Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 537

The doctor had left, and Hiram was lying quietly in the bed. He didn't react much when Neil came in, lost in his own thoughts.

For some reason, Hiram's earlier reaction had deeply etched itself in my mind, leaving me with an odd feeling.

"Hiram?" Neil approached, gently calling out Hiram's name.

"Dad, I dirtied Ms. Finch's dress." Hiram remembered this and voiced his worry to Neil, "Will she hit me?"

Hiram had behaved poorly towards me in the past, and dirtying a dress didn't seem like a big deal compared to other things he'd done.

Why did this incident make him so anxious and fearful?

Suddenly, I recalled the sleep talking I had heard the night before. I had been very tired at that time, and after having a few drinks at Stella's place, I fell into a deep slumber. When I heard Hiram sleep talk, I forced my eyes open to check on him, ensuring he was safe before drifting back to sleep.

During that time, Hiram seemed to have said things like "Sorry, Mommy," "I was wrong," "Don't hit me."

My suspicion towards Karina grew stronger. Hiram probably suffered some psychological trauma from her. If not for long-term abuse, such severe psychological aftermath would be unlikely.

"She won't, she won't hurt you, she's here to take care of you." Neil reassured Hiram.

Hiram looked at me pitifully, and in that moment, my heart softened. If he really was abused by Karina, he was truly pitiful...

Under Neil's comfort, Hiram gradually fell asleep. I pulled Neil aside, "Neil, we need to talk about Hiram."

"Alright," Neil nodded.

I told him about Hiram's unusual behavior. If Karina was indeed guilty of child abuse and we could find evidence, Neil would have a better chance of winning custody.

After hearing this, Neil's face darkened, a hint of anger in his eyes.

Who wouldn't feel heartbroken for their own child? Neil couldn't accept that Hiram might have been abused, especially by his own mother, Karina.

Was all the hardship of a single mother raising her child alone a lie?

"I understand." Neil didn't say much.

"Okay, I can't guarantee it's true, you decide whether to investigate or not." I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and was feeling drowsy. I sat down on a bed nearby, planning to rest a bit after Neil left.

To my surprise, Neil didn't leave immediately. Instead, he came to Hiram's bedside and stared at the sleeping child for a long time, so long that I almost fell asleep.

I woke up with a start when someone laid a blanket over me. Standing by the bed was Neil.

I sat up quickly, feeling somewhat apologetic, "Did I fall asleep? I'm sorry, I probably didn't rest well last night."

"It's okay. Thank you for bringing this to my attention today." Neil had changed a lot recently. He was more polite and courteous towards me, which was what I had wanted. But now that it was happening, I felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"It's nothing. I'm a mother too. I can't bear to see a child suffer." I smiled and answered honestly.