Chapter 1

Annabelle Winslow had been in a secret relationship with Nathan Caldwell, her best friend's younger brother, for five years. Despite his young age, he was well-endowed.

Because of his youth, he always coaxed her into indulging in passion in various places—in his Maybach, on the couch, and in the clubs they gathered at.

Annabelle had just gone to the restroom for a short while when he pulled her back and bent her over the basin. Lifting her skirt, he entered her with a look of satisfaction on his face. Rocking against her, he softly panted into her ears.

Annabelle's eyes were clouded over as she said, "Nate, slow down…"

Nathan smiled ever so slightly as he leaned down to bite on her earlobe. His voice dripped with seduction. "Can't take it anymore, Bells? But we're just getting started."

Then, a sudden wave of pleasure crashed over Annabelle. She fell silent and lost herself in it.

Over the years, she'd accompanied Nathan in countless passionate encounters—at home, in the car, even in the wilderness. Still, she could never quite keep up with his endless stamina.

Now, she finally understood what other people meant when they said that younger men were full of vigor and always eager to try new things out.

Sore all over, Annabelle could only cling onto Nathan for dear life to steady herself.

His eyes were narrowed in pleasure as he caressed her waist, unwilling to let her go.

"Why is your waist so supple to the touch, Bells? It feels so amazing to touch you like this. It's like you have me under a spell or something. No other man is allowed to touch you, you hear me? Only me."

Annabelle had always known that he had a possessive streak, so she smiled and kissed him. "I belong to you. You know that."

After several rounds of passion, Nathan was finally satiated. He fastened his belt and regained his usual carefree demeanor.

Seeing that he was about to leave, Annabelle grabbed his hand.

"Nate, I'll be turning 30 next year, and my parents have been pressuring me to get married. I know that you don't want things between us to go public, so I never told them that I have a boyfriend. They've arranged several marriage prospects for me. What do you think about that?"

Nathan stopped in his steps and turned around to plant a light kiss on the corner of her lips. His voice was soothing as he cajoled, "Wait a little longer, Bells. I'm already preparing to propose."

Annabelle's heart was finally set at ease.

Watching his retreating figure disappear down the corridor, she gathered her clothes, which were scattered on the ground, and put them back on.

Then, she picked up her bag and slowly returned to their private room to rejoin the gathering, which was still ongoing.

Just as she reached the door, she heard a burst of laughter inside.

"My, my, Nate! You're something else! You were so loud that we all heard it. It's thrilling doing it with an older woman, isn't it? Damn! Her moans nearly made our knees go weak!"

Then, another voice said, "With Annabelle's figure and that lithe waist of hers, how could he not be addicted to her? There are so many men in our circle who have their eyes on her, but she keeps her distance from men. Nate is the only one charismatic enough to charm her.

"But honestly, Nate, it's been so many years. Shouldn't you have gained all the experience you need by now?"

Experience? What experience?

Annabelle felt her body run cold. She couldn't understand what they were saying.

Fortunately, it seemed that someone in there was unaware of the full story and asked about it too.

"What experience do you think it could be? It's that junior Nate had a crush on back in high school. All of us urged him to woo her. I mean, with his looks, there isn't any lady he can't win over! But he treasures her to no end.

"He claimed that he has no experience of wooing others, no prior experience of having been in a relationship, and most importantly, no experience in bed! And because he needed that junior of his to have the best of everything, he found someone to train himself with all these years.

"Now that she's coming back from abroad, isn't it about time you break things off with Annabelle? You've had years of practice with her, Nate. Why did you hook up with her again just now? You haven't actually fallen for her, have you?"

Under everyone's questioning looks, Nathan lazily set his wine glass down.

"Fall for her? Would you ever fall for a toy you use for practice?"

His indifferent tone stabbed right into Annabelle's heart like a sharp blade. In a split second, her blood seemed to run cold as a heart-wrenching pain spread through her chest, almost making her collapse.

But she didn't even have the time to wallow in her misery because someone inside laughed and talked about coming out. She was afraid she'd be seen, so she hurriedly stumbled to her feet and propped herself against the wall for support before scurrying away.

It was pretty embarrassing to be seen crying when she was almost 30. But at that moment, Annabelle was wandering aimlessly in the pouring rain as her thoughts spiraled uncontrollably.

Annabelle had first met Nathan during her freshman year at college. She'd just moved to Vexford for college and met Daphne Caldwell, who'd later become her best friend during her college years.

As Annabelle had often visited Daphne's house to play with her, she'd eventually gotten to know Daphne's brother, Nathan. Her first impression of him was that he was handsome, and strikingly so.

But beyond that, she'd had no other thoughts. After all, she was four years older than him, and he was Daphne's brother. So she'd seen him as nothing more than a younger brother too.

Annabelle hadn't returned home after she'd graduated. In an effort to break free from her family's support and test whether she could stand on her own two feet, she'd found a job in Vexford.

She often attracted unwanted attention from men due to her beauty. Once, during a business social event, she'd gotten drugged. She'd snuck into a hotel, intending to call Daphne to come and get her. But somehow, she'd made a mistake and called Nathan instead.

When Nathan had arrived, she'd wanted to get him to call a doctor. But he'd simply looked at her with those attractive eyes of his and taken off his T-shirt.

That night, Nathan, who'd barely been of legal age, had become her antidote.

The next day, she'd flushed a crimson red—not from embarrassment, but from guilt.

She'd hurriedly gotten ready to leave, fully intending to pretend that nothing had ever happened. But Nathan had hugged her from behind and kissed her gently.

"Are you going to run away after sleeping with me, Bells? Aren't you going to take responsibility for what you've done?"

After that day, she'd avoided him like the plague, but he'd pursued her relentlessly. In the end, he'd managed to win her over, and they'd started a secret relationship, hiding things from everyone.

In the five years they'd been together, they'd seemed compatible in every way. Their love seemed as fervent as the day they'd started.

Annabelle had always believed that they would find their happily ever after, so she'd eagerly looked forward to his proposal. But that day had never come.

She could only tentatively ask him about it when her family pressured her. Little had she known that he'd intended to have a future with her.

He had someone he loved, and all along, Annabelle had been nothing more than a practice dummy.

She returned home in a daze and proceeded to curl up in a corner as she hugged herself and spaced out.

After what seemed like an eternity, the sudden ringing of her phone broke the silence. She fumbled for it, picked up the call, and heard the earnest voices of her parents.

"Anna, it's been two weeks. Have you given the arranged marriage any thought?"

Annabelle took a deep breath as she looked at the photo on the table—it was one she'd taken with Nathan on their fifth anniversary.

"Yeah, I've thought about it. I'll do it."

From that moment on, Annabelle would start her new life, and Nathan would go on to pursue his first love. Their paths would never cross again.

Chapter 2

Annabelle's parents, Dominic Winslow and Camilla Brightwood, hadn't expected her to agree so readily. They were somewhat surprised by her response.

"Have you really thought it through? When will you come back? Should we arrange the wedding, or will you come back to meet the person you'll be marrying and talk things through with him first?"

But Annabelle was too drained to think about these matters. She replied offhandedly, "You can decide. I'll head back as soon as I tie up some loose ends here."

Dominic and Camilla could hear the weariness in her voice, so they quickly ended the call after offering her some words of advice.

The room fell silent once more, and it was only then that Annabelle gathered the strength to get up and head to the bathroom.

When she came back out again, she pushed the door open and immediately locked eyes with Nathan, who was on the couch.

"Why did you leave without telling me?"

Annabelle's breath hitched in her chest. Lowering her head to hide her reddened eyes, she answered, "My phone died, so I came back."

Nathan didn't think much of her casual excuse. Instead, he reached out to pull her into his embrace. Then, with a light tug, he loosened the belt of her bathrobe.

But Annabelle didn't give him the chance to go any further. She grabbed his hand before he could reach in.

"Didn't we just have a few rounds at the club earlier on? It's only been a few hours."

Nathan didn't sense the reluctance in her tone and interlaced his fingers with hers.

"It's been too long. Don't you know that just seeing you makes me lose control? Bells, I love you so much."

Annabelle felt nothing but irony when she heard his deliberately flirtatious words once again.

Love? Wasn't she just a tool for him to practice on? He'd had her thousands of times in the past five years. Hadn't he had enough yet?

She turned away to avoid his kiss and asked frostily, "Is that so? And what if you could never have me again?"

Nathan finally sensed something was off and paused. "You love me, and I love you. We're in love with each other. Why would I never have you again?"

It was ironic he claimed they loved each other.

Annabelle didn't respond to his question and forced a smile before she changed the topic. "Just a random thought. Anyway, I got caught in the rain on the way back and don't feel well now. I'll go and rest up."

Seeing how pale she looked, Nathan didn't push any further. He pressed several kisses on her forehead and was about to carry her to the bedroom when his phone rang on the table. He picked it up and tapped on the screen.

Out of the corner of her eye, Annabelle caught a glimpse of the person who'd texted him—a contact saved as "Evie".

"I'm back, Nate. But it's pouring outside, and I can't get a cab. What now?"

After reading the text message, Nathan set Annabelle on the couch and got up. "Bells, there's something I need to deal with. You go ahead and sleep. Don't wait for me."

He'd barely even finished his sentence when the door slammed shut behind him.

Annabelle's gaze flickered ever so slightly before she silently went back to the bedroom. After drying her hair, she buried herself under the blanket and switched off the lights.

Though her eyes were closed, she had a fitful sleep. Memories of her past with Nathan kept flashing in her mind.

He'd bought a necklace worth millions at an auction and personally fastened it around her neck, promising to buy a lifetime of diamonds for her.

He'd set off fireworks for three days and nights by the sea to celebrate her birthday, vowing that he'd give his all to her without reservation, all with a smile on his face.

He'd made a wish under a once-in-five-billion-years meteor shower, swearing to stay with her until the end of time and never let her go.

Though his promises still echoed in her ears, only now did she realize all his words had just been empty promises to appease her. He'd never intended to live the rest of his life with her.

As she drifted in and out of sleep, her body burned with fever, yet a chill spread through her skin and bones, making her shiver uncontrollably.

By morning, the bed was drenched in her sweat. When Nathan came back and saw how flushed her face was, all his drowsiness dissipated in an instant. Flustered, he picked her up and carried her all the way to the hospital.

Annabelle woke up in a daze just as they arrived. "Why am I here?"

"You were running a fever, so I brought you here for a check-up. How are you unable to take care of yourself when you're already an adult?"

Nathan's voice was tinged with urgency and concern as he helped her sit on a chair before turning around to queue at the registration counter. But he'd barely taken a few steps when he caught sight of Evelyn Mercer.

He was astounded. "Evie? What are you doing here? Didn't I just send you home?"

Evelyn wore a white dress, looking as innocent and delicate as could be.

"I wanted to make some soup after I got home, but I accidentally scalded my hand, so I came to the hospital to get it treated."

Seeing how the back of her hand had reddened, Nathan's expression changed instantly.

A split second was all it took for him to forget all about Annabelle. He swiftly accompanied Evelyn to get herself registered, examined, and even pick up her medication. He soon forgot what he'd come there for in the first place.

As Annabelle watched their figures gradually disappear in the distance, she knew that Nathan wasn't going to come back. She let out a self-deprecating chuckle, struggled to her feet, and began queuing on her own.

After the doctor's consultation, she went to the infusion room for an IV drip. She had to sit there for three hours, but as fatigue took over her, she eventually dozed off.

With no one to remind her, the IV needle backed up, turning the bottle red.

A nurse rushed over and shook her awake. "Why are you at the hospital alone? Isn't there anyone with you? Where's your family? Or your boyfriend?"

Annabelle stared at her bruised hand and said, "My family isn't in Vexford. And my boyfriend… I don't have one."

The very next moment, Nathan strode over. "Anna!"

The nurse replaced the IV bottle and berated him when she saw him. "You're her boyfriend? Why didn't you stay here to watch over her? The IV backed up. She could have been in danger!"

Nathan quickly grasped Annabelle's hand when he saw how swollen it was. "I'm sorry. I ran into a friend and got caught up in conversation. I lost track of time. When I turned back, you were already gone. It took me quite a while to find you."

Annabelle merely hummed in response, not exposing his lie.

Chapter 3

After Annabelle was done with the IV drips, Nathan helped her up and got ready to go home.

As soon as they reached the parking lot, Annabelle caught sight of Evelyn, who was waiting up ahead. The moment Nathan saw her, he almost instinctively let go of Annabelle's hand.

"Evie, why haven't you left yet?"

Evelyn was just about to respond when she noticed Annabelle. She paused, and the smile on her face faltered.

"There's something I'd like to talk to you about, Nate. And, who might this be?"

Since Annabelle and Nathan had agreed to keep their relationship a secret from the beginning, Nathan had no qualms about sticking to it. He went ahead and introduced her.

"This is my sister's best friend. I'm here to accompany her for a check-up because she fell sick."

When Annabelle heard Nathan's words, she felt as though something was tightening in her chest, making it hard to breathe.

All these years, she'd never understood why they had to keep their relationship a secret.

At first, she'd thought it was because Nathan was worried that Daphne would find out. But it wasn't until this very moment that she finally realized why their relationship had been kept under wraps and hidden from so many people—the only person he truly wanted to hide it from was Evelyn.

Annabelle forced a faint smile and said softly, "Hello, I'm Annabelle Winslow."

At that, the smile on Evelyn's face deepened. She, too, introduced herself before getting to the point.

"My friends are throwing me a party to welcome me back, Nate. Would you like to join us? You should come along and join in on the fun too, Annabelle. We can get to know each other."

Annabelle's first instinct was to turn down the offer, but Nathan was one step ahead and agreed to it.

Looking at the open car door, she had no choice but to get in.

Nathan kept coming up with various topics to keep the conversation going and reminisce about the past with Evelyn.

"Nate, you still keep these strawberry-flavored candies in your car? I remember during the New Year Recital back in high school, I was so nervous before playing the piano.

"You asked me how you could help alleviate my anxiety. I told you that I wanted these strawberry-flavored candies, so you braved the pouring rain and went out to buy me some. From then on, you'd always give me a few of these every time you saw me.

"Hey! This figurine looks familiar! It's Winnie the Pooh, isn't it? I texted you to tell you how much I loved it! I didn't expect you to buy it too!

"Nate, the cologne you're wearing smells nice. I just casually mentioned once that this scent makes men more attractive, and now you're using it too…"

Annabelle listened in silence. She only just realized that Nathan, who'd always seemed laid-back and carefree, actually subtly tried to please the woman he truly loved, behaving much like a teenage boy experiencing his first love.

Looking up, Annabelle saw his flushed ears through the rearview mirror.

Did he still feel the same way about Evelyn after so long? Then again, she was his first love.

After they got to the bar, Annabelle found herself a seat in the corner. Nathan, on the other hand, naturally took a seat beside Evelyn. He even took off his coat and draped it over her legs.

The people in the private room immediately started poking fun at them.

"It's been five years, and you're still such a gentleman, Nate? If Evie loses a drinking game tonight, should we just pour the drinks straight into your glass instead?"

"Why do you even bother asking? Nate doesn't have a girlfriend, so there won't be anyone checking up on him. As long as Evie says the word, he'd probably drink himself to death here tonight without a second thought."

Hearing this, Nathan instinctively glanced at Annabelle. She had her head lowered as she busied herself on her phone, seemingly oblivious to their conversation. Feeling uneasy, he quickly sent her a message.

"Bells, they don't know about our relationship; that's why they're teasing us. Don't take it to heart. Since we're here to welcome Evie back, it isn't the right time to make our relationship public. I'll wait for the right time to let everyone know about us."

The right time? There would never be a right time anymore.

Soon, they started playing a drinking game. Annabelle lost the first round, and her punishment was to take three shots.

Nathan initially reached out to help her, but someone stopped him.

"Hey, our rule is that you can only drink for someone if they agree! Annabelle, you're almost 30, aren't you? With all your experience in the workplace, three shots shouldn't be a problem, right?"

At the deliberate mention of her age, Annabelle felt a sting in her heart.

She didn't want to owe Nathan any favors before she left, so she picked up the drinks and downed them one after another. Despite the discomfort, she forced herself to finish the drinks, and the room erupted in applause and cheers.

In the second round, Evelyn shot Nathan a look after she lost the game, and the others knowingly poured her drink into his glass. Without any hesitation, he downed the drinks for her.

In the following rounds, Evelyn kept losing, so Nathan's glass was never empty. It didn't take long for him to get up and stagger to the restroom in a drunken stupor.

When he didn't return after ten minutes, Annabelle left the room and found him in the stairwell.

As soon as he saw her, Nathan pulled her into his arms and mumbled softly, "Evie, I'm so happy. You're finally back. I only want to be with you for the rest of my life. I don't want you to have any bad experiences at all.

"What others have, my darling Evie must have too. So I spent five years learning. Now, I know how to make my girlfriend happy, what gifts to get you, and how to kiss…

"I'll treat you very well, I'll spoil you so much, and I'll make you the happiest woman alive. Will you be with me? I really, really love you…"

Each syllable he uttered felt like a knife slashing at Annabelle's heart, leaving it bloody and raw.

Annabelle stared at him as unmistakable sorrow and pain filled her eyes. She bit her lip until it bled, and a metallic tang spread in her mouth.

She failed to hold back the urge to ask him, "What am I to you, Nathan?"

Chapter 4

At Annabelle's words, Nathan's muddled nerves suddenly cleared for a moment. He opened his eyes and saw her. She looked visibly upset. His heart jolted, and he abruptly sobered up.

He knew he'd just spouted a lot of drunken nonsense, but he wasn't sure what exactly he'd said. He could only say, "Bells, I was drunk. Please don't take what I said to heart."

The next moment, someone outside the private room called for Nathan. He kissed Annabelle a few times in a comforting manner before staggering back inside.

After watching his figure disappear into the room, Annabelle silently got up and went to the restroom. She stood there alone for a long time.

It wasn't until her legs went numb and there were sounds of approaching footsteps that she snapped out of her thoughts.

Just as she was about to push the door open, she heard her name being mentioned.

"Where did Annabelle go? Did she leave halfway? Evie, she can't have gotten jealous because Nate took the shots in your place, can she?"

"Who knows? And who cares, anyway? I know Nate. He can't possibly fall for an old hag like her."

Annabelle's fists tightened when she heard the disdain in Evelyn's tone. The people outside weren't aware that Annabelle was in there, and they continued commenting about her brazenly.

"I heard that she's not only Nathan's sister's best friend, but she's also been dating him all these years. But don't you worry, Evie. Nate's only with her to gain some relationship experience. He's just playing around. That woman's almost 30. How shameless can she be to date a younger man?"

"Of course I know that. Nate took a stab from a gangster trying to protect me back then. He almost died. And the first thing he did after he woke up was comfort me. He loved me so much that he was willing to die for me. That old hag is nothing."

"So what do you think? I heard that Nate spoke to some of his friends about throwing you a birthday party after he sent you home yesterday. If he confesses to you at the party, will you say yes?"

Evelyn scoffed arrogantly. "We'll see."

The sound of running water followed, and then the two women walked away as they laughed.

Looking at the deep crescent marks in her palms, Annabelle forced a bitter smile. She hailed a cab back home after leaving the bar.

The next morning, she submitted her resignation.

When her supervisor saw her reason for resigning, he was surprised. "You're going back home to Ivory Bay? Didn't you say that you were going to marry your boyfriend and settle down in Vexford? Why did you suddenly change your plans and decide to return home?"

Annabelle lowered her gaze and made up an offhanded excuse. Her mind was a mess.

She recalled her time in Vexford. She'd spent four years in college and three years working there. In that time, she'd spent five years in a relationship.

She'd had countless opportunities to return to Ivory Bay, but she'd given them all up to stay with Nathan.

Now, it was time to leave. She'd return the position of Nathan's girlfriend to its rightful owner.

…

Nathan seemed to have disappeared off the face of Earth for the next three days. There was no news of him at all. But through photos and videos his friends shared online, Annabelle knew he was with Evelyn.

Nathan and Evelyn had attached a love lock on a bridge, they'd avoided the crowd and taken a stroll on the beach, and they'd held each other's hand as they took a roller coaster ride.

The two of them instinctively leaned closer to each other in all of their photos. Though they didn't seem as intimate as lovers, there was an unmistakable atmosphere of mutual affection between them.

Annabelle swiped through the photos, then expressionlessly turned off her phone and pulled out a suitcase.

After packing some essentials, she was about to head out for dinner when a call came from one of Nathan's friends.

"Annabelle! Hurry over to the hospital now! Nate's had an accident!"

Annabelle hesitated for quite a while, but eventually, she grabbed her keys. He was, after all, Daphne's brother. Now that Daphne was traveling abroad, Annabelle decided that she couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

When she rushed to the emergency room, she saw Evelyn and Nathan lying on stretchers, covered in blood, as doctors worked to save them.

Nathan's friends were panicking. They talked over each other as they explained.

"We were planning to watch the sunset on the mountain tonight, but Evie said that she hadn't driven in a while, so she wanted to try.

"Nate let her take the wheel, but she mistook the accelerator for the brake and lost control of the car, crashing into the mountain. Both of them were impaled by steel bars, and now, they need surgeries to remove them!"

Another friend said, "But the steel bar is very close to his heart. There's only one doctor in the entire city who can perform the surgery. No amount of money can get anyone else.

"Nate was in the passenger seat, so he's more severely injured. Evie's condition isn't as bad. She isn't in a life-threatening situation. We've been convincing him to get the surgery first, but he simply won't listen! Please talk to him, Annabelle!"

Annabelle felt her heart clench when she heard their words.

She walked up to Nathan and saw his ghastly pale face along with the gruesome wound that still had blood seeping from it.

Her lips trembled as she spoke. "Get into the operating theater right now, Nathan!"

He put in a great deal of effort to open his eyes and shook his head feebly. Then, he forced out the words in a weak voice, "S-save Evie first. I-I don't want anything to happen to her."

Annabelle could no longer rein in her emotions. "Are you out of your mind? She'll be fine even if she doesn't have the surgery now. But you'll die if you don't! How will your parents take it if anything happens to you? How will Daphne take it?"

"D-don't worry about me. As long as Evie's safe, I… I'll hang on."

The lights in the emergency room flickered on, and a nurse hurried over with a form for deferred treatment.

When Nathan saw that Annabelle wasn't signing it, he mustered the last of his strength, grabbed a pen, and signed his name.

Was he really willing to risk his own life for Evelyn's sake?

Annabelle couldn't believe it. She tried to snatch the piece of paper away, but Nathan tugged on her sleeve with his blood-stained hand.

"You're… you're not my family. You have no… no right to interfere with my choice."

Chapter 5

Annabelle felt something within her shatter the moment she heard those words from Nathan. A piercing pain spread through her chest, making it painful to even breathe.

Soon, Evelyn was wheeled into the operating theater.

Nathan slowly closed his eyes as his hands dropped limply. The Holter monitor emitted a shrill alarm.

Nathan's friends were terrified out of their wits and kept shaking Annabelle desperately, urging her to do something.

Pulling herself together, Annabelle made a call to one of her friends from Ivory Bay. She remembered that her friend had an uncle who'd once been a hospital director in Vexford. He was highly experienced. The only catch was that he'd long since retired.

When her friend heard of the situation, she immediately got Annabelle to transfer Nathan over to another hospital, assuring Annabelle that she'd get her uncle to perform the surgery.

The doctors and nurses sprang into action, placing Nathan back into an ambulance while continuing emergency treatment en route to the other hospital.

Ten minutes later, Nathan was wheeled into an operating theater.

Annabelle stood outside all night. Her mind was blank, and she bit her lower lip so hard it bled.

The lights in the operating theater finally went out at daybreak.

"The operation was a success."

Hearing the hospital director's words, Annabelle felt all the strength drain from her body. She let out a heavy breath, and her legs gave way as she collapsed, losing consciousness.

…

At noon the next day, Annabelle woke up to see a nurse removing her IV.

"Your boyfriend's surgery was a success. He's already out of the ICU, so don't worry."

Annabelle pressed on where the needle had been injected and asked the nurse for the number of the room Nathan was in. Then, she dragged her weak body out of bed.

She'd just reached the room when she heard an argument inside.

"Nate, we've already told you that Evie is fine. Why are you insisting on getting transferred to the hospital she's in? You were in critical condition and just got out of surgery. What if something happens to you again?"

"Exactly! Do you have any idea how many calls Annabelle had to make to save your life yesterday? Stop causing trouble. Evie's injuries aren't even as serious as yours. It won't make much of a difference if you go and see her a few days later!"

Everyone was trying to talk him out of it, but Nathan took no heed of anything they said.

"No! Even though I shielded Evie during the accident, she still got hurt pretty badly. I won't be at ease unless I see her personally."

Annabelle listened in silence before pushing the door open. Everyone in the room turned to look at her in unison. Even Nathan was stunned for a moment. A complex emotion flashed across his face.

Annabelle cut in without giving him a chance to speak. "I know that I'm not your family, and I have no right to decide whether you stay or get a transfer. If you insist on getting transferred, I'll call Daphne, and she'll most likely be able to get here this afternoon. You'll just need to wait for a couple of hours."

Her tone was calm and even, but Nathan felt deeply uncomfortable hearing it. He chased everyone else out of the room, then grabbed her hand, scrambling to explain.

"If anything had happened to Evie when she was in my car, I would've felt guilty for the rest of my life. That's the only reason why I insisted on saving her first yesterday. You're as important to me as Daphne and my parents. I never meant to say anything that would hurt you."

Annabelle could no longer tell when he was telling the truth.

She really wanted to ask him—if she was as important as his family, then what about Evelyn? What place did she hold in his heart?

But she didn't ask in such a straightforward manner. Instead, she chose a different approach. "Nathan, do you want to live? Or rather, do you value your life?"

Nathan was puzzled by her sudden question. He hesitated and nodded. "Of course."