The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1006

Neera thought Mariah did not look too good. She needs to change her clothes, and it would be best to go to the hospital for a check-up.

Upon arriving at that thought, she decided to see her good deed through to the end.

“All right. I'll come with you, but your clothes are all wet, and you'll be bound to catch a cold. Let's go to the hospital for a check-up first before going home, okay?”

“Home?”

Mariah was overjoyed. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she regarded Neera. “Will you come home with me, baby girl?”

Neera smiled. “Mmm. Come on.”

Only then did the old woman rise to her feet. Still tightly holding Neera's hand, she followed closely behind.

The three members of the Park family heaved a sigh of relief, yet they could not help feeling a pang of sadness.

Before long, the group left Grandview Park and arrived at the hospital.

Throughout the entire check-up, the old woman refused to let go of Neera's hand no matter how the doctor implored her, not even when she was changing out of her wet clothes.

Helpless, Neera had no choice but to wait along patiently.

Moreover, for reasons she could not explain, she could not bear to cause Mariah any more sorrow upon seeing her this way.

Fortunately, Mariah was not seriously ill; she only needed to stay in the hospital for a couple of days to recuperate.

Despite being clearly exhausted, she refused to go to sleep.

Neera sat by the bed. “Get some sleep if you're feeling tired,” she coaxed gently. “The doctor said you need plenty of rest to get better.”

However, Mariah merely shook her head. Her gaze, fixed on Neera, did not waver for even a moment.

“I won't. If I fall asleep, I'm afraid I'll wake up and find you gone again. I dare not sleep.”

Neera felt a pang of heartache. Patiently, she coaxed the old woman for a long time.

“No, I won't! I'll be right here with you. Don't worry, and get some sleep. I'm not going anywhere.”

After a good while, Mariah, much like a child, succumbed to sleep after multiple requests for reassurance.

The three members of the Park family watched the whole process from the corner.

Nobody spoke. They were unsure of what to say.

Nadine's eyes reddened. Feeling the twinge in her nose, she barely managed to keep her tears from falling.

The scene brought back memories of Stacy as if she had returned to the past.

If Stacy were here, the old lady would not behave like that.

When Mariah had fallen asleep, Neera lifted the quilt gently to cover her.

When she turned around, she saw Nadine's eyes moist with tears. “Are you all right?” she asked, surprised.

Nadine quickly lowered her eyes, took a deep breath, and composed herself. “I-I'm fine.”

Neera nodded before rising to her feet. “Now that Mrs. Park is safe and sound, I'd better get going, as I have matters to attend to.”

Then, she reminded them, “She seems rather unstable. I was only able to come today because I happened to be free, otherwise, something worse would have happened. I often don't carry my phone with me when I'm busy in the lab, so you should be careful not to let her wander off again.”

After her speech, she turned to leave.

In a panic, Edward stood up at once and blocked her way.

“Don't leave just yet. Let's have a talk.”

Neera paused, looking puzzled. “What would you like to talk about?”

Edward glanced at his parents and, upon seeing no objection from them, took a deep breath.

“Aren't you curious as to why my grandmother always mistakes you for my aunt? We would like to tell you about her.”

Neera felt a strange sense of unease in her heart; she found them rather peculiar.

“Is it appropriate for me, an outsider, to discuss matters regarding your family?”

Edward seemed on the verge of blurting out the truth, but he managed to hold back.

“Apologies, but this won't take up much of your time. You'll understand once we explain things.”

Seeing his serious expression, Neera hesitated for a moment. She was left with no choice but to agree.

Then, the group left the ward, intending to find a place to sit down and talk.

Suddenly, Elmer arrived in a hurry, with his butler following closely by his side.

“Where's your mother, Jeremiah? How is she doing?”

No sooner had he asked than he saw the face that strikingly resembled his daughter's. Completely stunned, he stared at her unblinkingly, a myriad of emotions swirling in his eyes.

Neera felt a little uncomfortable being subjected to his scorching gaze. She had always found the old man's gaze somewhat strange.

However, before she could ponder any further, Edward broke the silence to explain the situation.

Then, he made the introductions. “This is Neera, Grandpa.”

The way she was being introduced made Neera feel that something was off, though she could not quite put her finger on it at the moment.

“Neera...”

Elmer was still somewhat dazed. He was wearing a complicated expression.

A moment later, he regained his composure, and his face hardened again. “Let's go,” he said solemnly. “We'll talk someplace else.”

After instructing the butler to stay and keep an eye on Mariah, the group headed to the café across the hospital.

Not long after, all of them took their seats.

Neera felt a strange tension in the atmosphere, which made her feel even more nonplussed.

Not one to beat around the bush, she said promptly, “If you have something to say, just say it.”