Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 586

"Karina!"

Russel's voice cut through the air, tinged with a hint of sternness and dissatisfaction.

Karina spun around, surprise etched on her face before it melted into a scornful smile. "Russel, what are you doing here? Afraid I'll spill the beans about your little darling?"

Russel didn't retort. He just strode over and firmly grabbed Karina's wrist. "Come with me."

"I'm not going anywhere!" Karina snapped, breaking free from his grasp. "I'm just here to talk business with her. No need to get your feathers ruffled."

"Hmm, seems like our discussion hit a dead end. Sorry, got other fish to fry, can't waste my time here." With Russel keeping Karina in check, I seized the chance to slip away.

As I walked away, Karina's voice stopped me cold. "Russel, are you really not going to tell her what you've given up for her?"

I paused, turning back to look at Russel.

What did Karina mean by that?

"I haven't lost anything, okay?" Russel replied, his patience wearing thin. He didn't even glance my way, just continued to lead Karina in the opposite direction.

Watching them disappear into the distance, I didn't chase after them for answers. Instead, a question mark loomed in my mind.

To my surprise, Karina didn't let it go. She refused to collaborate with any other company and set her sights on me. When I rejected her, she went behind my back to contact our company's other shareholders directly.

Soon enough, my mom received complaints from them, accusing me of acting recklessly and jeopardizing the company.

As the complaints piled up, my mom reached out to me to get the full story. She trusted my judgment, knowing Karina as I did, but the company wasn't ours to run alone. To convince everyone, we needed to prove our decision was right.

Considering the work, my mom and I swapped roles for a while. I stayed with my dad in the hospital while she dealt with the company, given the project's significance and her clearer understanding of the situation.

"Mom, if we find a substitute, could we save the project?" I asked one morning before she left for the office.

"In theory, yes. We've invested so much already; halting it now would be a huge loss," my mom frowned. "I think Lucas would want this project to succeed too, for the continuous profit it could bring. But..."

"Let's stall for now. Maybe we'll find a suitable replacement," I reassured her.

My mom nodded, heading out, while I made sure Serena and Brandon finished their milk and some solid food before I left for the hospital.

Dad's treatment plan was ready, surgery inevitable. It was just a matter of choosing the right hospital. Despite my refusal to keep relying on Neil, the hospital he recommended was top-notch.

Left alone with my dad, he sighed, "Russel's a good kid. Polite, dependable, a real catch. Shame he's not my son-in-law."

His frankness left me speechless.

I took a seat, responding just as bluntly, "Dad, with a catch like him, don't even think about trapping him!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? How am I trapping him? You're not even in his league—" my dad's words trailed off, the air thick with awkwardness.

Truth be told, by all accounts, I wasn't in Russel's league.

The conversation died down, my dad's previously appetizing meal suddenly unappealing. Then, he began to wax nostalgic, "Sigh, Rena, don't blame your mom and me for not letting go. Before I got sick, we thought about not interfering. So what if you're raising two kids on your own? We could help. Money's not an issue, right?"

I listened in silence as my dad rambled on.

"After I got sick, that's when it really hit me. Sometimes, you know, money is important, but it's not everything. Your mom and I, well, we aren't in the best of health. What if... we're not around much longer? You, on your own with two kids to look after. Money can make a lot of things easier, sure, but it can't be there for you, can't take care of you or keep you company. We just can't bear the thought of leaving you all alone," Dad said, taking off his glasses and letting out a heavy sigh.

I could see his eyes, slightly red and teary, and it just tore me up inside.

The two people who brought me into this world, the ones who love me more than anyone else, are both facing health troubles. And the panic inside me, nobody knows about that.