Chapter 109
Nathaniel shot upright, his voice turning icy. "What's wrong?"
Despite securing the best surgeon for Eleanor's operation with meticulous care, they had expected everything to go smoothly upon arrival.
"Bad news, sir. The doctor was in a car accident and is currently receiving treatment at the hospital."
"I'm on my way." Nathaniel threw off the covers and strode to the closet, pulling out his clothes with sharp movements.
The call had woken Evelyn beside him. Hearing the tension in Nathaniel's voice, she wondered if something urgent had come up at work.
Within minutes, Nathaniel emerged from the closet, fully dressed, his expression grim.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Evelyn murmured, "Is everything okay?"
After a brief hesitation, he replied, "Nothing serious."
Without elaborating about the doctor, he left swiftly.
At the hospital, Robert was waiting outside the emergency room.
"Mr. Whitmore, the doctor isn't in critical condition, but his right hand is fractured. It's unclear when he'll be able to operate again," Robert reported.
Nathaniel's face paled. "Why now, of all times?"
"Our investigation shows a reckless driver ran a red light and crashed into the doctor's car."
Nathaniel's jaw tightened. "Find another surgeon."
No matter what, Eleanor's surgery would proceed as planned.
After Nathaniel left, Evelyn dozed off again. Lately, she found herself craving extra sleep.
When she woke, she stretched and headed downstairs. "Victoria, what's for lunch?"
A faint hunger tugged at her.
Victoria had prepared an elaborate spread, making Evelyn feel pampered. The attention to detail made her feel cherished.
Evelyn absently touched her stomach, recalling all the advice Victoria had shared about pregnancy.
She took it seriously—this wasn’t just about her, but the little life growing inside her.
That evening, Nathaniel returned to find Evelyn on a yoga mat, watching a prenatal breathing tutorial. His gaze lingered as he observed her.
Evelyn had been diligently practicing, convinced these techniques would help during labor.
When she turned and caught him watching, she froze briefly before resuming her exercises, focusing intently on the screen.
Victoria approached with a smile. "Mr. Whitmore, if you have time, you should join Mrs. Whitmore. Prenatal education is important from the start."
Evelyn quickly interjected, "Victoria, he’s busy. We can cover this later."
Without a word, Nathaniel turned and went upstairs.
After dinner, Evelyn sat alone in bed, flipping through a prenatal care book.
Nathaniel entered and picked it up, skimming the pages. With a hint of sarcasm, he remarked, "Quite the dedicated performance."
Keeping her tone light, Evelyn replied, "Well, if I’m going to commit to a role, I might as well do it convincingly, right?"
He set the book down and headed to the bathroom.
Evelyn exhaled softly, closing the book.
Why should she feel guilty? Nathaniel had no reason to suspect anything yet.
Even if she told him now, he’d probably dismiss it as another act.
Her phone buzzed insistently on the nightstand.
Evelyn glanced at the screen—Victoria Sinclair’s name flashed brightly.
She looked away, uninterested in whatever connection Nathaniel and Victoria still shared.
As the sound of running water stopped, Evelyn quickly pulled the covers up and pretended to sleep.
Nathaniel emerged in a loose robe, frowning at the missed call on his phone. He made no move to return it.