Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 577

My vulnerability was a closely guarded secret, shared only with my closest ally in times of turmoil.

Upon hearing the dire state of my father's health, Stella fell into a pensive silence. She knew, as did I, that her hands were tied in this situation. My expectations of her weren't grand; it was more about having a shoulder to lean on.

"Stella, I'm gonna hang up," I sighed, ready to end the call.

"Rena, why don't you try reaching out to Russel?" Stella's suggestion came unexpectedly, almost as if she plucked it out of thin air.

I was taken aback, "Him?"

"Yes, remember you mentioned how he had a way with your folks? They've got this unbreakable admiration for him, plus with his background in medicine, maybe he could persuade your dad. It might just work," Stella offered, presenting a glimmer of hope I hadn't seen.

Intrigued, I decided to give it a shot.

With a mix of courage and desperation, I dialed Russel's number. Unsure if he had returned to Rosemont, considering Karina had made the journey here, it was likely he'd extend his stay.

As the phone rang, I was overtaken by a strange mix of emotions, leading me to abruptly end the call.

The guilt of only reaching out in times of need weighed heavily on me, painting my intentions in a selfish light. Just when I had convinced myself of a potential solution, my conscience argued otherwise.

But then, Russel called back, snapping me out of my internal conflict. The sound of traffic hummed through the line, indicating he was on the move.

"I'm on my way to the hospital right now. Don't worry, I'll talk to your dad about changing his treatment plan," Russel's voice carried a sense of premonition, as if he knew the purpose of my call.

"How... How did you know?" I stammered, caught off guard.

"Your mom called me earlier. I was planning to head back to Rosemont but decided to turn around," he replied calmly, unaffected by my or my mother's imposition.

"I'm sorry..." I began.

"Don't say sorry to me. Whatever relationship we have, anything you ask of me, I do willingly. No thanks or apologies needed, okay?" Russel's firm tone left no room for argument.

I felt a lump in my throat, a mixture of gratitude and discomfort that was hard to swallow.

"Okay, I'll see you there," was all I could muster.