Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 486

As I had expected, Neil was brimming with resentment.

The doorbell was still ringing, becoming increasingly insistent. Ignoring Neil, I rushed to answer the door.

"You're back!" I was taken aback at the sight of Russel. Wasn't he working the night shift? Why was he back at this hour?

Russel grabbed my shoulders, scanning me from top to bottom, his voice filled with concern. "Are you hurt? I heard there was a break-in and someone got hurt. I was worried, so I rushed home."

His eyes then fell on the bloodied yard, glaringly visible under the lamplight. As a doctor, Russel was particularly sensitive to such scenes, and his face drained of color.

Neil stepped out, locking gazes with Russel from a few feet away. Sparks seemed to fly between them. The tension was palpable even in their silence.

But if it wasn't for Russel's timely arrival, I wouldn't know what else this lunatic Neil might have done.

His words were spot on: someone like him might be better off gone for good for me.

Within 24 hours, Russel had encountered Neil at my place twice. No doubt his frustration was at boiling point.

Even the most composed individuals would have trouble tolerating such repeated incidents.

Russel's eyes were like shards of ice, but he didn't utter a word. His silence made me uneasy. I couldn't explain the situation, so I simply said, "A fugitive broke into the house. Neil saved me. I was just tending to his wound."

"Is it as simple as that?" Neil chimed in, his tone suggestive and challenging.

I shot Neil a glare, but he simply smirked back at me, unfazed. His wounded lip, bitten by me, bore a few dark red marks that made him look all the more devilishly charming.

Any average person would have lost their cool, sparking an argument. But this time, Russel didn't react. He simply walked over, put an arm around me, and calmly said to Neil, "Thanks for protecting my wife. If you're available, we'd like to invite you to dinner as a token of our gratitude."

Russel's words took me by surprise. What was going on?

The smile on Neil's face faded slightly. He shot me a meaningful glance before letting out a cold, dismissive laugh. "Sure."

"Now you can leave. I need to handle the situation here." Russel smiled politely, treating Neil like a complete stranger, despite their previous close friendship.

"You let your 'wife' fall into danger again and again, Russel. What good are you?" Neil spat out bitterly before leaving.

Russel's face turned ashen. He always blamed himself for not taking good care of me, and Neil's words were a slap in his face.

The yard fell back into silence, leaving only the heavy stench of blood and the two of us. Before I could say anything, Russel had already started cleaning the bloody mess.

It was late at night, and after a night of shocks and distress, I was exhausted. Seeing Russel cleaning up, I felt obligated to help.

"You should rest," Russel told me. He was on his knees, scrubbing the bloodstains from the ground.