously for his
reaction.
She held her breath, awaiting his reply with a mixture of hope and dread.
Unexpectedly, a soft chuckle came through from Brian’s end, leaving her startled.
His laugh, cold and tinged with skepticism, rang through the line. “Rachel, playful banter and little whims between us are one thing. I can indulge and even spoil you, but not under these circumstances. You know now isn’t the time to compete for my
attention.”
At that moment, everything became painfully clear to Rachel.
What more was there to be confused about?
to
Brian believed she was fabricating her illness just to pull him away from Tracy.
Was this how he saw her? As someone manipulative enough to fake a medical emergency?
“I’m sorry for bothering you,” Rachel quickly said, disconnecting the call.
Brian didn’t visit her in the following days.
Meanwhile, Ronald was a constant presence, bringing her meals thrice daily with unwavering consistency.
On the first day, hope lingered as she asked Ronald, “Has Brian mentioned visiting?”
Ronald initially made excuses for Brian’s absence.
By the next day, she no longer held any expectations.
While having lunch, she nonchalantly inquired, “Do you think he’ll show up today?”
Ronald replied, “I’m sorry, he has been extremely busy lately.”
Busy?
A bitter laugh escaped Rachel.
Yes, busy indeed.
Busy tending to Tracy, being by her side.
As night fell, Rachel’s temperature spiked once again, refusing to decrease.
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In his panic, Ronald was about to rush to find Brian, but Rachel stopped him. “Don’t bother, Ronald.”
“But this is serious.”
“What’s the point? It’ll just lead to more disappointment,” she said, turning away, face a mask of detachment.
What good would it do to inform Brian?
her
He’d probably think she was just trying to get his sympathy, to make him pay attention
to her.
Facing disappointment after disappointment wasn’t worth it. Better to have no expectations at all.
That night, after a dangerous few hours, Rachel’s condition finally stabilized. It was well past midnight when she woke up.
For a brief moment, she thought she glimpsed Brian’s form, a faint, ghostly presence in the dim light.
When she blinked again, the figure had disappeared.
As expected, nothing was there.
It had all been in her head.
Pathetically, she was beginning to hallucinate.
The next day, as her health improved, she made the decision to leave the hospital.
Samira and Trey were there to escort her home.
By the time Brian got to her hospital room, it was empty.
“Where’s the patient who was here?” he inquired.
The nurse, recognizing him, scolded him, “You must be Rachel Marsh’s boyfriend, right? Where were you the last few days? Did you know she was suffering from high fevers and fainting spells? She faced it all by herself, terrified yet fiercely trying to stay strong.”
Brian stood rooted to the spot, struck by the nurse’s words.
“Fainting spells?”
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The nurse eyed him with disbelief. “Didn’t you know? After she fainted the first time, I urged her to contact you, to ensure you’d be with her. Didn’t she tell you?”
A sense of emptiness overwhelmed Brian as he stood motionless.
He had misunderstood the entire situation.
Rachel had genuinely suffered; she had indeed fainted and been at risk.
His reaction? Utterly inadequate.
Reflecting on his actions, he realized his grave error.
He left the hospital swiftly, trying Rachel’s number, but to no avail.
Returning home, he found it starkly empty; she wasn’t there.
She had been out with Jeffrey and didn’t return until it was quite late.
The villa was enveloped in silence, with no lights illuminating the living room.
Rachel thought Brian had not yet returned home.
Worn out, she headed straight for their bedroom.
Upon opening the bedroom door, she was greeted by the unexpected glow of the light
inside.
Suddenly, she was encircled by strong arms, and Brian’s scent enveloped her.
Previously, such a surprise would have warmed her heart.
Tonight, however, her heart felt nothing.
Brian’s pattern of causing heartache followed by a tender gesture had become too
familiar.
In the past, his sweetness masked the pain.
But now, the pain was razor–sharp, crashing over her like a wave she couldn’t escape.
Every breath felt like a blade cutting through her, leaving her heart torn and exposed.
The sweetness no longer mattered to her.
“Are you tired?” Brian’s voice was soft.
Rachel was indeed exhausted, too much so to even resist his embrace.
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“Yes, I need to sleep. I’m going to shower first,” she said.
“Okay, go ahead.”
After shower, Rachel collapsed into bed, seeking solace in sleep.
But soon, Brian slid into bed behind her, holding her close.
His body wash’s woody scent enveloped her, nearly overwhelming.
Silent, Rachel kept her eyes shut.
Brian’s kisses trailed up her neck, gentle yet persistent.
She offered no resistance, and his confidence grew.
His lips finally reached her ear, kissing it softly before playfully catching her earlobe between his teeth. “Why didn’t you tell me how sick you were, that you’d passed out?
I didn’t realize it was so bad. Are you mad at me? Do you blame me?”
Requiem of A Broken Heart
