Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled

Chapter 400

Was that woman really smoking with such a severe lung condition? That question gave me pause, and I swallowed the words that had come to my lips, “All right, hop in.”

Russel glanced at me but remained silent, not prodding for more details.

After the two strangers got in, they barely conversed. They were mostly buried in their phones, texting away. They seemed exhausted, puffing on cigarettes non-stop, without any consideration for others.

I didn’t stop them from smoking, but their behavior struck me as odd.

After we dropped them off at their destination, they went their separate ways. They didn’t offer any gratitude or payment. It was not like I needed it, but they left me with an unpleasant feeling.

In the rear-view mirror, their figures disappeared into the roadside.

“Serena! Brandon!” The moment I got home, I couldn’t help but rush to find my two little treasures. Seeing me, my parents quickly brought the kids to me.

“Oh, Mommy’s home! Serena and Brandon, Mommy’s back!” My mother handed Serena over to me, her voice laced with laughter, “How was your trip? Did you have fun?”

They surely didn’t know about my encounter with Neil and Karina. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have asked.

To keep my mother’s spirits up, I nodded and responded, “It was great, but I missed the kids too much. So, I came back early.”

Just then, Russel walked in with a cell phone in his hand. “I think this phone belongs to those people from earlier, They must have accidentally left it in the

car.”

took the phone. It was an old, nondescript model. It was

wasn’t password-protected. A message popped up, saying, “Money has been transferred to your account. You must remain silent about the matter.”

message seemed like a transaction, but what caught my attention

saved the woman on the island, gaining

text history, it became clear that the woman was faking an illness for Karina to treat

she wouldn’t have needed to resort to such tactics

I felt

wrong?” Russel asked,

We’ll keep it here for the time being,” I replied. The phone had several debt collection messages. That couple probably owed much money and were waiting for Karina

end up in my hands. So, the next morning, I saw her at my

when I spotted her. My first instinct

from behind Karina, shouting, “Daddy, hurry up!”

later, Neil appeared

saw them, asking,

to apologize,” Karina began politely

her eyes. “I wanted to apologize on the island, but Ms. Finch didn’t want to talk, so I didn’t get

don’t need your apologies or gifts.

with Karina spilling the beans,

admitted, then turned to

a ing for? Speak up.”

wearing a rosy red diving suit. I wonder if you saw me. I didn’t wear my contact lenses because I was going underwater, so my vision wasn’t clear. If you were trying to signal for help, I wouldn’t have

Neil. Did he buy that story?