Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled

Chapter 444

I found myself at a loss for words.

There was a time I was hopelessly in love with Neil, so much so that nobody could talk me out of it. Even when Neil explicitly told me he didn’t fancy me, I held onto the belief that time would reveal true feelings.

Could it be that Russel’s feelings for me were just like mine for Neil all those years ago?

That would be disastrous. How could I face it?

After all, I’m not Neil. I couldn’t be that heartless.

“Hmm?” Russel prompted, noticing my silence. “Why aren’t you answering?”

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to answer, I just couldn’t.

Serena and Brandon seemed to sense my discomfort, crying in unison. Seizing the opportunity to escape, I went to check on them. As suspected, they needed a diaper change.

After swiftly changing their diapers, my phone, which was sitting on the table, started ringing.

Russel glanced at the caller ID before handing it to me. “It’s your friend.”

I took the phone, expecting to see Stella or one of the others. To my surprise, it was Kitty.

I hadn’t heard from Kitty in a long time. I didn’t expect her to reach out. She had disappeared for a while due to her father’s sudden illness. I wasn’t aware of what had happened since.

I answered the call.

“Irene, do you still remember me?” Kitty’s voice wasn’t as vibrant and cheerful as it used to be. Instead, it held a strange melancholy.

“Of course I remember. But we haven’t been in touch for a while. What’s up?” I asked.

“Well, I need a favor.” Kitty did indeed have a reason for calling.

I thought it was about Neil, but I was mistaken.

After roughly ten minutes, I understood what Kitty wanted.

Her father, Daniel Wilson, hadn’t fully recovered. His condition was critical, and even seeking treatment abroad hadn’t yielded favorable results. Kitty had heard about Karina’s reputation and wanted to seek her help.

However, Karina had returned to her job at a new hospital, still specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, and no longer treating complex diseases privately. Despite Kitty’s multiple attempts to reach out, Karina remained elusive. Kitty had also approached Neil, but he hadn’t given a definitive response.

This surprised me. Could Neil be so cold-hearted? He wouldn’t even help Kitty, who had been nothing but loyal to him.

“Well…” I hesitated, unsure of what to do. Did she expect me to approach Karina?

Given Karina’s animosity towards me, seeking her help would be nothing short of a fool’s errand.

“Irene, I know this is difficult for you. I’m aware of the situation between Karina, Neil, and you. Based on her attitude towards you, it’s probably similar to Bonnie’s. But I’m desperate.” Kitty sighed heavily. “I was hoping you could help me approach…”

I didn’t need Kitty to finish the sentence. I knew what she was implying.

She wanted me to reach out to Neil on her behalf. Since her attempts had been unsuccessful, maybe my intervention could yield different results.

But I couldn’t do it. Back when my family company was still operational, and we were collaborating with her family, I might have agreed to help out of obligation or reason. But now that my family company had been transferred to someone else, I was merely Kitty’s friend with no economic ties. I wouldn’t approach Neil for her.

If I did, I would owe Neil a favor that I could never repay.

“Kitty, I’m sorry. I can’t help you with this.” I replied regretfully. “I’ve completely severed ties with Neil. Besides, he has Karina and their child now. It wouldn’t be right for me to ask him for a favor.”

The last time I negotiated with Neil was for Stella’s sake. I couldn’t sit by and do nothing because Stella and I share a deep bond.

There was a moment of silence from Kitty’s end, after which she said, “Okay, I understand your decision. Sorry for bothering you, Irene.”

After hanging up, I felt a bit heavy-hearted, as if I had been too cold-hearted.

But I couldn’t afford to trap myself in a dilemma./

Despite Kitty’s seemingly bold and carefree personality and her seemingly distant relationship with her father, she was actually a very filial person. She was now caught in the emotional bonds between father and daughter, even going so far as to seek help from others.

That phone call disrupted my mood. After eating a bit, I found an excuse to take Serena and Brandon home.

Russel helped me carry Yara back to my place before leaving.

He had always been perceptive, aware that I wasn’t in the best of moods. The question he had asked me earlier was nearly impossible to answer. The answer I had been searching for over the past decade was one he couldn’t find either.

A wave of melancholy washed over me.

Looking down at Serena and Brandon in the car I murmured “Davou

“Ms. Finch, what kind of question is that?” Norah, who had just washed some fruits, spoke up after hearing my mumble. “What child doesn’t need a father? I’ve taken care of many children, and those without fathers always seem to lack something. Especially when they start school and people start asking about their parents. Some even get bullied.”

Norah’s words only added to my grief. Was I not aware of this? I was just struggling to find a solution!

I couldn’t choose between Neil and Russel.

Just as I was agonizing over this, Stella’s voice echoed from the yard, “Rena, I’m back!”

“Stella?” I exclaimed in surprise. Wasn’t she in Rosemont? How did she get back so soon?

“Where’s my little princess?!” Stella entered the house and immediately started looking for Yara. Upon finding her, she showered her with kisses, her face full of longing.

I watched her in amazement. “Don’t tell me you drove back overnight.”

“What else could I do? I called Mitch, and Ariana answered. I set off immediately.” Stella’s energy seemed to have been revitalized after her trip to Rosemont. Her spirits were high again, a stark contrast to her previous despondent state. Had the battle with her in-laws over the children invigorated her?

“What brought you here? And where are your two older ones?” I asked.

Thanks to you, Rena, the video you took was a game-changer. I showed it to my in-laws, who had always sided with Mitch, thinking I was just misunderstanding him, or being moody. But after seeing the video, they had to accept that their son was in the wrong. They didn’t have a word to say. I took Leila and Quincy to my parents’ house overnight.” Stella’s eyes were sparkling with a hint of joy.

There were plenty of men out there, but her kids were her flesh and blood, born at the risk of her own life. She wasn’t about to hand them over so easily.

I breathed a sigh of relief, genuinely happy for her. The only thing left was to see what Ariana would decide today.