Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 475

I held my silence, not wanting to respond to my mom’s statements.

"Rena, you know, Russel is really good to you. Everyone around you can see it, and it's clear as day. With the way things are now, as long as he's willing to take you, that's all that matters. Got it?" Mom’s tone turned stern, "You're a single mom with two kids, how are you going to live in the future? Your father and I won't always be here to help you."

She made it sound as if I should be grateful that Russel was willing to accept me - a divorced woman with kids.

I already had reservations about Russel. My mom's words, uttered without knowing the whole story, fueled a fire within me.

"Mom, I will not end up with Russel!" My anger surged, and my voice got noticeably louder, oblivious to the fact that Russel and others might hear me.

"Why are you suddenly so agitated? Speak calmly!" Mom tried to stop me, "Russel is having dinner right here. Aren't you afraid he'll hear?"

"Why should I care if he hears?" I did not lower my voice while I told my mom, "I've rejected him long ago. I don't harbor any romantic feelings for him. It's you guys who keep insisting how good he is, telling me to give him a chance. What's the benefit of forcing this? It'll only complicate things!"

If things kept going this way, I didn't know what Russel would do. If he resorted to underhanded tactics, I would definitely be in deeper trouble.

My mom, already in a terrible mood, looked even more upset as I argued with her so heatedly.

Just as we were at a standoff, Russel appeared at the bathroom door. His gaze was calm, void of any discernible emotions, as he looked down at me.

I was in the middle of giving Serena a bath. I continued with my task, unbothered by his presence.

"Russel, don't worry, it's just a little disagreement between me and my daughter. Did you finish your dinner? Maybe you should go rest for a while." My mom forced a smile, trying to reassure Russel.

But Russel didn't leave. His voice was still. "You go ahead and eat. I'll have a talk with her."

"Well..." Mom hesitated.

"Mom, don't leave." I quickly finished bathing Serena, wrapped her in a towel, and said, "Let's make things clear today. I don't want to keep forcing myself."

My mom panicked while hearing this. "Rena, think it through before you speak. There's no rush to clear things up all at once!"

Russel's expression had turned somber. I handed Serena to Norah and asked her to play with Serena in the room for a while.

Only my mom, Russel, and I were left in the living room.

Mom looked worried. She shot me frequent glances to advise me not to be impulsive. I sat down on the couch and said seriously, "Mom, I'm telling you with all my sincerity. It's impossible between Russel and me. Our issues are way more complicated than you and Dad could think. We can only be friends in the future, so stop forcing me."

Mom's face darkened, and she sat down next to me angrily. The redness in her eyes showed how upset she was.

Russel still cared about my mom even in such a situation. "Mrs. Finch, please don't be angry. You shouldn't stress your heart. I'll talk things out with her. Why don't you go rest?"

The older the ginger, the spicier it got. Every question from my mom hit my biggest concerns, leaving me unable to retort.

I was getting more and more agitated, feeling as if I was being threatened, and the one threatening me was my own mother.

A wave of pent-up anger swirled in my heart and drove me nearly insane.

Mom wanted to say something more, but Russel stopped her. "Mrs. Finch, please don't say any more. I'm willing to wait and give her time to think it through. Pressuring her won't help; it'll only stress her out. I don't want that."

The more considerate he was, the more my mom felt I was being ungrateful. She sighed, "Fine, Rena, think it through. I'll go check on Brandon. He needs to have his bath too."

After my mom left, only Russel and I were left in the living room.

At that moment, I was engrossed in what my mom had said. My mind was chaotic, and my eyes felt somewhat hot. I felt as if I was being pushed onto a dead-end road, unable to move forward or retreat.

The moment my tears began to fall, Russel's hand gently brushed them away. His brows were furrowed, and a deep sense of heartache and helplessness mirrored in his eyes. "Is it really that hard to be with me?" he asked.

I pulled away from his touch. "It's hard, Russel. I truly regret acknowledging Serena and Brandon as your children. I feel like I'm stuck now and don’t know what to do!"

These words weren't just spoken in frustration, they were the pent-up sentiments that I had held back for too long. They were too selfish, too hurtful to speak out loud, but in my emotional turmoil, I couldn't care less.