Chapter 405
Chapter 405
The rain outside was pouring down, and its stato rhythm against the window pane was enough to
keep Serena awake. Those big eyes of hers were wide open, staring at me,
Despite my own fear of thunder, seeing my delicate child made me feel a mother’s courage. Every time
I sensed a thunderp was about to explode, I’d cover Serena’s ears right away.
It was as if the heavens had a personál vendetta against us that day. Rather than the quick, passing
storm one might expect, the rain seemed to have been increasing in intensity. Outside, shadowy
figures asionally rushed by, their outlines blurry in the deluge.
The phone rang. It was my mother. “Rena,” she said. “Where are you and Serena? You didn’t take an
umbre with you. Try to find shelter; you can’t let the child get wet!”
“We’re fine. We’re waiting out the storm inside a shop.” I reassured her.
“If it gets too bad, your father can bring you an umbre, or you could buy one,” she suggested, her
voiceced with concern.
After a short conversation, I hung up. That’s when Faith spoke up. “Irene, if you need to get home
quickly. Neil can run out and get an umbre, and escort you to your car.”
At her words, Karina instantly nced at Neil. Faith seemed oblivious to any potential awkwardness,
and urged Neil on. “Go buy an umbre, Neil. A little rain won’t hurt a big guy like you. Can’t let ady
and a child get soaked.”
Neil, already in a sour mood, only looked at me, his eyes a cold steel.
“No need. I can order an umbre online,” I said quickly.
Ignoring my objection, Faith insisted. “Why bother with that when there’s a mall right across the street?
It’s much easier to just have Neil go.”
She didn’t seem to care that her own son might get soaked and catch a cold.
“Neil, go ahead. Ms. Finch’s child needs her sleep. It’s too noisy here. Getting them home would be
better, and less worrying for her parents, Karina added, nonchntly backing up Faith’s insistence.
Faith shot her a look, neither approving nor disapproving.
Without uttering a word, Neil got up and left the shop. His silhouette disappeared across the street, into
the mail, as the rain continued to pour.
Holding Serena in my arms, I watched Neil’s retreating figure through the ss door, and a strange
feeling washed over me.
Suddenly, Hiram piped up. “Mommy, did Daddy go to the mall? I want a Transformer toy!”
“Hiram, your father went to buy an umbre for Ms. Finch. It’s raining heavily outside. Next time we’ll
get you a Transformer toy, okay?” Karina gently refused his request
“But I want to y now!” Hiram pouted.
Seeing his grandson unhappy, Ryan chimed in. “Just call Neil and have him bring a toy. He’s already at
the mall. One extra toy won’t make a difference.”
With that, he dialed Neil’s number and ryed his request.
Hiram’s face lit up at his grandfather’s support. He dashed over to Ryan, giving him a loving peck on
the cheek. Ryan’s eyes crinkled up with delight.
I watched their warm interaction in silence, gently rocking Serena in my arms.
A whileter, the rain had lightened a bit but still drizzled down relentlessly. Neil emerged from the mall,
holding arge, ck umbre. He also carried a bag, presumably containing Hiram’s requested toy.
His clothes were soaked through. When he returned to the shop, I could clearly see his shirt clinging to
his muscr chest and abs.
”
“Thank you,” I said politely as he handed me the umbre.
Neil’s hair was wet, water still dripping from the tips. His face was covered with damp mist, giving him
an aura of cold aloofness.
I tried not to stare. It wasn’t appropriate.
Then, Neil handed me something else. It was a boxed doll with ck hair and blue eyes, dressed in a
golden gown. It was beautiful.
“For what?” I stuttered, not understanding his intention.
“I got it while buying Hiram’s gift. For your daughter,” Neil said quietly, not meeting my gaze. “Consider
it a bted wee gift.”
That gesture took me by surprise. In Neil’s eyes, Serena was my child with Russel. So, why was he
giving her a gift?
Seeing my confusion, Neil rified, “It wasn’t my idea. My mom texted me and insisted I do this.
Understand?”
Suddenly, it all made sense. I had thought that Neil had a change of heart, that he was ready to bury
the hatchet with Russel and, by extension, be kinder to Serena.
I didn’t want to ept Neil’s gift, but looking at the beautiful doll, I found myself nodding. “Norah, could
you keep this for me?”
Norah nodded and took the doll from Neil.
That was the first gift Serena received from her biological father. It might have been thest, but it was
a special one.
Faith looked exasperated at her son’s blunt admission. Her face fell as she said, “Neil, escort Irene to
her car. She’s holding the baby; you hold the umbre.”
“Faith, that’s really not necessary. Norah can hold the umbre, I quickly interjected.
N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content.
“Neil is taller; he can hold the umbre better. Let Norah hold another one,” Faith arranged our exit.
Again, I tried to refuse, but Faith found a loophole. “It’s fine, Irene. See, Neil bought two umbres. He
needs to escort you to your car and bring them back, otherwise, we’d get wet. Our car is parked nearby
and we need to walk there.”
Karina had been quiet, just watching Neil and me. Suddenly, she stepped forward. “How about I escort
Ms. Finch instead?”
“You needn’t bother. Let Neil do it,” Faith brushed her off directly.
“TH do it. Just wait a sec,” Neil chimed in, shooting me a look that told me to quit wasting time. It was
only a few minutes’ walk, so we might as well have gone together.
Norah was under her own umbre, while Neil was chivalrously shielding Serena and me from the rain
with his. Luckily, the wind had died down, so the rain wasn’t blowing onto us.
We had just crossed the road when a car sped past, sshing water in our direction. Neil, quick as a
whip, stepped in front of me to block the spray. His clothes, already soaked through, took another
beating.