Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 535

Stella poured me a glass of red wine and settled down next to me, her mood visibly low.

My mood wasn't much better. Though life hadn't been as tragic as my past one, it hadn't followed the script I'd envisioned either. Everything was changing with my rebirth, myself included.

It all felt like a dream to me.

"What happened in Springvale these past few days?" Stella asked.

"A lot," I sighed. I then began sharing the Whitmore family's predicament and Russel's situation. It was cathartic to let out some pent-up feelings.

At first, Stella maintained her composure, occasionally nodding or asking a question. But as the story unfolded, she lost control, almost spitting out her wine.

"What? Russel helped Karina fake her death?!" She was so astonished, she almost leapt off the couch.

"I know, surprising, isn't it?" I gave a bitter smile. My reaction had been similar to Stella's at first, but I hadn't been as expressive.

Stella wiped the wine from her lips. "I can't believe it. I never thought he was that kind of person. Why would he do such a thing? Did he have a grudge against Neil?"

I shook my head. There was no deep-seated resentment between Russel and Neil; the only possible cause of friction was Karina.

But Russel had claimed he never accepted Karina's affection, and she approached Neil out of desperation when she saw no hope with Russel.

Could all that have been a lie?

Russel must have had some affection for Karina, or he wouldn't have tolerated her constant presence. He wasn't a very tolerant person.

Could it be... that Karina being with Neil triggered his possessiveness and a sense of loss?

For him to help Karina fake her death because of this seemed extreme.

"I certainly didn't expect it. How is this different from stabbing me in the back?" Stella's voice still held traces of shock, "I thought he was a good guy, a breath of fresh air among Neil's trashy crowd. I didn't expect him to pull something like this, it's a total perspective shift..."

"Such people tend to be more dangerous," I said, sipping my wine. Its rich taste spread across my tongue but failed to soothe my turbulent emotions.

I was worried about how I'd cope if Russel decided to retaliate. His tactics weren't any kinder than Neil's, they were downright ruthless.

Stella had no response, so we silently drank our wine. After a while, she brought up a point, "Well, at least it's not just because of you that he's acting this way. Otherwise, it would be too much for you to handle."

I agreed, it was a small consolation.

I was about to discuss Dylan and Karina's situation with Stella when my phone interrupted our conversation. It was Neil.

I answered the call.

"I still need your help with that favor," Neil's voice resonated from the other end, deep and clear.

"It's not that I'm hung up on him, it's just that his parents have been good to me, and I can't refuse." I sighed, "Call me foolish, but if I could be a little more ruthless, I wouldn't have fallen so hard for him in the first place."

Stella didn't comment. As a longtime friend, she understood me well.

"Go ahead then," she finally said.

I left the house. Despite the late hour, the mansion was brilliantly lit. Neil's assistant was already waiting for me outside with a car and courteously invited me in.

We then made our way to the hospital.

At the entrance to Hiram's room, two burly bodyguards stood guard. Neil was inside, reading a bedtime story to Hiram. His voice was soft and slow, captivating and charming. Even a simple story became captivating under his rendition.

I paused outside, not wanting to interrupt their father-son moment, and waited until Neil finished the story.

Hiram finally fell asleep. Neil put the storybook aside and turned to see me. There was a spark in his eyes, a hint of a smile, "You're here, let's talk outside."

I nodded, following Neil down the corridor. We left Hiram with two bodyguards not far away, keeping a watchful eye on him.

"I've arranged for a compatibility test and a surgical examination. If I'm a match, I'll donate. Until then, I don't want anything to happen to Hiram, especially him being taken away by Karina," Neil confided in our quiet stroll down the hallway. The evening breeze slipped in through the cracks of a window at the far end, whispering of weariness.

It seemed that ever since Hiram came into the picture, a softness had descended upon Neil. It wasn't the kind shared between lovers, but rather, the tender-heartedness that naturally blooms in a man when he becomes a father.