Chapter 206

Benjamin spent the next few minutes explaining to Gabrielle how Evelyn had saved him at Silver Moon Estate.

Yet, Gabrielle still couldn't grasp his sudden change of heart toward Evelyn.

"So you're turning against me because Evelyn won a game for you?"

Benjamin shook his head. "I'd never betray you. I just think Evelyn isn't as bad as we thought."

"Benjamin, you've let me down." Gabrielle stood, wincing as she limped out of the room.

He stayed rooted in place, brows furrowed, torn between conflicting emotions.

Under the shade of the parasol.

Nathaniel forced Evelyn to sit on his lap as he applied anti-allergy cream to her irritated skin. Nearby, the doctor stood anxiously, slightly hunched, clutching a bottle of medicine.

Nathaniel’s fingers—slender but calloused—held a cotton swab. He dipped it into the cream and gently dabbed it onto Evelyn’s inflamed earlobe. Then he took her hand, smoothing the cream over the rash on her palm.

The sensation made her twitch. She instinctively tried to pull away.

"Don’t move," Nathaniel ordered sternly.

Evelyn huffed but relented. He was only trying to help, and refusing would make her seem ungrateful.

Not that she had much choice—his grip was unyielding. She couldn’t even struggle.

Grudgingly, she endured the ticklish feeling as he finished applying the cream.

Next, he took the anti-allergy pills from the doctor and held them out to her, a glass of water in his other hand.

Evelyn frowned. "I don’t need medicine. The rash will fade on its own."

Nathaniel’s expression darkened. "Take it."

No one had ever dared to command her like this. Annoyed, she snatched the pills, tossed them into her mouth, and washed them down with a gulp of water.

Only then did he release her.

The ranch had prepared a simple breakfast.

Starving, Evelyn immediately sat down and reached for a bowl of soup—only for Nathaniel to snatch it away before her fingers could even brush the rim.

She glared at him, ready to argue, but he simply scooped a spoonful, blew on it to cool it, and held it to her lips.

Evelyn blinked. "My hands work just fine, you know."

"Open your mouth," he said, ignoring her protest.

The gesture made her skin crawl. "I can feed myself!"

"You’ll smear the cream if you touch anything."

She had no comeback.

Negotiation failed.

Fine. If she weren’t so hungry, she’d never have given in.

Reluctantly, she parted her lips and accepted the spoonful.

Nathaniel continued feeding her with infuriating patience.

Sophia, watching the scene, gasped. "Is that really Uncle Nathaniel? He’s feeding Evelyn just because of a little rash?"

Evelyn’s discomfort grew. Sophia’s commentary made the soup harder to swallow.

Sophia leaned in, eyes sparkling. "Evelyn, you turned this cold-hearted man into a doting husband! Teach me your ways!"

A doting husband? Evelyn shot a skeptical glance at Nathaniel’s stern face.

Hmph. Hardly.

Too embarrassed to keep eating like this, Evelyn hesitated—until Nathaniel shot Sophia a chilling look.

"Have you eaten yet?"

His tone made it clear: Leave.