Chapter 10
Nathan felt a wave of unease surge through him, as if something important was slipping through his fingers and he was powerless to stop it.
“What’s wrong, Nate?” Evelyn’s voice came from behind him, tinged with concern.
Nathan snapped out of his daze. He quickly put his phone away and forced a smile. “It’s nothing. Just some work matters I need to handle.”
Evelyn nodded, her eyes filled with trust. “Then go quickly. Don’t let your work pile up because of me.”
Nathan hummed in acknowledgment and turned to leave the ward.
But he didn’t head to the office. Instead, he drove straight to the club he frequented.
The dim lighting and deafening music made for a suffocating atmosphere. Nathan sat at the bar, downing drink after drink.
Before long, his friends surrounded him, grinning as they teased, “Hey, Nate, what brings you here? Weren’t you supposed to be at the hospital with Evie?”
Nathan said nothing. He continued to drink in silence.
One of his friends clapped him on the shoulder, smirking. “You’ve been staying by Evie’s side all this time. Aren’t you worried Annabelle might catch on?”
Nathan’s grip tightened around his glass. Instead of responding, he pulled out his phone, opened Annabelle’s message, and handed it to them.
The group heddled together to read it. Instantly, a burst of laughter erupted among them.
“So, Annabelle found out? Perfect! Saves you the trouble of explaining.”
“Exactly. You never liked her anyway. Now you can just dump her. And tomorrow’s Evie’s birthday, right? Why not confess to her?”
“Yeah, you’ve been into Evie since high school. Now’s your chance!”
As Nathan listened to them, an unbearable frustration gnawed at him. He downed another drink. His gaze became unfocused.
One of his friends noticed something was off and asked in a low voice, “Why so quiet, Nate? Don’t tell me you actually have feelings for Annabelle.” Nathan froze for a second. His glass swayed slightly between his fingers. He opened his mouth to deny it, but the words just wouldn’t come out.
Feelings for Annabelle?
Impossible.
He’d always been in love with Evelyn since high school. Annabelle had only ever been a tool he used for practice.
Yet why did he feel so restless when the said she was done? Why did her departure leave him with an emptiness he couldn’t shake?
The dim lights flickered as the deafening music pounded through the club. Nathan held a glass of liquor in his hand, but his eyes looked hollow.
His friends had started off teasing him, but as his silence stretched on, they noticed that something was off.
“No way… Nate, don’t tell me you actually like Annabelle,” someone blurted out. His voice was tinged with disbelief.
Nathan’s fingers clenched around his glass, the faint sound of friction breaking through the heavy air. He still didn’t speak. His gaze was locked onto the swirling liquid, as if he were searching for an answer in its depths.
“Say something, man!” Another friend nudged hu impatiently. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for her. She was just a tool you used for practice, wasn’t she? You’ve always wanted Evie!” Nathan’s frown deepened. The frustration inside him burned like wildfire. He opened his mouth to deny it, but for some reason, the words refused to come out.
Then, one of his quieter friends, Toby Faulkner, suddenly spoke. His voice was soft, yet his words carried enough weight to silence the entire group.
“Honestly, it isn’t surprising he fell for Annabelle, is it?”
After a pause, Toby continued with a hint of sentiment in his voice. “She’s gorgeous, great in bed, kind, and actually cares about people. Remember last year when Nate had that terrible fever? She was on a business trip but rushed back overnight just to take care of him for three straight days. She barely slept.
“Or that one time after a party, when everyone was too drunk to stand, she stayed behind and inage sure everyone got home safely without a single complaint.
“And let’s not forget when Nate’s rival came looking for trouble. Annabelle grabbed a bottle, stood in front of itim, and cracked it over the guy’s head without hesitation. Now that’s a woman
with fire. Who wouldn’t fall for someone like that?”
As he spoke, there was a trace of envy in his tone. “Honestly, if Nate hadn’t gotten to her first, I would’ve made a nove myself.”
