Chapter 291

Chapter 291
Evelyn's POV

I stood at the hotel entrance, cold fury blazing in my eyes. I was about to speak when Hunter's calm voice cut through the tension.

"Don't waste your energy arguing with him. I know what I need to know."

I bent down to slide into Hunter's car, catching a glimpse of Dorian stepping back as we pulled away. The familiar weight of anxiety in my chest finally began to ease as the hotel lights faded behind us.

The car reeked of alcohol. Hunter had clearly been drinking heavily during tonight's business dealings. I stared out the window, relieved to see that Dorian had already disappeared from view.

From the driver's seat, Liam's voice broke the silence. "Mr. Pierce, that Dorian is nothing but trouble. Keeping him around is asking for problems."

Hunter didn't respond immediately, his jaw tight as he gazed out at the passing streetlights.

When we arrived home, I hurried through the foyer, kicking off my heels carelessly.

"I'm exhausted," I called over my shoulder, already heading for the stairs. "I need to rest."

"Let me help you with those tense shoulders," Hunter offered, moving toward me.

I instinctively pulled away from his outstretched hands. "It's fine, really. I just need sleep."

The movement was too quick, too defensive. I saw confusion flicker across Hunter's face, but he didn't press the issue.

As I lifted my arms to adjust the borrowed black jacket, the fabric shifted, exposing the edge of my jawline. Hunter's eyes immediately fixed on something there.

"What's that?" His voice was dangerously quiet.

Before I could react, his fingers grasped the collar of the jacket, gently but firmly pulling it down. The motion revealed a series of dark red marks scattered across my neck like ripe strawberries against pale skin.

My breath caught in my throat.

"He did this?" Hunter's question was barely a whisper, but I heard the steel beneath it.

I couldn't bring myself to lie, not when the evidence was so damning. I remained silent, which was answer enough.

Hunter's expression hardened. "Next time, carry a knife with you. If he dares to touch you like this again, you stab him."

Despite everything, I couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "That would be quite the loss for me, wouldn't it? Murder charges, life in prison... hardly seems worth it."

My casual response seemed to reassure him. I watched the last traces of suspicion fade from his eyes, replaced by protective anger. He believed what he wanted to believe – that I was an unwilling victim, nothing more.

If only it were that simple, I thought, guilt twisting in my stomach.

After a long, hot shower, I found myself restless. I needed to talk to Hunter, to somehow bridge the growing distance I felt between us. I knocked softly on his bedroom door, but there was no answer.

Curious, I made my way up to the third floor. The sound of voices drifted from the exercise room, and I crept closer to investigate.

Through the crack in the door, I could see Hunter learning boxing techniques from Liam. His movements were sharp and aggressive, each punch thrown with barely contained fury.

Then I watched in shock as Hunter's fist connected not with the punching bag, but with the solid wall beside it. The impact echoed through the room like a gunshot.

Of course he cares, I realized with a sinking heart. How could he not? Dorian knows exactly which buttons to push, exactly how to get under his skin.

No matter how much Hunter tried to appear unaffected, seeing another man's marks on my body had clearly shaken him more than he let on.

The next day dragged by like a slow torture. Every time I thought about Dorian, my head began to pound. I tried to focus on my patients, on anything that might distract me from the memory of his threats and the weight of his implications.

My phone rang in the afternoon, the caller ID showing nothing but zeros.

"Hello?"

"Doctor," Dorian's smooth voice slid through the speaker like silk over steel. "I'm not feeling well. I need you to come see me today."

"I'm not available," I replied curtly.

"Come now, don't be so cold. I really do need medical attention."

I forced my voice to remain professional. "Mr. Blackwood, I'm a gynecologist. Perhaps you should consult with a physician who specializes in men's health."

"But I specifically need your expertise," he insisted, his tone mockingly innocent. "I have some... issues that require delicate handling. Surely you can make an exception for an old friend?"

"I suggest you see a urologist," I replied firmly. "They're much better equipped to handle whatever problems you might be experiencing."

The silence on the other end stretched so long I wondered if he'd hung up. Then his voice returned, stripped of all pretense.

"Evelyn, let's cut through the bullshit. You're refusing to come, aren't you?"

My grip tightened on the phone. "That's correct."

"Fine." His voice turned cold and dangerous. "Don't say I didn't give you a chance to do this the easy way. You're going to regret this."

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone in my hand, my heart racing. I didn't believe for a second that he was actually ill. This was just another game to him, another way to manipulate and control me.

But the threat in his final words was unmistakable. Whatever he was planning, whatever leverage he thought he had over me, he was preparing to use it.

I thought about the videos he'd mentioned at the hotel, the "insurance" he claimed to have. The idea of those intimate moments being used as weapons against me made my skin crawl.

What am I going to do? The question echoed in my mind as I tried to return my attention to my work. But concentration was impossible now. Every patient I saw, every procedure I performed, felt like I was going through the motions while my real life spiraled further out of control.

My phone buzzed with a text message, and I dreaded looking at it. Sure enough, it was from the same unknown number.

Tick tock, Doctor. My patience isn't infinite.

I deleted the message immediately, but the words were already burned into my memory. Time was running out, and I still had no idea how to escape the trap that was slowly closing around me.