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.

The ultrasound image was the only picture I had of our child. I had kept it safe, never losing it.

hint of pleading in his voice. This was uncharacteristic of him; a man of his stature, even

had a son, Hiram, and our first child was gone before it

being suffocated and my eyes began

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

away because it was too painful to keep.” Neil’s face fell at my words, his lips curving into a forced smile. He

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?”

Neil replied instantly, his

picture of

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

Neil, or more accurately, resembled Brandon now, especially the nose

heart. I quickly sent the picture

took out his phone to check the picture. While I took

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

wondered if Neil loved me back then. If he didn’t, then

who doesn’t love a woman wouldn’t love their

filled my mind like overgrown weeds, refusing to be tamed.

looked up at me. His eyes were

his voice filled with pain.

to resort to a DNA test. If the

evening chorus, breaking

= ± ± 3 Z Z

other, our eyes filled with unspoken pain.

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

Neil’s