Requiem of a Broken Heart

Chapter 676:

Having raised Brian herself, Carol saw through his confusion and sorrow with startling clarity. She understood his heart and turmoil better than anyone else could.

Brian met Carol’s gaze and nodded firmly. “Alright. I give you my word.” He then showed her Rachel’s photos.

Carol smiled in agreement but chose not to mention that Rachel had already sent her those photos earlier.

While Rachel was away, the person she thought about the most was Carol. No matter how busy she was, she made sure to call Carol every night, chatting about her day and sharing little moments from her trip.

Whenever she came across something interesting or beautiful, she would take a picture and send it right away, wanting Carol to feel like she was experiencing it with her.

That evening, Brian had dinner with Carol and then took a stroll with her in the garden.

Their conversation flowed easily, and time slipped by in a peaceful, comforting way.

As the clock neared eight—Rachel’s usual time to call—Carol realized Rachel wasn’t ready to see Brian yet.

Wanting to avoid any awkwardness, Carol came up with a reason and gently sent him away.

“I’m getting sleepy. Walk me to my room,” she said casually.

“Of course. Let me help you,” Brian said, steadying her.

Once she was in her room, she turned up her phone’s volume, making sure she wouldn’t miss Rachel’s call.

But tonight felt different.

Thirty minutes passed, and Rachel still hadn’t called.

Growing uneasy, she dialed Rachel’s number, but there was no response. Worry crept into her heart as she tried calling again, but every attempt went unanswered.

Her concern deepened. “This isn’t like Rachel. She always calls on time. She promised she would. Could something have happened?”

Hector gently tried to reassure her. “Maybe she’s just in a place with bad reception, or her phone battery died. Let’s not assume the worst. Get some rest, and if she…”

“Still doesn’t respond tomorrow, we’ll ask Brian to check on her.” She bobbed her head. “That makes sense. But if we send Brian without telling her first, she might not like it.”

“You should try to get some sleep. Staying up too late isn’t good for you,” Hector said as he adjusted her pillow and helped her lie down.

It was a long night.

What Carol didn’t realize was that her instincts had been right—Rachel was indeed in a dire situation.

Outside the emergency room, Jeffrey had never experienced a night that felt this unbearably long. Every second crawled by, stretching into what felt like an eternity.

It had been five agonizing hours since the ambulance rushed Rachel to the hospital, and still, there was no news.

.

.

.noveldrama