Chapter 389

Evelyn stood rooted to the spot, her breath hitching. She hadn't anticipated Nathaniel's arrival this soon.

She had hurried here, desperate to see Eleanor before he appeared. Her plan was simple—slip away unnoticed afterward.

Yet fate had other ideas.

The sound of Nathaniel's footsteps echoed behind her—measured, deliberate, each one sending a shiver down her spine. Evelyn clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to steady her breathing.

Those few seconds stretched into an eternity.

When the footsteps stopped, she felt the weight of his gaze like a blade pressed against her back, cold and unyielding.

Nathaniel loomed over her, his presence suffocating. His lips thinned before he addressed Victoria. "Where's Grandmother Eleanor?"

"She's undergoing an examination. The doctor said everything appears normal, so there's no cause for concern," Victoria reassured him.

Nathaniel's expression softened slightly. "Thank you for looking after her, Victoria."

"It's my pleasure. When Mrs. Whitmore sees the two of you—well, all three of you—together, I'm certain she'll be overjoyed." Victoria smiled warmly.

Evelyn's own smile faltered. The air around them grew heavy, the temperature dropping as if winter had descended upon them.

The irony wasn't lost on her. Victoria's innocent remark had struck a nerve neither of them could ignore.

Nathaniel's eyes darkened, his voice low and controlled. "Victoria, you should rest. I'll stay with her."

"I don't mind, but I’ll go prepare Mrs. Whitmore’s room." Victoria, ever perceptive, excused herself without hesitation.

Once alone, Evelyn's chest tightened. Without Victoria as a buffer, what would happen now?

The corridor fell into oppressive silence.

Nathaniel's gaze burned into her, but she refused to cower. She straightened her posture, her silence a fragile shield.

Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with quiet menace. "Not running this time?"

Evelyn flinched but held her ground. Avoiding him wouldn’t protect her child. She swallowed hard. "Would you have preferred I waited for you to make the first move?"

Nathaniel’s jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. "At least we agree on one thing. I find it hard to believe the child survived a fall from that height."

Her hand instinctively cradled her stomach. "Luck was on our side."

His eyes flickered with something indiscernible. "Have you considered the consequences? What do you gain by keeping it?"

Evelyn refused to meet his gaze. "That’s my choice to make."

"And if I insist otherwise?" His voice was lethally calm. "I’ll arrange for the best doctors. You can still have children later—if you even want them."

To him, it made no difference.

Evelyn’s face paled. Just as she feared—Nathaniel had no intention of sparing this child.

Her hand fell from her belly as she finally met his eyes. "You know how much Eleanor has been looking forward to this baby."

Nathaniel’s gaze turned glacial. "Are you using my grandmother against me? She just narrowly escaped death."

Evelyn lowered her lashes. "If that’s how you see it."

She had to buy time. Protect herself.

The tension between them thickened. Nathaniel’s eyes burned with warning, but beneath it, something else flickered—something Evelyn couldn’t decipher.