Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 589

"Why is it that everyone seems to find their way to my doorstep when they're looking for someone?"

Sean was on the hunt for his ex-girlfriend, and Mitch was scouring the earth for his ex-wife.

"I have no clue where she is," I said, cutting straight to the point.

"Come on, you've got to be kidding me! There's no way she wouldn't tell you where she is. I'll turn the world upside down if I have to, to find her!" Mitch swore, not believing a word I said.

"Then go ahead," I replied coolly, leaving Mitch dumbfounded as I walked past him to my car.

Russel was waiting by my car, holding an umbrella. "Drive safe in the rain. I might need to head back to Rosemont first. We'll catch up for that dinner you owe me another time."

"Sure," I didn’t press him on why he was heading back to Rosemont. He seemed busier than ever these days, which was the norm.

After Russel left, I drove back to the hospital.

My dad, upon hearing that Russel and I hadn't even managed to enjoy our dinner, was convinced I had deliberately chosen a terrible restaurant to cut the meal short. No matter how much I tried to explain, he wouldn't have any of it.

Listening to my dad’s endless complaints, I realized illness does tend to make people more emotional. He had always been a bit of a chatterbox, but never quite to this extent. I couldn’t argue with him, so I just listened quietly.

Once he was done, I got around to discussing more serious matters. "I'm planning a trip abroad, to that hospital Neil recommended. I'll be taking your medical records with me."

"Neil's recommendation?" My dad was taken aback. "When is this happening?"

"It was when he last visited. We primarily discussed the hospital. I didn't mention it sooner because I was still doing some research. But it turns out, that hospital abroad would be the best option for you." I explained truthfully.

To my surprise, he refused outright, "I'm not going, especially if Neil recommended it!"

I spent the next half-hour patiently explaining, detailing the hospital's success rates with lung cancer surgeries, the outcomes, and survival rates, until finally, he gave in. "Alright, I'll listen to you. But this means we'll owe Neil a favor. Rena, I just don’t want you getting any more entangled with him, you understand?"

"I get it, dad. But your health is what matters most. We need to be alive to worry about entanglements, right?" Having faced death once myself, I deeply regretted neglecting my health and causing pain to my loved ones. It was a lesson learned the hard way.

Dad sighed, understanding the truth in my words. After decades of life, these were simple truths he knew well. Ultimately, it was his concern for me that made him worry.

Though we were close, heart-to-heart talks were rare between us, usually being more common between mothers and daughters. Hence, most of my deeper conversations were with my mom. This time, staying in the hospital with him gave us a chance to talk more. Before we knew it, evening had turned into night.

"Dad, I’m going to check on Hiram." After dinner, I mentioned to my dad.

"Alright, go ahead." Though reluctant, he was starting to understand what was on my mind. He waved me off and lay back to rest.

Neil's cold scoff cut through the air, his gaze icy as it swept over me. His attitude had shifted ever since he saw me leaving the restaurant with Russel.

"What brings you here?" Neil asked, his tone distant.

"Just checking on Hiram," I replied, not letting Neil's mood affect me. I knew him well; once he was emotional, all bets were off.

"And you have time to waste here, shouldn't you be with Russel?" Neil taunted, "I thought you were too busy for anything else."

Hiram looked between us, anxious but silent.

I didn’t want to upset Hiram further, so I calmly explained, "Russel helped convince my dad to change his surgical plan. Yes, I’m busy, with work and my dad’s illness, but I owed him a meal."

I hoped Neil would understand after my explanation, but instead, he dug deeper, "What kind of help did Russel provide? I’m all ears."

"He's got some real charm, managing to win over my folks time and again." I couldn't help but notice that Neil's jealousy was flaring up even more.

After all, my parents had always been cold to him, while Russel, on the other hand, seemed to be their golden boy.

What could I say? If anyone was to blame, it was Neil himself for his past blunders. Back when my parents wanted nothing more than for him to treat me right, he chose to go against the grain. Now, trying to change their opinions of him seemed like a lost cause.