Chapter 753

Between Nathan and Preston, Evelyn had unknowingly aligned herself with the weaker side.

The blood donation had dredged up painful memories she'd rather forget.

Nathan was the last person Evelyn wanted to see right now. Yet here he was.

Not only had he shown up uninvited, but he'd also attacked Preston—the man who had just saved her life.

Evelyn marveled at her own restraint. If not for her broken leg, she would have kicked Nathan straight into the afterlife.

The frustration burned inside her, with no outlet for release.

Nathan lowered his gaze, studying her for a long moment before finally looking away. His eyes darkened as they landed on her cast.

His voice was rough, strained. "I came to see you. And I don’t need a reason to hit him."

The sheer arrogance in his tone made Evelyn’s blood boil.

This man’s audacity knew no bounds.

Then, without warning, Nathan dropped to one knee in front of her. His large hand hovered over her injured leg, barely touching the cast.

"Does it hurt?"

The pain in his voice was raw, his eyes shadowed with something unreadable.

Evelyn stayed silent. What kind of question was that?

Nathan didn’t seem to care. "It must. When my leg was broken, the pain kept me awake for days. You must be suffering the same."

His words were like needles piercing her heart, reopening old wounds.

Because Nathan had once sacrificed himself for her too. He had nearly died saving her.

The anger inside her flickered, then dimmed.

Fine. Even if he hurt me the most, he also saved me. Maybe that balances the scales.

What’s the point of holding onto the past?

Still, she scoffed. "Mr. Blackwood, are you trying to remind me I owe you gratitude?"

Nathan blinked, then smirked. "If that’s how you want to take it."

Preston had been trying to erase Nathan from Evelyn’s life. But that was never going to happen.

Evelyn clenched her jaw. "Then why did you hit him?"

Nathan’s eyes burned with something dangerous. "Because I wanted to. He deserved it."

He wouldn’t elaborate. The mere thought of Preston having feelings for Evelyn made him sick.

Then, abruptly, Nathan’s expression shifted. His gaze turned almost feverish.

"Your blood type is rare. I’ll have Vanessa Holloway monitored. She’ll donate regularly—so you’ll never run out."

A bitter smile twisted his lips. "It was always yours to begin with."

Evelyn’s fingers dug into the wheelchair, her knuckles turning white.

Nathan knew everything. He knew why Preston was here. He knew how she’d survived.

Of course he did.

And now he was cutting Preston out of the equation entirely.

Blood? Vanessa’s blood was wasted on her anyway. Might as well give it all back to Evelyn.

Once, Nathan had pitied Vanessa for Hendrick’s misplaced devotion. But after everything she’d done, that sympathy had vanished.

To him, Vanessa was nothing more than a vessel carrying Evelyn’s stolen blood.

Evelyn’s chest tightened.

"No," she said sharply. "The thought of my blood inside her disgusts me."