Chapter 151

Eleanor sensed someone was watching her, though she didn't bother to look back.

She stayed focused on Nolan's hand, taking in the lines of his knuckles.

Redness spread across his skin, and a few scrapes still oozed blood.

He must have hurt himself when he broke through that door.

From the car's emergency k<it, she grabbed some antiseptic swabs and drew his hand toward her. "Are you in pain?"

Nolan glanced down, taking in how careful and gentle she was.

Instead of answering, he flipped his hand so he could hold hers, brushed his lips over her knuckles, then lifted his eyes. They were full of quiet hurt. "It does,but nothing compares to the ache I feel inside."

She hadn't defended herself back there, and he could tell she was about to let go of him.

He blamed himself for mishandling everything,making her suffer because of his family.He couldn't really blame her if she wanted to give up.

Those words, and the memory of what she had been thinking earlier, made Eleanor's heart twist with guilt.

While dabbing at his wound, she kept her eyes elsewhere, careful not to meet his stare.

After a long pause, she finally tried to explain, "Don't get the wrong idea.I just..."

Before she could finish, Ryland's urgent voice cut in from outside the car. "Nolan, something's happened.Your grandpa collapsed, and they took him to the hospital!"

Nolan's hand closed tighter around hers. She caught the worry on his face, so she gave his hand a gentle pat. "Don't stress. We'll go check on him together."

He looked at her then, emotion flickering in his eyes.

No matter what happened, he couldn't bring himself to resent Norwood.

A few seconds passed before he finally spoke, his voice low and deliberate."Alright."

At the hospitall, Norwood still hadn't woken up.

A team of doctors crowded the bed, their faces grim.

As soon as Nolan stepped inside, the doctors ushered him out of the room for a quiet conversation in the office.

Back in the hospital room, only Eleanor and Norwood remained. He lay there, silent and unmoving.

Eleanor moved closer to the bed and checked the monitor before studying Norwood's face.

He looked weak, with pale lips and an angry flush across his forehead.

His body had clearly reacted badly to the shock of all the emotional turmoil.

If nobody stepped in quickly, theconsequences could be dire, even fatal.

He was still Nolan's grandfather.

She couldn't bring herself to just stand by and do nothing.

With that thought, Eleanor quietly reached into her bag for a compact medical kit.

She picked out the needles and started working without hesitation.

Bit by bit, the erratic lines on the screen started to settle.

Norwood's eyelids fluttered before he finally opened his eyes.

When he caught sight of Eleanor by his bedside, he erupted at once. "Get out! Our family will never accept someone like you!"

Nolan heard the uproar and entered in a rush, the doctors right on his heels.

The medical team stared at the monitor, then at Norwood, shocked to see him conscious and yelling.

"This is truly a medical miracle! By all accounts, the patient shouldn't have woken up this easily. He shouldn't be talking right now, let alone shouting.Can anyone explain what just happened?"

Nolan's attention shifted from the stable readings to his grandfather's face, then landed on Eleanor. He understood immediately what she had done.

Eleanor barely reacted. She gave Norwood a calm look and, in an even voice, said, "He's out of danger now, so l'll go."

Her only reason for being there was Nolan. Now that his grandfather was safe, her job was done.

Whatever insults Norwood hurled at her didn't bother her anymore. Without another word, she left the hospital room.