Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled

Chapter 396

I couldn’t be sure. The moment the thought took root, though, I couldn’t suppress it.

If Karina simply ignored me during my ordeal, I might have accused her of having an icy heart but if she intentionally tied that rope around my ankle, that’s a different kettle of fish. Wasn’t that akin to attempted murder?

“Neil, could you fetch me some wet wipes from my bag? My hands are all greasy,” Karina requested, shaking her oil-slicked hands in mild exasperation.

Karina had brought a bag, which was placed just a few feet away from me.

Neil responded, “Sure, in a moment.””

I got up first, “I’ll get it for you!”

Seeing me approach her bag, Karina’s expression momentarily flinched in resistance, she quickly stepped forward, “It’s okay, I’ll get it. God knows this bag is already dirty enough.”

She then moved her bag away to a place beyond my sight, only then did she proceed to take out a pack of wet wipes.

This action of hers seemed a bit odd. Was she worried that I would have seen something in her bag? Or was she just being protective of her privacy?

“What’s up?” My distracted demeanor caught Russel’s attention; he asked in a low voice.

“Nothing,” I snapped back to reality, shaking my head.

A while later, Karina and Neil prepared lunch, which was all seafood, complemented by a bottle of wine provided by the hotel. The spread was quite lavish.

Russel and I sat on one side, with Neil and Karina opposite us.

seemed quite pleased with her culinary achievement. She beamed at us, “Ms. Finch, Russel, please

looks very fresh,” I praised, even before starting

shot Russel a meaningful look, “Russel, shouldn’t you be more attentive to your wife? She’s hurt her hand. You should be helping her with her food, or even feeding

chimed in unexpectedly, “She’s not

my daily activities weren’t much affected, especially

case, when Neil said it, it

one can eat with one hand. I just wanted to give Russel

towards Russel, “He’s just a bit introverted in front

my relationship with Russel to Neil, I decided to play along.

hint of a smile tugged at his

sitting opposite us, had an inscrutable expression, mostly keeping his eyes on his

to face Neil and Karina. Only Karina was enjoying

the restroom,” Karina announced midway through the meal.

and me left. My gaze fell on the bag lying on the edge of the table: She was so

smeared my hand with sauce, “Where are the wipes? I think Dr. Karina

twice, and only glanced at Neil once. After all, meddling with someone else’s belongings wasn’t really

present.

indifferently, “Yeah, go ahead.”

glances. That’s when I noticed something odd. There was a piece of rope in the bag, identical in pattern and thickness to the

me. If Karina really was the one behind it, why didn’t she just dispose

so protective of earlier was then left unattended as she went to the restroom. It was as if she was deliberately drawing my attention

when she returned. But I decided

few minutes later, Karina returned. The first thing she did was check her bag. Noticing it had