Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 128

Bonnie got smacked by the bouquet, leaving a faint mark on her cheek. She held her face, staring at me in disbelief. This was the first time I'd ever laid a hand on her; my previous offenses were only verbal.

"Irene, I just came to check on you, I mean... I have no idea what this bouquet thingy is all about." Bonnie said with tears in her eyes.

She didn't know? Didn't the florist tell her? Always trying to get under my skin with her petty tricks.

"C'mon, cut the act and get out of my sight, now!" I warned her coldly, "Or I'll have you thrown out."

Bonnie left, tears streaming down her face.

This was supposed to be a small blip, but later that night, I received a video from Barbara. It showed me in the hospital room, flinging the bouquet at Bonnie and ordering her to get out of my sight.

The video was edited, it was only a few seconds long and the only dialog was, "Get out of my sight!"

Bonnie's helpless and pitiful appearance drew a lot of sympathy, including from some old friends and classmates, all defending her. In their eyes, Bonnie was still the innocent and kind girl they knew. Even if she'd become a homewrecker, it was not her fault.

I couldn't care less. Let Bonnie take that video to Neil for some comfort or to cry on his shoulder, I chose to ignore it all.

What surprised me was that Neil never came looking for me, nor did he stand up for Bonnie because of the bouquet-throwing incident. I was left in peace, able to focus on the baby until all signs of bleeding were gone. After a series of tests, I was finally discharged.

Before leaving, the doctor instructed me, "Ms. Finch, your health isn't great. You must ensure plenty of rest, a balanced diet, avoid overworking, and keep your emotions stable."

I took the doctor's advice to heart. Once home, I started thinking about work. Should I continue working, or take time off to have the baby? If I chose to keep working, there was a risk of miscarriage, but I hated the idea of quitting.

As I was debating, the doorbell rang.

"Russel?" I was surprised to see him at my door.

He was wearing a brown trench coat, his hair a bit shorter, looking refreshed. More importantly, he was carrying a suitcase.

"You've lost weight again," Russel began to scold as soon as he saw me, "Have you been skipping meals? If you keep this up, you'll harm your health."

"Why are you here?" I asked in surprise.

"Work assignment," Russel said blandly, "I'll be working at a local hospital for a good half a year."

Before I could react, Russel had already walked into the living room and placed his suitcase next to the couch, "Irene, I need a favor."

Closing the door, I asked with curiosity, "What favor do you need?"

"I need a place to stay temporarily. The hospital hasn't arranged my accommodation yet. Can I stay here?" Russel asked.

Confused, I asked, "Stay here? Why not go to Neil? Isn't he nearby? Or Louis."

Russel responded casually, "They don't know I'm here."