Chapter 382
Chapter 382
“Didn’t Neil go back to Rosemont? Did Karina’s scheme fall through?” I could then talk about Neil as casually as if we were discussing the latest gossip about a
friend.
“How did you know?” Stella asked in a surprised manner.
“I was at the hospital for a postnatal check-up earlier. The doctor knows Karina, and I overheard their conversation,” I explained truthfully.
Stella clicked her tongue. “You and Neil must have been sworn enemies in a past life. You’ve moved all this way and still can’t seem to escape him.”
I had to agree with her; in my past life, I had held a deep grudge against Neil. I had refused to divorce him, nearly preventing him from marrying his true love.
Our conversation was cut short when Stella’s baby started crying.
When I arrived home, I could hear Brandon crying. My father was desperately trying to soothe him but to no avail. I quickly took over, and my father sank into the couch, clutching his back as if in pain.
“Dad, are you okay?” I asked worriedly. He was in his sixties, and his health wasn’t as robust as it used to be.
“Just an old ailment,” he sighed, “I’m old. But now that I have two grandchildren; I have no regrets in life.”
His health wasn’t great. His back especially wasn’t great since he used to sit in an office all day. My mother, on the other hand, had a heart condition and couldn’t exert herself too much.
If it wasn’t for Russel’s tireless efforts, I might not have been able to manage both kids on my own.
But it wasn’t fair to him. So, I planned to hire a couple of housekeepers and a nanny to share the load, allowing my parents to rest and let Russel catch a break.
As I was pondering that, Russel showed up at my house. My parents trusted him so much that they had given him the codes for all the locks in the house.
Usually, Russel went over to help with the kids or bring food. But today, he had a suitcase with him, “I need to go back to Rosemont for about a week.”
“What happened?” my mother asked. Even I could tell that Russel didn’t look good.
“No worries. My dad’s just not feeling well, and I need to go check on him.” Russel tried to reassure us with a small smile, but his worry was evident.
He had fought with his father before, and Chloe’ death had only exacerbated their issues. But blood is thicker than water, and he couldn’t ignore his own family.
“Go see him. As we age, health issues are inevitable. Spend some time with him.” My father patted Russel’s shoulder and sighed, “Russel, you’re a good kid. And we I know how you feel about Rena, but if your dad wants to introduce you to other women, you should agree. Understand?”
My parents both knew the pressure Russel was under for me. And they knew how I felt about him.
Some things can’t be forced, and I was hesitant to make a decision.
Russel didn’t respond to my father’s words; he was quite stubborn in this aspect.
He looked at me. And I felt compelled to say something, “Drive safe.”
“Sure, I’ll be back in a week.” Russel nodded, and then he left, as we watched him go.
With Russel gone, my parents and I shared a knowing look. They knew I was unaware of my good fortune, but they also knew that even if I agreed to be with Russel, we wouldn’t have received his family’s approval.
His mother had passed away, and there was his father, Samuel Dawson, and the rest of the Dawson family’s elders. I didn’t think I was charming enough to win their favor unless the kids I had were actually Russel’s. I couldn’t imagine what kind of scandal it would have caused if I, a divorced woman with two children, were to marry Russel.
Life was busier without Russel around. I realized how great he was with the kids. Serena and Brandon were more obedient to him than they were to me.
Thankfully, my parents were able to help. So, I wasn’t too overwhelmed.
“Ding dong!”
As I was changing the kids’ diapers, the doorbell rang. My mother quickly went to answer it.
Soon, I heard Stella’s loud voice, “Rena, we’re here!”
Her voice startled Serena and Brandon. Their wide-eyed expressions were adorable.
Thankfully, our living room was spacious. With Stella and Mitch’s family of five, Barbara’s family of three, Alicia Rider, and Cooper Clarke, the house was suddenly bustling.
“Wow, are these your little treasures?” Stella was the first to approach Serena and Brandon, “They’re so cute! Even more so than my kids! Rena, how about arranging a childhood marriage?”
“Do you not understand the concept of free love?” I replied with a chuckle. It had been almost a year since I previously saw Stella. So, seeing her then was quite emotional.
My parents started preparing food when they saw all the guests.
The atmosphere was warm and friendly until Mitch, holding Brandon, suddenly said, “Who does the little guy look like? He doesn’t seem to resemble Rena much.”
The room fell into an awkward silence. After a few seconds, Stella shouted, “Are you stupid? Of course, he looks like Rena! There’s something wrong with your eyes!”
I had denied that the children were Neil’s but had never said who the father was. Stella was trying to prevent an awkward situation.
“I think he looks like Rena!” Alicia quickly chimed in.
But for some reason, Cooper just blurted out, “Anyone else sees a resemblance to Neil?”
No sooner than he’d spoken, Alicia smacked him upside the head, causing him to wince in pain. “Ouch!”
Mitch’s eyes went wide, and he promptly shut his mouth, which was already half-open in preparation to speak. He obediently put the baby back in the crib.
“What are you two here for? Looking for trouble?” Stella questioned them with the fierceness of a protective mother bear, pointing at Mitch and Cooper.
“Honey, I didn’t say anything,” Mitch defended himself, clearly against his own thoughts, “I think they both look like their grandfather!”
It was obvious to anyone that Serena and Brandon looked nothing like my father.
Serena was the spitting image of me, while Brandon was beginning to resemble Neil more and more. Even though the twins were barely a month old, hints of Neil in Brandon’s features could already be seen.
