Chapter 296

"What happened to you?" Evelyn Sinclair frowned, her fingertips jerking back when they brushed his scorching forehead.

Alexander Kingsley lay weakly on the couch, but his gaze burned into her, a satisfied smile curling his lips.

That look sent tremors through her heart.

"Let's go to the hospital." Her voice softened unconsciously as she reached for his forehead again.

Burning hot.

"Evelyn," Alexander suddenly grabbed her wrist, "skip work today. Stay with me."

Her entire arm stiffened.

"Can you...talk normally for once?"

This tone, this look—where was the usual cold, aloof Alexander?

It unsettled her more than his previous attempts to please her.

"Evelyn," he buried his face in her palm, "when did you go to Kingsley Group last night?"

"I went after finishing work." She dodged the question.

"Who told you I was there?" Despite the fever, his mind was sharp.

"Someone from the Kingsley family."

She swallowed the word "grandmother."

If he really wanted to know, he'd find out.

"Phone call?" he pressed.

Evelyn hesitated. "No, I went back to the Kingsley residence."

Alexander abruptly pushed himself up.

"You went back?"

"Yes. What's wrong?" Her expression remained calm.

He swayed as he tried to stand.

"What are you doing?" Evelyn steadied him.

"Going back to the Kingsley residence." His face darkened.

The truth was worse than he'd imagined.

She had returned, only to be deliberately sent away.

Meanwhile, he'd waited like a fool, stewing in frustration when she never came back.

"Stop this." She reached for him, but he shook her off.

"Alexander!" She wrapped her arms around his waist and dragged him back onto the couch.

Too weak to resist, he collapsed onto the cushions. When he tried to rise again, she pinned him down.

"Stop moving! What if you hurt the baby?" she scolded.

Alexander froze, then pulled her tighter against him.

"Evelyn..." His earlier anger vanished as he buried his face in her neck. "Just a little longer..."

She felt his arms tighten around her.

He always held her like this—so fiercely she could barely breathe.

After everything, she no longer knew what it meant.

Once, she'd naively thought such desperate embraces meant at least some possessiveness.

Later, she learned possessiveness meant nothing. People felt possessive about jewelry and clothes too.

She refused to be an ornament in his life.

Especially after seeing Isabella Winslow standing beside him...

"Enough," she pushed at his shoulders. "Let's go to the hospital, okay?"

Alexander shook his head.

"Medicine is enough."

He fought to stay conscious.

"I'll go with you," she coaxed.

He scoffed, clearly not believing her.

Her promises to stay were empty, but her threats to leave were always real.

Once, she'd sworn to stay with him forever.

He'd almost believed her.

Now she could walk away without looking back...

"I'll take leave to stay with you." She pulled out her phone. "We'll go to the office after you recover."

With Roman Young's situation resolved, the company was due for a reshuffle. Xavier Stapleton and Hugo Lee would be at each other's throats.

Now wasn't the time to return.

Better to settle Alexander first.

In this state, even Eleanor Kingsley would worry.

Especially since he'd fallen ill after returning from the Kingsley residence.

"Two days off. Should I call a car to the hospital or inform your family?" she asked.

Alexander looked up, his eyes hazy with fever. "Two days?"

Only two?

Apparently, his illness wasn't severe enough to warrant more of her time.

"Alexander, get a grip." She frowned.

The fever had stripped away his cold facade, laying his thoughts bare.

"Even if I don't work, Kingsley Group needs you. Every day you're sick, work piles up."

She knew him too well. Kingsley Group was his life. He never allowed himself to slack.

Once recovered, he'd drown in overtime.

To her surprise, Alexander actually considered it, then smiled hopefully. "Then come to Kingsley Group with me..."

Evelyn: "......"

This was bad. The fever had fried his brain.

She cupped his face. "Hospital first, okay?"

They could deal with the rest later.

"Fine." He surrendered under her steady gaze. "Just let me sleep a little longer..."

He rested his head on her shoulder, his brow smoothing slightly.

Evelyn wouldn't let him sleep like this.

It wouldn't help his fever.

She dialed Eleanor Kingsley. "Mom, Alexander's with me."

"Good." Eleanor lowered her voice. "Last night, he insisted on going to Kingsley Group. We couldn't stop him. How is he? I heard he lost his temper there."

Even Nathan Carter had been exiled...

"He has a high fever but refuses the hospital. Can you send a car?"

Thud!

Her phone was suddenly slapped out of her hand.