Chapter 447
Chapter 447
“I’m off to cook, Russel finally said, his gaze dropping as he headed towards the kitchen.
A pang of sympathy hit me, coupled with a sense of guilt.
Neil, however, seemed oblivious to the emotional undercurrents between Russel and myself. He was absorbed in studying Serena’s face, his eyes filled with a profound sadness.
He looked up at me, his eyes mirroring his sorrow. “Do you think our daughter would have looked like her if she hadn’t passed away?”
I had never told Neil the gender of our first child, yet his question caught me off guard.
A sharp pain pierced my heart at the mention of our lost child.
“How did you know it was a girl?” I asked, my voice laced with bitterness.
“I looked into your medical records before,” Neil said, his gaze unwavering.
“I need a favor.”
“Which is?” I asked, surprised at his confession.
For a moment, Neil hesitated, his usually decisive demeanor faltering. The gravity of the situation was evident.
I couldn’t fathom what I could possibly do for him, apart from a DNA test with Serena, which I had no intention of agreeing to.
“Although I checked your medical records, the only copy of the ultrasound for our baby is with you. Do you still have it?” Neil finally asked, catching me off guard. I froze.
The ultrasound image was the only picture I had of our child. I had kept it safe, never losing it.
“Could I see it?” Neil asked with a hint of pleading in his voice. This was uncharacteristic of him; a man of his stature, even in his love for his child, would never stoop so low.
He already had a son, Hiram, and our first child was gone before it was even born. There was nothing left to fight over.
My heart felt like it was being suffocated and my eyes began to well up with tears.
The image was just an ultrasound; it wouldn’t hurt to let Neil see it. But I didn’t want to rehash the painful memories. Shared pain could bind people together, in a way that was difficult to untangle.
Suppressing my feelings, I shook my head and gave him a small smile. “I don’t have it anymore. I threw it away because it was too painful to keep.” Neil’s face fell at my words, his lips curving into a forced smile. He didn’t say anything, but went back to looking at Serena.
As they exchanged glances, a magic seemed to fill the air, painting a picture of warmth and love. In a sudden impulse, I blurted out, “I took a on my phone. Do you want to see that?”
“Yes!” Neil replied instantly, his eyes shining with excitement.
a picture of it
I nodded and fetched my phone, flipping through my mobile album. I had taken a picture of the ultrasound image during the scan. Although it wasn’t as clear as the original, one could still make out the basic features.
Our baby resembled Neil, or more accurately, resembled Brandon now, especially the nose and lips.
Seeing the picture stirred up the pain in my heart. I quickly sent the picture to Neil and closed my phone.
Neil took out his phone to check the picture. While I took Serena from him, she was quiet and well- behaved now.
Neil seemed lost in the picture, his eyes filled with longing and sorrow. I had never seen him like this before.
I wondered if Neil loved me back then. If he didn’t, then why was he so pained?
There is a saying that a man who doesn’t love a woman wouldn’t love their child either.
These thoughts filled my mind like overgrown weeds, refusing to be tamed.
Suddenly, Neil looked up at me. His eyes were bloodshot.
“Irene, I need to ask you one last time,” he said, his voice filled with pain. “Are Serena and Brandon my children?”
His question took my breath away. I knew Neil had his doubts, but he didn’t want to resort to a DNA test. If the results weren’t what he hoped for, he’d become the laughing stock. His pride wouldn’t allow him to take the risk.
The cicadas began their evening chorus, breaking the heavy silence between us.
F = ± ± 3 Z Z Z Z F
We looked at each other, our eyes filled with unspoken pain.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally spoke. My voice was not my own, yet it was firm and resolute. “Serena and Brandon are mine and Russel’s children. Neil, I’m sorry, but my heart changed back then. If you don’t believe me, you can get a DNA test.”
Neil’s
face turned pale at my words. He clenched his jaw, his eyes red with tears.
My heart pounded in my chest as I held Serena closer, my knuckles white.
Time seemed to stand still. My breath hitched in my
throat.
“I understand, Neil finally said, his voice barely a whisper. He looked at Serena one last time before turning to leave.
I stood in the yard, holding Serena, my heart numb. Yet within the numbness, a wave of pain was spreading.
I thought about my past life and the entangled love and hate in this life. I felt like I was living two lives, both filled with unrequited love.
Tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t help but sob, my cries echoing in the yard.
Russel stood by the entrance of the living room, watching me silently. Through my tear-filled eyes, I saw him clench his fists, his face somber.
After a while, he walked over to me with a tissue in his hand. Silently, he wiped away my tears, his voice barely above a whisper. “Please, stop crying.”
“Russel, you saw it, didn’t you? Serena really likes Neil.” I sobbed.
Perhaps my pain had momentarily blinded me to the potency of my words on Russel. He murmured a low “hmm” and fell silent.
Once I caught my bearings, I stared blankly at Russel, who was also watching me with unwavering intensity; our eyes locked in a silent exchange.
“So, please give up, okay?” I broke the silence again, this time aiming to give Russel a stark look at reality. There was no use wasting time. Family ties were unbreakable and he might just end up with a wild goose chase.
