Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled

Chapter 461

I sighed in relief. As long as Serena and Brandon weren’t kicking up a fuss for me, it would be a piece of cake to handle the

situation.

A while after hanging up the phone, Russel walked back into the hospital room. Dressed in a white coat with glasses and a mask. on, his cool, refined eyes were the only features visible. It was hard to reconcile this calm demeanor with the ferocity he displayed towards Louis the night prior.

Both he and Neil were blessed with handsome features, and the air of gentlemen seemed to come naturally to them. When they were calm and composed, it was impossible to imagine them resorting to violence.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy lately. I should have taken better care of you. You’ve become so weak,” Russel said, sitting at the edge of my bed, a note of self-reproach in his voice.

“It’s not your fault, Russel. I’ve always been frail. With Yara recently staying with us, Norah and I probably overexerted ourselves a bit. We’ll be fine after some rest,” I found myself consoling Russel instead.

Neil was right. Now that everyone assumed we were together, as a man, Russel felt obliged to take care of me and protect me. He assured me that he would do everything in his power to fulfill this role. His eyes twinkled behind his glasses, reminiscent of the captivating stars in the night sky.

I felt a bit awkward because Russel and I weren’t actually a couple. It was a misunderstanding on others’ part. He didn’t have to take care of me because of this baseless title.

Even though he was willing to do so, the more he did for me, the more inappropriate it felt. Yet, I couldn’t get Russel to back down

at that moment.

“Russel, you…” I hesitated, then continued, “can you avoid conflicts with Neil in the future? Especially, can you avoid getting physical?”

Russel’s eyes narrowed behind his glasses, a hint of jealousy in his voice. “It was Neil who started it. Are you still taking his side?”

I wasn’t taking Neil’s side. Russel was the only one here, and I couldn’t just call Neil to have this conversation. It would make me look like a crazy person.

“No, I just don’t want to see you two like this anymore. I know Neil started it, and I’m not blaming you. If he tries to pick a fight with you in the future, can you just ignore him?” I explained.

A smile finally broke out on Russel’s face. “So, you’re worried that I might get hurt?”

Of course, I was worried. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt because of me, especially not Russel and Neil. They used to be such good friends.

I nodded in agreement, and Russel’s smile deepened. “Every bit of your concern for me, every time you worry about me, it’s like finding an oasis in the desert,” he said.

“Is it really that dramatic?” I asked, unable to suppress a laugh.

“Yes, it is. You just don’t understand how I feel,” Russel responded. His hand twitched as if wanting to hold mine, but he stopped himself. In this regard, he always respected me.

I wasn’t sure how to feel. I was well aware of Russel’s feelings for me, and I’ve tried to accept them, but it always ended in failure. I wasn’t sure what would happen between us if things continued down this path.

We sat in silence until Russel’s phone rang. It was a nurse from his department, and he had to leave for some urgent matter. Before he left, he told me to rest and said he would check on Serena and Brandon during lunch and in the evening. He asked me to stay in the hospital for a couple of days before he would arrange for my discharge.

“I’d rather go home!” I couldn’t help but worry about the children.

“Just listen to me, okay?” Russel leaned forward, pulling down his mask with one hand and gently holding the back of my head with the other. He planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

I was stunned, but he simply chuckled apologetically. “Sorry, I’ve wanted to do that for a long time, but it seems like this was the only appropriate moment.”

I was speechless, unsure of how to react.

With that, Russel left. He was a dedicated doctor, and work was important to him.

1 was left alone in the room. As I sat in a daze, a thought suddenly struck me. What happened to Louis? Was he sent to the

hospital?

That could cause a lot of problems.

Just as I was getting anxious, footsteps echoed in the hallway. As I looked up, I saw Karina walking into the room.

Karina was holding some fruits and a bouquet of white lilies. She swayed gracefully as she walked in.

“Ms. Finch, how are you feeling?” Karina asked, sitting down and arranging the fruits and flowers on the table. Her voice was as soft as if she were greeting an old friend.

“I’m okay. You really didn’t have to visit me,” I replied nonchalantly.

Karina chuckled. “You’re mistaken. I’m not here because I wanted to visit you. I’m here on behalf of Neil. After all, you’re his ex-wife. We didn’t dare to tell his parents about your injury. Otherwise, they would’ve rushed over. Ms. Finch, you sure know how to play the role of a daughter-in-law. Even after your divorce, you’re still highly regarded by your former in-laws. I should learn from you.”

Her words were not compliments but veiled criticisms. She was just expressing her dislike for me in a roundabout way.

“I believe Dr. Karina can surpass me and take my place,” I said, not having much else to add. All I could do was wish her well.

Karina’s smile faded slightly, and she sighed softly. “You and Neil were meant to be, but it just didn’t work out. Ten years, and if only you had had a child with him, you wouldn’t have divorced. He values children a lot. It’s just a pity that your health isn’t great. You finally got pregnant but couldn’t keep the baby.”

The mention of my lost child cast a shadow over my mood. Despite being abroad, Karina had been keeping tabs on Neil and me back home. She even knew about my miscarriage and blamed it on my poor health.

“But then again, it might not have been your health. You’ve had two children with Russel, haven’t you? This shows that you can bear children. Some things are just meant to be. You and Neil were destined to part ways, don’t you think?” Karina continued, her casual tone stabbing at my heart with each word.

Fortunately, I had developed a high tolerance for such provocations. What hadn’t I endured before? Her words meant nothing to

I remained silent, letting Karina talk, and watched her with the patient eyes one reserves for a wayward child.

Finally, she couldn’t stand my gaze any longer, her voice wavering with emotion. “Aren’t you going to say anything? If you’re bitter, you can curse me now. No one else is around, it’ll be good for you to vent your anger.”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Ha, Karina, don’t you think the words you said today reveal your insecurity? Besides using a child to tie Neil down, what else can you do? True, Neil and I don’t have children, yet it seems like he still can’t forget me.”