Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 266

"What's going on? Who texted you?" Neil stopped at the intersection up ahead. As the traffic light turned red, he turned to me with a question.

I put my phone back in my pocket and replied nonchalantly, "It was Stella. Nothing important."

Neil gave a faint smile, a cold one at that. "She told you about Russel getting engaged, didn't she?"

I was taken aback, "You already knew?"

"What else could it be?" Neil turned his gaze back to the road, his tone chilly, "I knew about it way before you did. He has always lived according to his parents' wishes. He only managed to study medicine because he threatened his parents with quitting school altogether."

I never knew Russel had to struggle that much just to study medicine. I felt guilty, as he had quit his job at the hospital because of me.

"There is no future for you two. It's best for you to let go." Neil added.

I didn't respond and just pursed my lips tightly. Noticing that I was upset, Neil didn't say anything more.

When we got to the company building, I got out of the car in silence. Neil didn't leave immediately. He only drove away after I entered the office building.

In a sense, Russel's engagement was good news for me, as it meant I didn't have to worry about him not being able to let go of me. Chloe was a nice girl. They were a good match.

But then I remember him once telling me that he would never marry a woman he didn't love, no matter how much pressure his family put on him. How did he suddenly change his mind?

I sincerely hoped Russel would be happy and he wouldn’t start a loveless marriage. Otherwise, they would end up like me and Neil. A tragic story.

In the afternoon, my assistant came to me, "Mr. Russel wants to see you."

"Tell him I'm busy right now." I tried to keep my cool. I didn't expect Russel to come look for me.

He was about to be engaged, so it was not appropriate for us to meet.

Anyway, my affair with him was over.

"Alright." My assistant walked out.

Russel probably didn't insist, as my assistant didn't come back to update me. This meant he had left.

I collected myself and continued with my work. It was not until the end of work hours that I raised my head from the pile of documents and prepared to go home.

Just as I stepped out of the office building, I saw a familiar figure in the empty lobby. I was stunned.

"Russel, why haven't you left?" I asked.

"I... am getting engaged, did you know?" Russel looked exhausted.

I gripped my bag tightly and nodded, "I know. Congratulations."

A sad smile appeared on Russel's face, "Is that all? Congratulations? I don't love Chloe, not at all."

"Love can be nurtured over time. Chloe is a good girl, and she loves you very much. Once you're married and have kids, you'll grow to love her." I said, not really believing what I was saying.

If I hadn't been reborn, Neil would never have had any feelings for me. Even if I were to marry him for five years and love him with all my heart, it would be in vain.

Russel's dying mother's wish?!

I was shocked by the news.

Russel seemed to have been hit where it hurt. He swung his fist at Neil's face, but Neil calmly caught his wrist, "Did I say something wrong?"

"Russel, what's going on? What happened to your mother?" I asked anxiously.

Russel slowly lowered his hand. He turned to look at me with eyes filled with sadness and helplessness, "She has end-stage liver cancer."

I felt like I had been struck by lightning. Even though Russel's mother wasn't friendly to me, it was because she loved her son so much that she was afraid of him being ridiculed in the future, leading her to even threaten me.

I had always understood her from a mother's perspective.

In my past life, Russel's mother didn't find out she had liver cancer, so he could pursue Bonnie without any worries. In this life, he fell in love with me but found out his mother was terminally ill, so he could no longer act without any concerns.

"You should go back right away and be with her. Since she wants you to marry Chloe, you should try your best to fulfill her wish. Don't leave any regrets, understand?" I advised Russel again, full of anxiety deep down.

Russel didn't react at all. He just stared deep into me.

At that moment, even though we were only a meter or two apart, I felt like there was a massive chasm between us, one that we could never bridge. On one side was me, and on the other was his dying mother. I could clearly see the turmoil in Russel's heart.

Neil watched us silently, not saying a word. His gaze was calm yet indifferent, making one feel uneasy.

In the end, Russel left. He walked out of the company lobby alone with his head down. His tall and lean figure looked much thinner than before, and even his walk seemed to have slowed down a bit.