Chapter 149

[Third-Person’s POV]

Apart from the injuries beneath the face wrap, Evelyn had sustained numerous small lacerations around her upper and lower chest. A badly sprained wrists and a few broken fingers. Ian paid special attention to each injury while going about his best to have her patched up or splinted.

Those were the least of Alexander’s concerns since they were easy to clean and patch up.

However, the same couldn’t be said for when Ian removed Evelyn’s shirt to reveal numerous dark-colored bruises beneath her breasts.

“Some of her ribs have been broken,” he assessed.

Alexander fought back a cluster of curses while pushing down the burning motion in his throat. He refused to let himself shed a single tear until he could finally be alone. It wasn’t for a sign of weakness but rather unpredictability.

If he let his emotions rush through, there was no guarantee that there would be a Silverwood Manor left standing.

Now wasn’t the time to act rashly when he still needed to remain calm and collected for Evelyn’s sake. But that same sense of dread he had first shown up with hadn’t receded, it only grew.

Every injury Ian uncovered was just another push toward his self-destruction. There was no longer any doubt in his mind that Evelyn was, in fact, his greatest weakness.

It’s my fault. None of this would have happened if I had just gotten over my own stupid feelings.

Unfortunately, even he knew there wasn’t much that could be done to treat broken ribs. The best Ian was able to offer was a soothing gel that would help bring down the swelling.

“Once you bring her back home, just keep applying ice packs to the bruised areas,” he told him.

Alexander nodded stoically.

Having asked one of the soldiers to borrow a jacket, he was able to properly cover the upper half of Evelyn’s body. With her blood transfusion nearly finished, her vitals were gradually rising back to their normal levels. For the first time since he left the house, Alexander felt a spark of hope.

But they weren’t out of the woods yet.

Evelyn had only just started her road to recovery and he was going to do everything in his power to help her get better. When Oliver returned, he’d been filled in on her diagnosis and terms of treatments.

“I understand,” he confirmed. “Sir, both Nina and your grandmother have been informed about Evelyn’s current state and they’re already making up one of the spare rooms for her.”

Alexander’s brows instantly pulled together in question.

Why on earth would they be preparing one of the guestrooms for her, when he had all intentions of having her treated in their shared bedroom?

“No,” he argued. “She’s staying with me.”

Ian cleared his throat and spoke up. “I’m afraid that I cannot condone that idea,” he said.

Alexander snapped his head to glare at his long-time friend. “This isn’t something that’s up for debate. She’s staying in our room where I can keep an eye on her.”

The older man shook his head. “I’m sorry, Alexander. My answer still stands.”

“I’m her husband.”

“And I’m her doctor,” he countered.

The tension was so thick, that anyone could have cut through it with a knife. Ian lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose while choosing his next words carefully.

“Listen. What Evelyn needs, above all else, is her own space. I had many patients like her in the past who’ve sustained terrible injuries like hers. Believe me when I tell you that the physical end of her healing journey is the least of our problems.”

Once more, Alexander grew puzzled.

“It’s the psychological effects that are going to be horrific.”

At that moment, he felt his heart plummet into his stomach. Of course. How could he possibly have overlooked such a vital factor?

“From what we can all clearly assess from this room alone, Evelyn has been tortured. No one walks away from something like that unhinged. When she wakes up, she’s in for a whole new world of pain, feelings she’s never experienced, and nightmares,” Ian explained. “What she’ll need most is her alone time to heal.”

Alexander had an extremely difficult time wrapping his mind around the idea of having to leave Evelyn alone. Not when every nerve in his body was screaming at him to stay at her side. He wanted to shield her from the world—hell, he was seriously considering moving them out of the Region for a little while.

But what Evelyn would need most is a sense of security. She would need to be surrounded by things and a place where she felt safe and comfortable. So, unfortunately, the option of relocating her would be temporarily on hold.

No matter, while Evelyn takes her time to heal, I will be centering my focus on tracking down the people responsible for this.

He let out a deep, unenthused breath. “Fine. Tell me though, is it safe to move her now?”

Ian gently nodded his head. “Yes. I’ve issued her a very strong sedative that should help her sleep. At the very least, it will dull most of the pain for now. Once she wakes up and is able to stay away for longer than a half hour, call me. I’ll need to examine her injuries, mainly her ribs and the ones on her face.”

Alexander got past the lump in his throat as his thoughts wanted to rush back to that gut-wrenching scene of watching Ian clean her wounds to reveal just how horrible those knife wounds were.

“Understood.”

While the doctor packed up his equipment, Alexander turned his attention to Oliver.

“After we move Evelyn out of here, I want a team brought in here to take pictures and collect any form of evidence they can,” he said sternly. “Going forward, we’re treating this as a crime scene and a direct attack on the Kingston Pack.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Ian said. “As soon as I get back to the office, I’m going to fill out Evelyn’s paperwork and keep her on my records. Once it’s all finalized, I’ll forward a copy over to you.”

Alexander thanked for Ian’s help and promised to keep him informed.

...

Getting Evelyn back to the manor had proven to be easier said than done. Alexander had held her close on his lap while making sure that her injured areas were well supported. It was likely that he was going to emerge from the car stiff and sore from how tense he was, but none of that mattered.

Right as the car pulled up to the house, Alexander carried Evelyn in his arms directly inside. Both Wnedy and Nina, as well as a slew of staff, were already waiting on standby for their arrival.

The moment they came through the doors, they were met with half a dozen gasps and startled, devastated looks. None of them could believe Evelyn had been subject to such horrible treatment.

Nina’s eyes were glossed over with unshed tears as she directed Alexander to the room they prepared for Evelyn.

Alexander ever-so-gently placed her down on the freshly made bed while carefully removing the jacket around her shoulders. He made sure that her injured wrist was supported before pulling the covers up to her chin.

“Nina, have one of the staff members bring in one of the large chairs from the master bedroom,” he requested.

He was willing to heed Ian’s words. Alexander had no intention of sharing a bed with Evelyn, but he never said anything about not watching over her from a short distance away.