Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled

Chapter 348

Just as I nodded in agreement, my phone rang. The sudden noise in the quiet living room sent my heartbeat racing. Seeing the caller ID, I felt a headache coming on.

Sure enough, it was my mom.

I didn’t want to answer it, but I was worried that ignoring it would make her suspicious. So I gave Neil a look and picked up the call,

“Rena, where are you? Why haven’t you come home yet?” My mom’s stern voice put me under a lot of pressure.

“I’m on my way home. I was out shopping with Alicia Rider.” I quickly made up an excuse, my insides churning with anxiety.

“You’re with Alicia? Really?” My mom asked doubtfully, “Then where is she? Let her talk to me.”

Well, that was a pickle. I glanced nervously at Neil, who was quietly watching me with a serious expression.

“She just left. I’ll have her call you later, okay? I’m about to head home too.” I had no choice but to keep up the lie.

My mom wasn’t easily fooled. “No need. I’ll call Alicia directly. I have her number!”

She hung up before I could coordinate with Alicia. Cold sweat trickled down my back, and I felt extremely uneasy.

Neil’s gaze was piercing, as if seeing right through me. He suddenly said, “I’ve already texted Alicia. It should be fine.”

was taken aback,

said, “Feels like we’re having an affair with our current situation.”

made

didn’t respond to Neil. I just waited in silence. A couple of

that was it, but then she suddenly

voice, previously calm, suddenly spiked. I quickly looked at Neil, worried he

expression had already changed. There was a clear

that intentionally. Even though Alicia vouched for me, she was

about him anymore, what she said wouldn’t be a problem. But if Neil heard,

and me. Stop doing this.” I was speechless at my mom’s behavior; her illness

hanging up, I fell into an awkward silence, not knowing how to face Neil.

storm clouds that he couldn’t sweep away. He just looked at me, with no trace of a smile on his face. After a while, he asked, “Why

as I explained about Russel

your house. Why

And Russel had never entered my room without my permission before. I thought he wouldn’t do

again while I was away?” Neil accused me. His voice was filled with jealousy. “Why can’t you cut him off

seems to have changed. She doesn’t approve of us being together. In her mind, she wants me to be with Russel, so she deliberately arranged for us to be together. You

pretty sure I didn’t. I made my

Then why didn’t you handle things more decisively? When he showed up at your house, you should’ve told him to leave. Or you could’ve told your

mom can’t deal with the shock right

voice turned icy, “This is something your mom will have to accept sooner or later. The sooner she knows, the sooner she

couldn’t say those things, and I had

ties with him, and