Chapter 133
Irene walked back to the hospital bed, leaned over to look at Eliana, fighting back her tears.
“You’re all banged up and still worrying about me. What a silly girl,” Irene murmured.
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Irene paused to compose herself, then glanced at Nathan. “We have no idea when Eliana will wake up, and someone needs to be here with her. So, are you staying tonight, or should I?”
Nathan’s eyes were glued to Eliana.
Every second Eliana stayed unconscious, Nathan’s heart twisted with worry. There was no way he could calm down.
Without a second thought, Nathan replied, “I’ll stay.”
Not once did he look away. His eyes remained locked on Eliana.
Irene was worried too, but it didn’t feel right for both her and Nathan to stay here together.
Irene had thought about telling Nathan to go home and get some rest, but seeing the way he looked now, she knew there was no way she could talk him into leaving.
Letting out a quiet sigh, Irene said, “Alright, you stay with her. If you need anything, just give me a call.”
“Don’t worry,” Nathan replied, forcing his voice to stay steady as he let out a slow breath.
But when no one was looking, Nathan’s eyes were already rimmed red as he stared at Eliana.
Nathan had thought that once he came back, he’d never let Eliana get hurt again. But now, right in front of him, she was lying there, badly hurt.
At that moment, Nathan was drowning in guilt.
All Nathan ever thought about was getting Eliana to divorce Logan, but Nathan never once considered that, in Logan’s unstable state, Logan might end up doing something reckless to her.
Nathan had been so careless, and that was why Eliana ended up like this.
Once Irene left, Nathan couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer.
He leaned down, gently took Eliana’s hand, and said with all the sincerity he could muster, “Eliana, I’m so sorry, I promise you, this will never happen again.”
As Nathan spoke, his fingers traced gently along her cheek. Every bruise and swelling he saw made his heart ache even more.
But with her body covered in wounds, Nathan didn’t dare touch her too much. He just stayed by her side, guarding her through the night.
Eliana woke up in the middle of the night. The moment she stirred, Nathan rushed over. He asked, “You’re awake?”
Just coming out of unconsciousness, Eliana was still groggy and disoriented.
She frowned at Nathan, and after a few seconds, she finally snapped out of it. “Why are you here?”
As soon as she tried to speak, Eliana realized her throat felt raw and scratchy.
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Chapter 133
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liana was hurting all over, and now that the meds had worn off, pain shot through her entire body, leaving her face deathly ale.
he didn’t even register Nathan’s reply. She just gripped the sheets tightly, trying to ride out the agony.
ut the pain was too much. She couldn’t hold it together anymore. Tears kept streaming down her cheeks, and the more she ealized what a mess she was, the worse she felt.
ixing Nathan with a steely glare, Eliana gritted her teeth. “Get out. I don’t need you here with me. Just go, get out!”
eeing that Nathan had no intention of leaving, her irritation spiked. Eliana forced herself upright, reaching out to push im away herself.
I told you to get out! Nathan, are you deaf or something?” she shouted.
Eliana, don’t do this, you’ll pull at your wounds,” Nathan said, worry etched in his voice. As she tried to sit up, he nstinctively wrapped her in his arms. “Just think of it as me begging you, okay? Please, don’t do this.”
liana wanted to push him away again, but the moment Nathan pulled her into his arms, all the pent–up vulnerability and ain she’d been holding back came flooding out.
Light then, Nathan’s embrace felt like the safest place in the world, and for a moment, Eliana just couldn’t bring herself to et go.
ears kept streaming down her face, her nose stinging with emotion, and in her mind, she kept replaying the moment Nathan burst in at the critical moment.
Thank God Nathan showed up when he did. Eliana couldn’t even bear to think about what would’ve happened otherwise.
t was just a matter of seconds. If Nathan had been even a little later, she might not have made it out at all.
Iliana’s emotions about Nathan’s timely arrival were a whirlwind of conflict.
Eliana was grateful he’d come just in time, but it stung that he’d witnessed her at her most vulnerable and broken.
Eliana couldn’t bring herself to admit she still cared for Nathan, yet the thought of him seeing her like this was unbearable.
Eliana’s heart was a storm of contradictions, and all those tangled feelings spilled out as endless tears streaming down her
ace.
Seeing Eliana sobbing uncontrollably in his arms, Nathan instinctively tightened his embrace, soothing her with gentle pats ›n her back.
It’s okay, Eliana, That’s all in the past now. I promise you, I’ll never let anything like this happen to you again. Never, he whispered, his voice steady and full of conviction.
After crying herself out, Eliana finally started to calm down, her emotions slowly settling as she listened to Nathan’s soothing words.
Eliana gently pulled away from his embrace, her tear–stained eyes meeting his. “You saw it all, didn’t you?”
The moment Eliana asked that, Nathan’s heart clenched painfully.
Nathan knew all too well what she meant. The scene in that room, the moment she was nearly raped.
Facing the broken look in her eyes, for a moment, Nathan had no idea what to say.
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Chapter 133
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Nathan drew in a shaky breath, his voice earnest. “Eliana, I got there in time, I swear, you’re safe. Nothing happened to you.”
He added, “I just hate seeing you hurt like this…”
But as Nathan spoke, Eliana couldn’t shake the image of him stomping that guy over and over, every stomp fueled by pure fury.
She thought, ‘If I hadn’t shouted for him to stop, Nathan might’ve stomped that guy to death right there!’
“Do you think I’m tainted?” Eliana whispered, her voice trembling.
The moment Eliana uttered that word, Nathan felt like his ears were hit with a deafening blast. His whole world seemed to stop. His face went ashen, shock and anger flashing across his features.
Nathan stared at her, his voice trembling with emotion. “Eliana, do you even know what you’re saying right now?”
He asked, “How could you think that? Seriously, how could you even let that cross your mind?
“You’re the one who was hurt here. You’re the victim, how could you ever think you’re dirty because of this?”
As he spoke, Nathan leaned in and gently cradled her face in his hands. “Eliana, I’m hurting for you, and I hate myself for not keeping you safe. But no matter what, I never want to hear you call yourself that again. Promise me, okay?”
But as Nathan finished speaking, he saw Eliana’s eyes grow even redder, tears streaming down without pause. Overwhelmed by emotion, he couldn’t hold himself back anymore. Nathan leaned in and placed a soft, trembling kiss on her lips.
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