Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 572

The moment Neil's voice trailed off, Russel stepped into the scene. Noticing Neil had already made it to my bedroom door, Russel's expression subtly changed, his steps faltering for a brief moment before he made his way over.

At that time, I was holding Serena, with Brandon crying in his crib. Neil walked over, scooped him up, and whispered soothing words. Both kids seemed inexplicably fond of Neil, and with just a few gentle words, Brandon's cries ceased. No need to wake the nanny now.

Coincidentally, the thunder outside ceased too, leaving only the sound of relentless rain. Russel, seeing Neil and me each holding a child, said nothing. He just went to check the balcony of my bedroom, then informed me, "The wind must've been too strong. A branch from the tree outside snapped and hit the balcony window, leaving a hole. We'll get someone to fix it tomorrow."

Holding Serena, I went over to inspect the damage. The balcony was a mess, with a noticeable hole in the glass door, thankfully not completely shattered. The broken branch, large and wedged into the glass, left the balcony damp.

"Alright, got it," I nodded, then told Russel, "You should get some rest. It's all okay here."

"I'd like to hold Serena, if that's alright," Russel then said, extending his arms with a gentle look towards Serena. Given that my mom had agreed to let Russel visit mainly to see the kids, and knowing his genuine affection for Serena and Brandon, I didn't refuse but reminded him, "Be careful with your shoulder."

With an acknowledging hum, Russel carefully cradled Serena in his uninjured arm, the other gently supporting her. Serena curiously gazed at Russel, her innocent eyes still moist from recent tears, making her look all the more pitiable.

Russel couldn't resist planting a tender kiss on Serena's cheek, an act of pure affection, while Neil, standing by, watched with a somewhat uneasy expression.

I couldn't decipher Neil's thoughts at that moment, but my mind raced with anxious possibilities. Knowing that Neil was aware of Russel's previous deception in a paternity test, it was likely he might doubt the legitimacy of his and the children's relationship, especially since he never personally managed the tests, relying instead on Russel's word.

This possibility made me uneasy, prompting me to glance more intently at Neil. Our eyes met, his gaze deepening before shifting away after a few seconds.

"Alright, continue resting," Russel eventually said after holding Serena for a while. He seemed about to hold Brandon too, but the charged glance exchanged with Neil suggested otherwise. Handing Serena back to me, he softly excused himself from the room.

Neil, without a word, placed a now sleeping Brandon back into his crib. In those silent moments, my mind raced with potential implications, especially regarding Neil's doubts about Brandon's paternity, given their resemblance. But Neil's next words caught me off guard.

"It's odd, isn't it? How every child that looks so much like me isn't actually mine?" Neil said, turning to me with a mix of confusion and resignation in his eyes, possibly still haunted by Hiram's case, who bore an even stronger resemblance to Neil than Brandon did.

"The world's a big place; resemblances are normal," I replied, attempting to sound calm.