Chapter 391

Evelyn's mind raced. What the hell is that bastard doing out there? Is this some pathetic attempt to manipulate me with his self-inflicted suffering? Does he really think I'd fall for such a cheap trick?

Her chest burned with fury. She spun on her heel, ready to retreat to the sanctuary of her bedroom—but froze after two steps.

Autumn rain in Crestview wasn't like summer showers. Nighttime temperatures could plunge below freezing this time of year.

Nathan had been standing motionless for nearly four hours in nothing but a thin suit.

A chilling thought struck her. What if he refuses to leave? If he freezes to death on my doorstep, I'll have to explain this to the authorities. What a goddamn mess.

Gritting her teeth, Evelyn stormed back inside and snatched her phone off the nightstand. Her fingers flew across the screen as she dialed Nathan's number.

The call went straight to voicemail.

She couldn't fathom what game he was playing.

His masochistic display didn't evoke pity—only morbid curiosity.

With a frustrated growl, she grabbed a massive umbrella and marched toward the entrance. The door swung open with more force than necessary.

When Nathan saw Evelyn's slender silhouette approaching through the downpour, he wondered if hypothermia was making him hallucinate.

Only when she stood before him—close enough for raindrops to catch in her lashes—did reality sink in. Warmth flooded his chest, his frozen lips twitching into an involuntary smile.

"What the hell are you trying to prove?" Evelyn's voice cut through the storm like shattered crystal. "Trying to get yourself hospitalized?"

Nathan's hands trembled as they moved toward his suit buttons. Instinct made him want to offer his jacket—until he remembered the fabric was soaked through. His arms dropped uselessly to his sides.

"Why is your phone off?" she demanded.

"Dead battery," he admitted, sounding like a chastened schoolboy.

Strangely, her anger thrilled him. There was something perversely satisfying about her fury.

"Were you planning to stand here all night if I didn't come out?"

"Yes." His breath formed ghostly clouds between them. "I needed to tell you something."

Evelyn's laugh was sharp enough to draw blood. "Nathan Blackwood, you never fail to disgust me. Can't you come up with anything more original than emotional blackmail? Are you the CEO of Blackwood Industries or some desperate stalker?"

"Methods don't matter," his voice dropped to that dangerous velvet register, "as long as I see you."

Evelyn's breathing turned ragged, her chest rising in furious waves. The sight made Nathan's gaze darken with something far warmer than hypothermia.

To his credit, he maintained control—though few men could've resisted that view.

"You're not sleeping well."

"What?"

"You never used to wake at night. Slept like the dead till morning."

Evelyn's grip on the umbrella handle turned white-knuckled.

During their brief marriage, they'd shared a bed for six excruciating months.

Even then, Nathan had slept with his back to her, the space between them wider than the Grand Canyon.

She knew he was a light sleeper. She hadn't realized he'd been listening to her breathing.

"Whatever you came to say, spit it out! It's freezing out here!"

A violent shiver racked her body.

"Let's talk in the car."

Nathan seized the umbrella with one hand while yanking the car door open with the other. Before she could protest, he'd maneuvered her inside.

The interior smelled of damp wool and expensive cologne.

In the dim dashboard light, Evelyn noticed how Nathan's aristocratic lips had turned blue at the edges. His elegant fingers—now gripping his knees—were mottled with cold.

Her mouth tightened as he produced a cashmere blanket from somewhere and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"I found who leaked the photos. Vivian Prescott. Her father is Vincent Prescott—you know why she did this. She's been waiting years for revenge."

Evelyn's head snapped up. "You stood in the rain for hours just to tell me that?"

"Partly." Nathan's voice was hoarse with more than cold. "I needed to see if you were... affected by what happened."