Chapter 256

About thirty minutes later, Nathan stepped back into the room, his expression carefully composed, though a flicker of concern lingered in his dark eyes.

By the time he returned, his face betrayed none of the earlier tension. He moved to the bedside, his fingers brushing lightly against Evelyn’s forehead, his touch deliberate and controlled.

Her fever had lessened, though it hadn’t completely faded.

A brief flash of relief crossed his features before his expression hardened once more.

"Did you not realize you were sick?" His voice was low, edged with disapproval. "What were you thinking, taking a bath in that state?"

Evelyn opened her mouth to respond, but Nathan cut her off, his tone growing sharper with each word.

"I happened to be back in time to hear the noise. What if I hadn’t been here? What if you’d hit your head and lost consciousness?"

The more he spoke, the darker his expression became.

Evelyn’s voice was barely a whisper. "I was drenched in sweat… I just wanted to freshen up."

Nathan didn’t relent. His gaze remained unyielding. "You could have asked for help. Was that so difficult?"

She fell silent, knowing he was right.

Nathan studied her for a long moment, something unreadable in his piercing stare. Then, with a quiet exhale, he said nothing more.

Evelyn, unwilling to argue further, sank back against the pillows and closed her eyes, retreating into her thoughts. Exhaustion soon pulled her under, and she drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep.

As she slept, her features softened, the tension easing from her face, leaving her looking almost fragile.

Nathan remained seated beside her, his stern demeanor gradually thawing. He didn’t even notice the warmth in his gaze or the faint curve of his lips as he watched her.

Once satisfied she was resting comfortably, he stood and left the room. He ate quickly before heading to the office, determined to catch up on work.

Evelyn slept through most of the day, undisturbed. By evening, her fever had broken completely, and she felt significantly better.

The next morning, she returned to work as usual.

That afternoon, Alexander unexpectedly invited Evelyn and Eleanor out for dinner. After a brief hesitation, Evelyn agreed.