Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 657

When I gave Russel the "yes" he was looking for, I noticed a flicker of disappointment in his eyes before he masked it with a smile. "Alright, I'll help you out too."

"I need to crash at your place for a bit, is that cool?" At that moment, all I needed was Russel's help.

Russel didn't turn me down.

So, I ended up staying at his place. I was pretty familiar with it, so adapting wasn't a problem for me.

Now, Neil and I were just a wall apart. It seemed like he knew I was staying with Russel, so for the next few days, he never showed up.

Russel mentioned that Neil used to come over almost every day to hang out, mostly reminiscing about the past. Likely because of his paralysis, Neil had become a bit more withdrawn and melancholic, smiling less than before, spending most of his time in deep thought, almost haunted by it.

On the other hand, Hiram would often come to see me, always trying to reassure me, "Ms. Finch, Mr. Whitmore is probably just trying to spare you the trouble, not wanting to hold you back. He doesn’t really care for that woman."

That woman Hiram referred to was Kitty.

I wanted to believe him, but over the next few days, Kitty stayed at Neil's place without leaving. What took me by surprise was the bedroom on Russel's second floor, directly opposite Neil's on his side. If I remembered correctly, that used to be my room.

Balcony facing balcony, though separated by a distance, if the doors were open and curtains not drawn, one could catch a glimpse of the room’s interior.

And what I saw was a scene of two people embracing. Kitty, standing behind Neil's wheelchair, leaned over to wrap her arms around his shoulders, their posture intimately close.

Probably because my figure was too noticeable from the balcony, both Neil and Kitty looked up at me. Kitty appeared surprised and awkward, while Neil looked annoyed and displeased.

He turned his head as if saying something to her, and Kitty moved her ear closer to his lips, listening intently.

After their exchange, Kitty stood up and walked towards the balcony door, gave me a smile, and then drew the curtains. But perhaps in her haste, she didn’t close them completely, leaving a sliver of space through which I could vaguely see inside.

I didn’t want to keep looking, knowing they chose to shut me out, but I couldn’t help seeing what I wished I hadn’t. Kitty was close to Neil, their faces almost touching, and from my angle, all I could see was the back of Kitty’s head and Neil’s hand slowly reaching up to cradle it, as if they were about to kiss.

That scene felt like a sharp stab to my heart, leaving me breathless. I turned away, not wanting to witness anymore, and hurried back to my room, slamming the door shut.

If Neil had no feelings for Kitty, he wouldn’t have kissed her. When I first pursued him, he didn’t like me back to the point of refusing even the slightest touch.

So, what Hiram said might not be the complete truth. During Neil's most vulnerable year, it was Kitty by his side, cheering him up. Anyone could develop feelings in such circumstances; Neil’s heart wasn’t made of stone.

"What’s wrong?" Russel suddenly appeared, concern evident in his gaze.

"It’s nothing, just feeling a bit tired and need some rest," I lied, not intending to let Russel in on what was happening across the way, not wanting to be the subject of pity.