Chapter 62

[Third-Person’s POV]

Against Alexander’s better judgment, he eventually caved in letting Evelyn get out of bed.

As much as he preferred for her to keep resting, he knew that it would have been an argument not worth having. Especially, since the two of them were finally gaining the confidence and feeling comfortable enough to get closer to each other.

He carefully watched Evelyn slide out of bed and make her way toward the bathroom. He noticed that her legs were a bit wobbly; however, it was completely expected for someone who’s been lying down for the last few days.

A half-hour later, he watched her emerge from the bathroom with a white, fluffy towel wrapped around her. He hadn’t bothered to pull his gaze away. Alexander actually took the chance to openly admire her for her natural beauty.

Yes, he’d seen her bare when he’d helped her into the bathtub before...But that wasn’t the time to properly see her or think such things. Alexander had been far too panicked at the time to even consider admiring her in any sort of way.

But now that the imminent threat to her well-being had passed, he felt that he was finally free to look at her with ease.

“Hey,” she started softly.

“Hm?”

“I meant to ask this before but, um...Is there a reason why I was brought back to your room when I wasn’t well?”

Alexander fought back the blush that was threatening to spread across his face. Was he really about to get into the whole debate about not wanting to stay in separate rooms and how his sleep schedule was probably permanently screwed up because of his own personal issues?

Not likely.

Alexander was already having a hard enough time admitting to himself that he’d slept increasingly well since Evelyn was with him. It was true they were growing closer to each other, but he wasn’t at the point where he was able to talk about his feelings in too much depth.

“I had the staff move you in here because I thought it would be easier to keep an eye on your physical state,” he said.

“Oh.” Her eyes lowered to the carpet.

Alexander was somewhat taken aback by the solemn tone in her voice. Was she disappointed? If so, was it because of his reasoning or by his explanation? Could it have been that she was looking for another answer?

“Well, in that case, I’m sure you’ll be glad to know that your evenings won’t be interrupted going forward,” she pointed out lightly.

He bit the inside of his cheek. “You know, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal if you were to stay in here,” he muttered.

Evelyn’s eyes widened. Shit! Was that the wrong thing to say as well?

He watched with close expectation as Evelyn’s cheeks started to gently flush under his heated gaze. She cleared her throat and gave a small smile.

“I’m going to get dressed and then I’ll meet you back here so we can head to the dining room.”

A wave of relief rushed through him as he nodded his head in agreement. He watched her head back to her room for a fresh pair of clothes. All the while, his hands were itching to feel her beneath him once more. From what gathered, Evelyn didn’t seem put off or bothered by his advances.

He got out of bed and headed toward the bathroom where he intended to deal with the raging hard-on he’d been suffering since earlier on.

Oh, who knows? Perhaps things weren’t going to be so awkward between us, after all.

...

Breakfast was a peaceful ordeal until Nina and Wendy came rushing into the dining room. The two were eager to see how Evelyn was feeling now that she was no longer bedridden.

“You look so much better, my dear,” Wendy said with a gracious smile.

“I feel better. To be honest, I’m still trying to work through all that happened while the Belladonna was working through my system,” she explained. “I’m missing parts of my memory.”

Both Nina and Wendy shared a worried look. Alexander, on the other hand, felt puzzled and mildly concerned. He thought back to when he found Evelyn struggling on the floor of the bedroom. Her pupils were so dilated at the time that he knew she’d been hallucinating.

Was it horrible of him to hope that parts of her memory wouldn’t come back?

It’s just that he knew he’d taken a huge risk by moving around the house without his wheelchair. He carried her to and from various locations around the property—something was surely bound to resurface in her memory.

What would happen if it did and Evelyn questioned him? Did he have it in himself to lie to her about something so severe?

I want to tell her. I really do. But I can’t just spring it on her when there’s no telling how she would react.

A large part of their relationship was based on the fact that he was bound to a wheelchair. Evelyn said she had admired his strength to continue on. Of course, she would have questions. And he was prepared to answer them, but the fear of her reacting poorly.

He tried to ignore the burning jab of worry that scored through him. He was eager to shift the topic of conversation along with breaking up the unsettling tension that filled the room. Lightly clearing his throat, everyone turned to direct their attention toward him.

“Evelyn, have it written down somewhere that your birthday is coming up,” he said.

Alexander was almost certain that this would have excited Evelyn at the very least; however, the timid look on her face caused more concern to spread.

They all turned their heads to glance at Evelyn who appeared sheepish by the topic at hand.

“What’s the matter, Evelyn?” Nina asked.

“It’s just...I don’t really celebrate my birthday,” she said.

His brows pulled together in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Surely, you’ve acknowledged it when you were younger,” Wendy commented causally.

Still, Evelyn shook her head. “My parents didn’t see the need to do so. Most of you are familiar with my Step Sister, Samanatha. Well, growing up, she didn't like the idea of someone else stealing the attention away from her.”

Nina shook her head in disbelief. “But everyone has a birthday. How could she expect everyone to ignore that fact?”

Evelyn shrugged her shoulders and gave a humorless laugh. “She made it almost impossible for anyone to gain acknowledgement. It was frustrating in the beginning. So, over time, I simply treated it like any other day.”

“That’s horrible,” Nina remarked briskly.

Alexander was nearly at a loss for words. He knew that Evelyn’s family treated her poorly, but never would he have thought that they would condone such neglect and disdain. Hastily following his disbelief, he felt a deep scorching feeling of anger.

Jesus Christ, this is terrible. How do I keep managing to find news reasons to despise this woman’s family?

“Samantha is not here, Evelyn,” he told her evenly. “And I think it’s time that you are properly celebrated for the person you are.”

Her lips parted in surprise while Wendy and Nina nodded their heads in firm agreement. The corners of her mouth curled into an emotional smile. She blinked back the tears that dotted her eyes.

“Okay,” she told them. A bubbly laugh filled the air, making Alexander’s tense muscles ease. “Let’s plan a party.”