?Chapter 309:


    “You’ve clearly had too much to drink. Don’t wander aimlessly. Wait for Tracy to pick you up,” she instructed firmly.


    “Is that what you genuinely mean?”


    Brian’s gaze locked onto hers, his eyes cold enough to pierce through her resolve.


    Rachel met his stare with unwavering determination and nodded once.


    “Yes.”


    She turned away and made her way upstairs to her apartment.


    Once in her room, she gazed through the balcony window and spotted Brian still rooted where she had left him. Perhaps he couldn’t reconcile how the woman who had loved him unconditionally could suddenly walk away with such resolution. Or maybe the alcohol had rendered him immobile.


    Regardless, Rachel reminded herself not to soften her stance.


    She drew the curtains closed, gathered her pajamas, and headed to the bathroom.


    After a shower that stretched just beyond ten minutes, she spent additional time hand-washing several garments.


    When she ventured to the balcony to hang them, the faint patter of raindrops reached her ears.


    Initially, she dismissed the sound as her imagination and paid no mind to it.


    But as the rhythm intensified—growing louder and more insistent—she realized rain had indeed begun to fall.


    The weather forecast had predicted heavy precipitation tonight, and it proved urate.


    Rain now poured from the darkened sky.


    Her mind drifted to Brian.


    She guessed he must have departed by now. Or perhaps Tracy had already collected him.


    Rachel forced herself to banish thoughts of Brian from her mind, yet the persistent drumming of raindrops against her window disturbed her attempted slumber.


    After tossing restlessly beneath her covers, she finally surrendered, rose from the bed, and pulled back the curtain.


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    From her elevated vantage point, she could discern only sheets of heavy rain cascading downward.


    The downpour had intensified to such a degree that visibility became severely limited.


    Nevertheless, the streetmp stood bright and conspicuous through the blur, illuminating a familiar silhouette beneath it.


    It was Brian. He hadn’t left! Yet he hadn’t called her either.


    The rain grew heavier still, thunder rumbling as lightning shed across the sky.


    She didn’t need to imagine how thoroughly drenched he must be. Rachel battled fiercely with her emotions before eventually yielding to concern. She reached for her phone and dialed the security office.


    “Hello, is this the security office? I’m a resident of theplex. Not far from the entrance stands a man in a gray jacket and ck pants, wearing a tie, approximately six feet tall. He’s caught in the downpour, and his clothes arepletely soaked. Could you please bring him an umbre?”


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