Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 896:

Brian quickly filled a glass with water and gently helped Rachel sit up, carefully guiding the drink to her lips. He watched as she drank, her movements slow and unsteady.

Once finished, she didn’t lie back down as expected. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaning into him, her presence warm and unexpected.

“Rachel,” Brian whispered, his voice soft yet filled with concern. He gently shook her, trying to rouse her from her drowsy state, but she remained unresponsive.

He attempted to gently pull her hands away and leave, but she only clung to him tighter, her slender hands wrapping around his neck, anchoring herself to him as though she never wanted to let go.

The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast a soft light over her, highlighting the subtle blush on her cheeks. It made her seem even more enchanting, more delicate in that quiet moment. In truth, even in the simplest of moments, without any effort at all, Rachel had always held an undeniable pull over him. But now, with her soft, almost shy demeanor after drinking, she was utterly captivating.

“It’s a little warm… could you lower the temperature?” Rachel murmured, her voice soft and drowsy as her head rested against his shoulder.

Brian quickly adjusted the air conditioning, but despite the change, the room still felt unusually stifling. A wave of heat surged within him, an instinctive pull he couldn’t ignore.

“Still too hot,” Rachel mumbled absently, shifting her clothes in an attempt to cool herself, only deepening the heat that stirred inside Brian.noveldrama

It was then that he realized something about the room’s fragrance—it had subtly shifted, as if the very air had been infused with something that made his control slip further. Before he could stop himself, Rachel kissed him.

The desire that had been simmering beneath the surface flared to life. He didn’t resist; he couldn’t. Despite a gnawing self-reproach, a voice inside urged him forward. What if, after tonight, she chose to stay, not leave? The thought of her walking away was unbearable, and in that instant, he couldn’t fight the selfish yearning to hold onto her.

Rachel woke in the stillness of the night, her mind foggy as she glanced over at Brian, who slept soundly beside her. The weight of the situation settled over her, and she moved carefully, dressing quietly so as not to disturb him. She slipped out of the room without a word, her thoughts a swirl of confusion and unease.

Once outside the hotel, she immediately canceled her flight and boarded the midnight train. She knew, without question, that avoiding Brian was the only way forward. Neither of them seemed to know how to navigate the aftermath of what had happened, so it seemed easier to walk away. Everything could be chalked up to an unfortunate accident, an unplanned moment neither could control.

Did she harbor resentment toward Brian? As she pondered the question, she realized she couldn’t, or perhaps shouldn’t, blame him. The alcohol had clouded her memories, but bits of them returned as she sobered. She remembered drinking far too much, losing control. That led to what happened between them—something that had occurred under the influence, something neither of them had planned.

𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲: g𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀․𝖼𝗈𝗆

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