Chapter 64

Nathaniel's smirk deepened as he watched Evelyn squirm with embarrassment. "Sweetheart, if you want to play the role of a dutiful wife, you should start by calling me by my name. Don't you think 'Mr. Grayson' sounds a bit too formal for a married couple?"

"Call you Nathaniel?" Evelyn wrinkled her nose in distaste. "No way. That would make my skin crawl."

Only a select few in the world had the privilege of addressing him so casually, yet she acted as if it were torture.

Nathaniel's expression darkened, and he pressed his palm a little harder against her abdomen.

The sudden pressure made her wince. "Ow! Not so rough!"

Her voice was weak from the cramps, but the words not so rough hung in the air between them, thick with unintended suggestion.

The silence that followed was charged.

After a beat, Nathaniel chuckled. "How gentle would you like me to be?" His touch softened, fingers tracing slow, feather-light circles over her stomach.

Evelyn shivered, certain he was teasing her on purpose. She scowled. "I'd prefer it if you vanished into thin air. That would be gentle enough."

"Vanished?" He arched a brow. "And here I thought you enjoyed my company."

She planted a hand on his chest, pushing him back. "I don’t! I just—I’m hot, okay?"

Hot. The word only deepened the tension. Her face burned, not from fever but from sheer frustration.

Her lips pressed into a thin line, eyes glistening as if she might cry—an uncharacteristic display of vulnerability from the usually bold Evelyn.

Nathaniel studied her for a long moment, his throat tightening. Enough. He exhaled, pulling back and reaching for the cup of warm water on the nightstand. "Drink this."

She took it with a muttered, "Thanks."

As he stood and headed for the bathroom, Evelyn let out a shaky breath. What’s gotten into him today?

Meanwhile, back at the Grayson estate, Abigail sat fuming in her pink convertible, gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.

Her failed attempt to expose Evelyn had backfired spectacularly, earning her a scolding from her grandmother. Now, she couldn’t even face her brother without fearing his wrath.

Everything went downhill the moment that gold-digger married Nathaniel.

Her grandmother, who once doted on her, now compared her to Evelyn. Learn from her? What, how to be a penniless schemer?

Just as her temper peaked, she noticed a stocky man lurking near the gates.

Her eyes narrowed. Who the hell is that?

She stepped out of the car and approached him. "Hey! What are you doing here?"