Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 641

"Mom!"

Every time my mom brings up Russel, it feels like my head's going to explode. I've started to really resent those conversations.

Seeing the look on my face, my mom knew better than to keep talking about Russel and me. With a sigh of resignation, she said, "I just don't want you giving Neil another chance. He didn't just hurt you; he broke your dad's and my heart, you know?"

With that, she shook her head and headed upstairs, leaving me alone in the dining room, suddenly not hungry at all.

---

From that day on, Neil stopped showing up in person, opting instead to send me messages on WhatsApp, probably to keep my mom's spirits up.

I kept tabs on Karina's situation. Frank had already turned on her, securing all the evidence needed. Now, the challenge was extraditing her back here. She had managed to slip away once; bringing her back quickly proved to be difficult.

But one thing was sure - she was going to face the consequences back home!

About a week later, my dad returned from overseas. He'd planned to come back earlier, but Russel's post-op recovery hit a snag, delaying his return.

My dad, worried sick, filled me in on Russel's condition. Listening to his story, my heart ached, though I felt powerless to help.

"Rena..." my dad started, then hesitated, as if struggling to find the right words.

"Dad, just spit it out. But if it's about giving Russel another shot, save your breath," I cut him off, eager to squash any hope he might be holding onto.

He sighed again. "Don't worry. Your mom and I won't bring it up again. Russel told us that after his surgery, he plans to spend the next few years offering medical aid in some of the world's most remote and underdeveloped countries. He won't be coming back any time soon. His days of surgery might be over, but he can still save lives with his experience. It's a shame, really. Russel is a good kid."

The news that Russel wouldn't be returning for years hit me hard, stirring up feelings of guilt and regret. Maybe I should come clean about my past life, sharing the reasons behind my actions, hoping it might bring him some peace.

In my past life, Russel and I never got together. We were allies, united in our disdain for Neil and Bonnie's relationship, each pursuing our own goals.

Stella sensed something was off. "Have you warmed up to Neil because he's been helping you out lately?"

I hadn't changed my mind about Neil; being friends seemed manageable in our intertwined social circles.

After discussing the kids for a bit, we ended the call. It was getting dark, and the house was quiet with Serena and Brandon sleeping peacefully. Despite my efforts to rest, unease kept me awake until a glass of red wine finally helped me drift off.

"Miss, wake up! There's a fire!"

Jolted awake by the urgent knocking and shouting, I saw flames through the window and realized the danger we were in.

What in the world was happening? I snapped awake in an instant, my heart racing. After making sure Serena and Brandon were okay, I dashed to the window to check out the commotion. Thick smoke and flames were licking up from below - it looked like a fire had broken out on the first floor, and it was raging.

Jumping from this height was out of the question; I'd surely end up hurt. And with the kids in the bedroom, there was no way I could think of escaping alone. I hurried back into the room and made sure the doors and windows were shut tight.