?Chapter 113:


    “In that case, I’ll share the meal with Jeffrey.”


    Rachel’s surrender came with a resigned nod. “Fine!” She recognized the futility of resistance. Brian knew how to make her surrender.


    When Rachel arrived at the branch office, Samira rushed to meet her, concern etched across her features. “Rachel, Trey hasn’te in today. I’ve tried calling repeatedly, but there’s no response. Did something happen yesterday?”


    Yesterday? The word triggered fragments of memory. She recalled drinking with Kern, the alcohol proving stronger than anticipated, eventually pulling her into unconsciousness.


    Logic suggested Trey must have escorted her back to her room afterward.


    Yet when consciousness returned, she found Brian beside her instead. The sequence of events refused to align properly in her mind, like pieces of a puzzle with crucial sections missing. Brian appeared to be the only one holding all the answers, leaving her little choice but to ept his lunch invitation today.


    As the clock struck noon, Rachel arrived at the address Brian had provided, her bag clutched tightly. The venue before her was renowned as an exclusive sanctuary for the elite, a ce where even substantial wealth couldn’t guarantee entry.


    Yet surprisingly, an unusual stillness permeated the space as she entered. Following the server along a crimson carpet, she suddenly found herself immersed in an ethereal disy. Rose petals descended from above in a mesmerizing cascade, transforming the moment into something out of a dream. Countless petals drifted through the air, settling gently in her hair and across her shoulders, their soft touch like whispered promises.


    The entire restaurant had metamorphosed into an enchanted garden, petals dancing through the air in an endless waltz of crimson and pink.


    From the sweeping spiral staircase, Brian descended with measured grace, hismanding presence softened by the romantic setting. He paused before her, the consummate gentleman, and extended his hand with deliberate slowness.


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    “Rachel…” Her name emerged as a caress from his lips.


    In all their time together, she had never witnessed this side of him. The thought that he would orchestrate such an achingly romantic gesture for her seemed impossible until this very moment.


    Denying its effect on her heart would have been futile. Yet she despised how easily her resolve could crumble in the face of such gestures.


    “Come on, stay strong. Don’t let this momentary romance erase everything that’s happened!” her inner voice rallied against the sweetness of the moment. She spun around, her feet carrying her instinctively toward the exit.


    She couldn’t allow her heart to soften. This beautiful moment couldn’t erase the image of Jeffrey’s suicide attempt.


    “Rachel…” Brian’s voice followed her retreat, his footsteps echoing behind her. Her pace quickened with each step he took, their dance of pursuit leading them to the overpass.


    In her haste, her heel betrayed her, slipping against the smooth surface and sending her lurching forward.


    Terror seized Rachel’s heart as her hand desperately reached for the railing. But distance and gravity conspired against her—the barrier remained just beyond her grasp.


    She squeezed her eyes shut, sending up a silent prayer that the fall wouldn’t prove severe.


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