Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled

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.

only picture I had of our

I see it?” Neil asked with a hint of pleading in his voice. This was uncharacteristic of him; a man of his stature,

before it was even born. There was nothing left to fight

suffocated and my eyes began to

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

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

warmth and love. In a

Neil replied instantly, his eyes shining with excitement.

picture of it

album. I had taken a picture of the ultrasound image during the scan. Although it

accurately, resembled Brandon now,

the pain in my heart. I quickly sent the picture to Neil

the picture. While I took Serena from him,

seemed lost in the picture, his eyes filled with longing and sorrow.

Neil loved me back then. If he

a saying that a man who doesn’t love a woman wouldn’t love

like overgrown weeds,

up at me. His eyes

you one last time,” he said, his voice filled with pain. “Are Serena and

a DNA test. If the results

cicadas began their evening chorus, breaking the heavy silence between

3 Z Z Z

at each other, our

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

Neil’s