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.

of pleading in his voice. This was uncharacteristic of him; a man of

Hiram, and our first child was gone before it was

it was being suffocated and my eyes began to well

just an ultrasound; it 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

I threw it away because it was too painful to keep.” Neil’s

air, painting a picture of warmth and love. In a sudden impulse, I blurted out,

his eyes shining with

of

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 basic

baby resembled Neil, or more accurately, resembled Brandon now, especially

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

to check the picture. While I took Serena from him, she was quiet and well-behaved now.

eyes filled with longing and sorrow. I had never seen

Neil loved me back then. If

a man who doesn’t love

overgrown weeds, refusing

looked up at me. His eyes were

you one last time,” he said, his voice filled with pain.

had his doubts, but he didn’t want to resort to a DNA test. If the results weren’t what he hoped for, he’d become the laughing stock. His pride wouldn’t

evening chorus, breaking the heavy silence between

± ± 3 Z

at each other, our eyes filled with unspoken

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 don’t believe me,

Neil’s