CH- 31

CH- 31
Nathan’s POV

I watched Amelia drive off, her taillights disappearing into the quiet street. Though I wondered why it took her so long.

Perhaps the episode in the kitchen must have rattled her. Amelia was sharp—smarter than most people gave her credit for—and there was no denying the pull I felt toward her.

But before I could dwell too long on it, a sound behind me snapped my attention back to the present.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Doctor Friggard said, holding a plate piled high with pancakes. The man must have some kind of obsession with them.

“I didn’t know it was you. How’s your shoulder?” I asked, moving away from the window and joining him on the couch. The scent of butter and syrup wafted up as he handed me a plate.

“Healing nicely. It was just a graze,” he replied, taking a hearty bite.

“A deep graze,” I corrected, thinking back to how close we’d come to disaster. “I thought you’d been hit when I saw you. I hate that you got hurt because of me.”

The neighborhood outside was eerily still. Amelia had chosen this spot well—it was secluded, almost forgotten.

So far, I hadn’t ventured beyond the walls of the house, but through the windows, I occasionally caught glimpses of children playing across the street.

It wasn’t much, but it told me enough: this place wasn’t exactly thriving.

“It’s not your fault, Nathan,” Doctor Friggard said between bites. “No one forced me to be here. I chose to stay because of what you mean to me.

I remember when you’d come to the hospital with your father and sister for checkups.”

My fork froze midway to my mouth. A sister? “A sister? Do I have a sister?”

Doctor Friggard hesitated, clearly realizing he’d stumbled into territory Lucas had deliberately avoided. “Had. You had a sister.”

No one had told me that. Not a word. My chest tightened with frustration. Oh, I think mum mentioned something like that when we went to my family house from that hotel.

Damn this memory loss—it made me feel like a child being shielded from the truth. “What happened to her?”

But Doctor Friggard shook his head firmly. “It’s not my story to tell.”

Before I could press further, a knock echoed through the house. We exchanged glances; visitors weren’t part of the plan.

No one was supposed to know where we were hiding. I stood up cautiously. “I’ll get it.”

“Be careful,” Doctor Friggard warned, grabbing a tennis racket lying nearby. He looked ridiculous wielding it, but I appreciated the effort.

We crept silently toward the door while the knocking persisted. “Who’s there?” I called out, keeping my voice steady.

“It’s Doctor Henry. We talked a few days ago, and we agreed not to run interference again.”

“Oh!” Doctor Friggard exclaimed, visibly relaxing and dropping the racket. Turning to me, he explained, “This is the doctor who can help us.” With that, he stepped ahead of me and opened the door.

“My good friend, it’s good to see you,” Doctor Henry greeted warmly, pulling Doctor Friggard into a hug.

If I didn’t know better, I’d think the guy belonged in a teenage romance novel. Tall, handsome, with long hair cascading past his shoulders, he exuded charisma.

His gaze shifted to me, assessing me with what I suspected was his “doctor’s eye.”

“This must be the person of interest,” he remarked smoothly, extending his hand. “Nathan Delanza.”

I shook it, noting the firmness of his grip. This man was all business. “Likewise,” I muttered, sizing him up.

Something about him screamed confidence—and money. Those designer clothes weren’t subtle.

“It’s good to see you, my friend. Please, come in,” Doctor Friggard invited, leading him to the living room. “Are you sure no one followed you?”

“Yes, I made sure of that,” Doctor Henry assured, settling into a chair. Leaning forward, he locked eyes with both of us.

“Our research has attracted significant attention. You’d be surprised how many countries are interested in a drug capable of causing amnesia—and its antidote.”

“Why is that?” I asked, irritation creeping into my tone. “I don’t like feeling like the apple on someone’s target range.”

He ignored my comment entirely, turning instead to Doctor Friggard. “I’m not talking about individual interests—I’m talking about major players. Who wouldn’t want access to such a discovery?”

Doctor Friggard frowned, deep in thought. “What do you suggest we do now? You know I’ve been out of the game for a long time.”

“We need to run tests to confirm what we’re dealing with. Then we’ll take it from there.” He paused, weighing his next words carefully. “He’ll need to come with me to the lab.”

“No freaking way!” I interrupted sharply.

“Nathan, calm down,” Doctor Friggard appealed, shooting me a warning glance before addressing Doctor Henry.

“You know how risky our situation is. Leaving here isn’t an option.”

Doctor Henry considered this for a moment, then stood up. “I’ll see what I can do. Expect me soon.”

Without another word to me, he shook hands with Doctor Friggard and walked out.

As the door closed behind him, I turned to Doctor Friggard. “Why do I get the feeling he hates me?”

Doctor Friggard chuckled. “Well, I wouldn’t say you’re exactly loved. You’re one arrogant billionaire. But don’t worry about Doctor Henry—if there’s anyone I trust with my life, it’s him.”

I decided to take his assurance at face value—for now. Sitting back down, I tried to shake off the restlessness clawing at me.

Being cooped up like this wasn’t in my nature. The urge to step outside and stretch my legs was overwhelming, but I knew doing so could be fatal.

I crushed the thought as quickly as it arose.

“Have you heard from Lucas?” I asked, breaking the silence.

“No, not yet.”

Lucas’s absence left a void. Having him around always grounded me, but Amelia had a point—he needed to keep up appearances at the company.

Speaking of Amelia… The mere thought of her brought an unexpected smile to my face.

Maybe that was the silver lining in this mess—an opportunity to grow closer to her.

The phone rang in the bedroom, jolting me from my thoughts. Only two people knew where we were hiding, and Amelia wouldn’t be calling after leaving earlier.

That left Lucas. I hurried to answer it.

“Lucas.”

“Nathan, it’s me. We have a problem—a huge one. I’ll be there soon.”