Chapter 124

Nathaniel's voice turned icy. "Why would you endanger yourself for work?"

Evelyn took a few unsteady steps before her vision swam. Her knees buckled.

She braced for the inevitable crash against the marble floor, but strong arms caught her at the last second.

The embrace was achingly familiar yet distant, like a half-remembered dream.

Her eyelids fluttered as she fought to focus, but the face above her remained a blur.

Nathaniel cradled Evelyn close, his stomach twisting at the clammy sweat coating her skin and the unnatural pallor of her lips.

Without hesitation, he swept her up and strode toward the exit.

Victoria rushed after them, heels clicking frantically. "Nathaniel! Wait!"

The elevator doors slid shut in her face.

Victoria's manicured nails dug into her palms. "Do you really believe this wasn't staged?" she spat.

Penelope appeared at her shoulder, lips pursed. "Convenient timing, don't you think? Perfectly healthy one minute, fainting damsel the next."

"With Evelyn's acting skills, Nathaniel never stood a chance," Victoria sneered.

Her eyes tracked the descending elevator numbers until they stopped at B2—undoubtedly heading to the parking garage.

Victoria jammed the call button. "We're following them to the hospital."

She knew Evelyn's games too well. This pathetic attempt to play the victim wouldn't work.

The world swayed as Evelyn regained awareness in a moving car, her cheek pressed against a solid chest.

A cool cloth dabbed at her forehead, followed by the crisp scent of bergamot and sandalwood.

Shivering, she instinctively burrowed closer to the heat source.

Nathaniel glanced down as Evelyn nuzzled against him. Under different circumstances, he might have accused her of calculated seduction.

He shrugged off his suit jacket and tucked it around her, securing her firmly against him.

"Nearest major hospital. Now," he ordered the driver.

The car accelerated through traffic.

Nathaniel pressed his palm to Evelyn's forehead—the fever had spiked alarmingly.

When they screeched to a halt at the ER entrance, he carried her through the automatic doors without breaking stride.

A gust of wind slapped Evelyn back to full consciousness.

Her eyes flew open, landing on Nathaniel's razor-sharp jawline and grimly set mouth. Was this real?

She jerked her head away from the blinding hospital lights. "Nathaniel, put me down."

"Stop struggling."

"I don't need a doctor! I'm fine!"

Panic clawed up her throat. Standard medications could harm the baby. Even routine treatments posed risks.

More urgently, if doctors discovered her pregnancy, everything would unravel.

She couldn't let Nathaniel find out. Not when their divorce would be finalized in thirty days.

"Evelyn," Nathaniel warned, "keep squirming and I'll drop you."

His arms tightened as he deposited her onto an ER cot. "Stay. The doctor's coming."

"I told you, I'm better now." She pushed up on her elbows.

Nathaniel caged her in, palms planted on either side of her head. "Have you completely lost your senses?"

"There's nothing wrong with me," she insisted.

How would she hide her condition during the examination?

Their gazes locked in silent combat—until Nathaniel did the unexpected.

He leaned in until their foreheads touched.