Her Rebirth of Retribution novel Chapter 350

Since that day long ago, Rainey had vanished from her life completely. The apology Calista had always wanted to offer but never dared to, coupled with Rain's piercing words, “I hate you,” had been buried deep within her memory, only to resurface now in a flood of emotion.

She found herself pondering the hesitant glance Rainey had given her when she had left back then. Had Rainey also harbored words left unsaid? Did she want to say something to Calista at that moment?

Noticing her pensive expression, Kallum queried softly, “Do you want to go in, or should I call Rainey out here?”

Calista shook her head slightly, her voice quiet. “Let's wait a bit, until she comes out.”

They turned to find a nearby bench, but before they could take a step, the door behind them swung open. Rainey emerged, her eyes visibly red from crying. She had been on her way to work, yet the sight of Calista halted her in her tracks.

“Is that you... Calista?”

It was no surprise that Rainey recognized Calista instantly. From their childhood, Calista had possessed a distinctive beauty that made her unforgettable.

Calista, appearing slightly tense, held her posture rigidly.

At this juncture, Kallum intervened, stepping forward to hand Rainey the bag he was holding. “This is to cover the surgery fees.”

Rainey, caught off guard by the gesture, stared in confusion. Who is this guy, and why is he offering me a bag of money?

Before his arrival, Kallum had already ascertained the kind of person Rainey was through previous inquiries; she was a proud individual, averse to accepting charity despite her circumstances. Therefore, knowing that she desperately needed the money, he explained, “This quarter of a million, it's a loan to you, Rainey. You were once a friend of Calista's. She knows about your family's situation and has offered this out of goodwill. We hope you won't refuse.”

Rainey's initial defenses melted away at his words. She clutched the money close, overwhelmed by a wave of relief and joy. If her own relatives had been willing to lend them money, she would never have considered such drastic measures as selling herself for just a hundred thousand.

This isn't a dream, is it?

At that moment, Rainey's father, Lucas Levine, approached with a puzzled expression. “What's going on? Rainey, are they your friends?”

Rainey nodded slowly, still dazed, as she responded to her father. Her eyes met Calista's again, filled with a mix of guilt and uncertainty.

“Should we... talk?” Rainey suggested, noticing that Calista seemed different now—more reserved, yet not hostile.

Calista threw a quick glance in Kallum's direction, and in response, Kallum patted her shoulder with reassurance and said, “Go ahead, I'll wait for you here.”

She was on the verge of revealing that she controlled a vast fortune of ten billion. If Rainey was agreeable, she could easily lead her into a radically different lifestyle.

However, Rainey shook her head and stated, “I still need to work later today and tonight. Don't worry, I will definitely repay you as soon as I can. Please don't judge me by my present circumstances; I've just been really unlucky lately...”

Recalling her mother's prolonged illness, she sighed deeply and promised, “Three years, I promise I'll repay everything, with interest.”

Calista's response was neutral; it mattered little to her whether Rainey repaid the debt or not. Yet, she felt uncertain about how to respond, which added a certain stiffness to their interaction.

It seemed that Calista's distance was not intentional but rather a genuine uncertainty about how to interact, which made her appear rather nervous. As Rainey took a bite of her ravioli, she suddenly laughed and remarked, “You're not here just because you still feel guilty about that time your stepmother scolded me because of you when we were kids, right?”

“To be honest, your stepmother really is quite fierce! How are you managing these days? Is she still treating you poorly?” Rainey asked rapidly, almost convinced that Calista's past silence was heavily influenced by her stepmother's harshness.

Seeing Calista remain silent, Rainey interpreted it as an implicit agreement and comfortingly patted her shoulder.

Having secured the necessary funds for the surgery, Rainey's demeanor softened. With a face full of empathy, she said, “It's obvious that your stepmother is not a good person. You must have suffered a great deal over the years.”