Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 476

My words had barely left my mouth when Russell's demeanor noticeably shifted, his entire presence exuding a powerful intensity. I seemed to have provoked him, as his face was painted with an anger I had never seen before.

However, he didn't lash out at me. He merely clenched his fists, staring at me with a restrained fury.

"Did you visit Neil today?" Russel asked suddenly.

"Yes," I confirmed, neither denying my actions nor explaining why I had gone. If Russel wanted to misunderstand my intentions, then let him. I was perfectly content to let him think I was still hung up on Neil, so he could finally let go.

As expected, Russel's eyes darkened at my admission. His gaze, sharp as a knife, cut through me like a hot blade through butter.

But I wasn't afraid. If we didn't have this confrontation, we would only be wasting more time.

"Where exactly do I fall short compared to Neil? Anything he can provide, I can offer you even more!" Russel's emotions finally started to flare up. I knew he had been holding back for far too long.

Seeing his emotional unrest, I found myself oddly calm. My voice softened considerably, "It's not a matter of you being less than Neil, but me being unable to fall in love with you. Being with someone you don't love is agonizing, and I think you understand that."

Russel had been forced into an engagement with Chloe in the past. During that period, he didn't even have the interest to look at her.

Perhaps because he understood that feeling, he couldn't respond to my words. The disappointment and unwillingness in his eyes were painfully apparent.

I had seen that look before, when he told me that Bonnie didn't love him.

Unconsciously, I had become the second Bonnie, his unattainable goal. In the end, it was hard to tell whether his pursuit was born out of love or a distorted desire to win.

Our voices must have carried, as my mother came out looking for us again. Seeing Russel's distressed expression, she immediately shot me a warning look.

"Mrs. Finch, I need to take my leave," Russel managed to say in a controlled voice, before swiftly leaving.

"Russel, wait!" my mother called out, but to no avail.

Once Russel had left, she turned to me, her brows furrowed in anger. "Rena, what did you say to Russel? I've never seen him this upset before. I couldn’t even call him back!"

"Mom, I'd rather keep things complicated with Neil than force myself to accept Russel. You and dad should give up on that idea," I said firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.

My mother looked stunned, likely not expecting my resistance towards Russel to be this strong, to the point where I was willing to overlook the potential danger of Neil.

I was too exhausted to argue with my mother any further that day, so I quickly went back to my room to sleep.

My mother knocked on my door a few times, but I didn't respond. She probably didn't want to wake the kids, so she left it at that.