Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 335

I was in a real pickle, wondering if I should hand over the USB stick to Neil.

Malinda, the smart cookie, gathered a lot of dirt on Bonnie. What intrigued me the most was a conversation between Bonnie and Kate Aaron she stumbled upon, hinting at money laundering involving StarGlow Enterprises.

The conversation wasn't crystal clear, but it was a smoking gun which proved their knowledge and involvement.

After stewing over it for a bit, I finally copied all the evidence from the USB stick and shot it over to Neil.

About half an hour later, Neil rang me up and asked, "Where did this come from?"

"Malinda gave it to me," I confessed, "Malinda approached me once before and gave me this stuff. I've been covering for her this whole time. If Bonnie knew, she'd be in hot water."

"Alright, I got it," Neil sounded serious, "When did she give this to you?"

I thought for a moment and then spilled the beans.

Neil went silent for a bit, then chuckled, "Didn't want to tell me earlier, huh? Keeping me at arm's length?"

That question was a bit awkward because I was indeed keeping him at bay. Only after all we've been through those days did I decide to hand over the document. It was the last piece of the puzzle between us.

Seeing me silent, Neil probably figured out my answer. He didn't blame me or mock me; he just sighed lightly.

"I'm not keeping anything from you anymore!"

Instead of grilling me, Neil's soft sigh made me feel even guiltier.

"Okay, I trust you," Neil's voice softened a bit, "You must remember, I'll always have your back."

Neil was being overly understanding. I was not quite used to it, but deep down, I was pleased.

I yearned for that feeling for a long time, and then I finally felt it. No matter how much I had been through, I was still moved.

I responded lightly, then ended the call.

Work was hectic and time flew by. The biggest deal on my plate at the time was a business collaboration with Ethan Foster’s FarHorizon Group. It was definitely a top priority.

After work, I gave Stella a shout about Chloe's dinner invitation.

"Just go. What's there to be scared of?" Stella didn't hesitate, "If she pulls anything, I'll give her a piece of my mind!"

"You're that tough?" I chuckled, "Alright then, you pick the spot. Come with me when it's time."

"No problem, I promise to pick the best place in Rosemont for you," Stella was confident.

But we didn't know that this dinner would leave an indelible scar in our minds.

Stella picked the restaurant, and I texted the address and time to Chloe. She replied quickly, “Okay, see you then.”

When the time came, Stella and I headed to the rendezvous. On the way there, I got a text from Russel, warning me not to accept any invitations from Chloe.

The text made me jittery.

But Stella and I were already at the rendezvous.

"My husband will be dining here too. Relax. If Chloe pulls anything, we've got enough manpower!" Stella gave me a pat on the back.