Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 604

"Tomorrow, what's up?" I shot back.

"You're over there solo?" Neil skirted my question, digging deeper instead.

Without thinking, I blurted out, "Yeah, just me."

Russel had only arrived today, and it slipped my mind to mention him. These past few days, it had been just me keeping Dad company.

"Really?" Neil let out a scoff that seemed to carry a hint of disbelief. I was about to mention Russel's arrival today but didn't get the chance. Neil already knew. "Russel's not with you?"

"How did you know?" I was surprised, as I hadn't even mentioned it to Stella and the crew yet.

But then it clicked - Karina must've spilled the beans to Neil.

This tangled me and Russel up in a mess, especially since what Neil cared about most was this very complication. Even if he wanted to reconcile, this would be a sore point between us.

"Yeah, he came over today." I could hear the irritation and jealousy in Neil's voice but didn't elaborate much.

"Then do you know where I am right now?" Neil sounded even more annoyed.

How would I know where he was?

He had been discharged from the hospital a few days ago. He might've gone back to Rosemont or stayed at the hospital waiting for Hiram; I wasn't sure.

After I honestly replied, Neil abruptly ended the call, leaving me feeling uneasy. I didn't call back, to avoid lingering in the bathroom too long.

When I stepped out, I found Russel had disappeared. Dad mentioned he'd gone to handle something with a friend.

"Rena, it's not that I want to meddle in your affairs, but Russel... he's not without his faults..." Ever since Dad fell ill, he had become noticeably more talkative.

"Dad, don't you know what he's done?" I cut my dad off. "I don't want to spend my life with someone so calculating."

Dad swallowed his words.

I had shared Russel's schemes with my parents; how could they not be aware? Yet, they stubbornly believed in Russel's deep affection for me, convinced he wouldn't truly hurt me.

But I knew better. Nothing is certain, especially not human nature.

That night, I found it hard to sleep, worrying about Dad's surgery scheduled for tomorrow. Despite the hospital's reputation for excellence in this type of surgery, my concerns lingered.

I woke up early the next morning to find Dad sitting on the bed with a serious look, evidently awake before me.

"Dad, don't worry, your condition isn't that serious," I tried to reassure him.

"I'm not worried. I've lived a long life; dying now wouldn't leave me with any regrets," Dad began speaking nonsense, a clear sign of his anxiety.

With Dad still in surgery, I couldn't provide much detail. After a brief explanation to Stella, she switched topics, "Rena, Russel's there with you?"

"He arrived yesterday. How did you find out?" I was amazed. It felt like I was surrounded by invisible surveillance, everyone knowing things without me having to say a word.

Stella mentioned she heard it from Mitch since he'd been bugging her non-stop. Plus, Yara was sick, and with Stella stuck at the hospital, she couldn't escape the gossip.

"So, Neil's practically losing his mind, hilarious..." Stella burst into laughter mid-conversation. "Rena, I see your old self in Neil now."

"Why do you think he's acting this way?" I sought Stella's perspective.

"He's been regretting it since you two divorced," Stella chuckled, "Mitch wouldn't stop talking about how Neil regretted it, pestering me to put in a good word for him. As if I would. I'm actually enjoying this. Rena, I bet Neil would do anything for you now!"

Imagining Neil's stoic face, I wondered if he'd truly do anything for me. I hadn't experienced it firsthand, but it seemed his tolerance for me was growing, willing to help despite his frustrations.

Stella commented, "So, did you send Neil abroad to dig into Karina's past? That Dylan guy?"

"Yeah, what about it?" I replied.

She shook her head in disbelief, "He's left a whole load of stuff back home to handle this personally. Wow, I gotta say, I didn't see that coming. He's really stepping up for you."

Just yesterday, Neil had checked in, asking if I knew where he was. Turns out, he'd already jetted off to the country where Karina and Hiram had once stayed. I honestly thought he'd delegate the task, but no, he decided to take matters into his own hands right from the start.