Chapter 4

Lily’s POV

Nathan walked over to Derek, and I lowered my head, staring at my shoes as if they were the most fascinating things in the world, secretly hoping that Nathan wouldn't notice me.

I could sense his presence even before I saw him. Whenever he approached, there seemed to be an indescribable electric current in the air. Still, I refused to look up.

"Look at me," he commanded, his voice low and authoritative. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't defy him. He was a control freak, issuing orders to those around him as if it were no big deal. Reluctantly, I lifted my head to meet his gaze. His sharp green eyes bore into mine, so intense that I felt like he could see right through me. How bad did I look for him not to have that dazed expression?

"Are you really planning to let her sit in an Uber alone this late?" Derek asked, clearly seeking his brother's approval. "It's not safe, especially considering her current condition. Right, Nathan?"

Nathan didn't respond to Derek. Instead, he continued to look at me, his expression inscrutable, with a slight softening around his eyes. Was that concern? No, it couldn't be. He wouldn't be worried about a girl like me.

"Go change your clothes," he casually ordered, "I'll take you home."

I widened my eyes. Nathan was the last person I wanted to encounter, as seeing him only reminded me of the possibility of being pregnant. "No need, it's fine. I can manage on my own."

Nathan's eyes flashed with a hint of anger, clearly displeased with my defiance. "Derek is right. It's late, it's dangerous, you're sick, and you look like a mess."

"You look like a mess." For some reason, when I heard him say those words, my heart fluttered wildly—was he genuinely worried about me?

"I don't want to trouble you. I can really find my way back home—"

"I'll take you home," he cut me off, losing his patience. "It's an order."

I silently nodded, knowing that arguing further would be pointless. Once Nathan made up his mind, there was no changing it.

"Go change. I'll be waiting at the back door," he said before walking away before I could say anything else.

Derek grinned, looking pleased with himself. "Well, now I can go home, knowing our little Chipmunk is taken care of."

Not wanting to keep Nathan waiting too long, I quickly changed my clothes, grabbed my bag, and prepared to leave. Through the glass, I saw Nathan leaning against the wall, smoking, phone pressed to his ear. His face was furrowed in concentration. I hesitated, not wanting to interrupt his call but also not wanting to eavesdrop. Unfortunately, his voice carried clearly through the door.

"Either you come to me, or I promise you, I'll come to you, and you'll pay the price, no matter what. Otherwise, I'll take matters into my own hands!" Nathan roared into the phone.

I was startled by his angry voice. Who made him so angry? A chill ran down my spine as I remembered the family he belonged to, feeling it was best to escape as much as possible.

"Do you want to know why? Because you can't steal from my fridge!" he chuckled, and I immediately realized he was just having a normal conversation. I had mistakenly thought he was threatening to kill someone. But I realized he could genuinely interact with others and, apart from his usual aloofness, even joke around with his friends, which made me smile involuntarily.

"Alright, Joseph, see you tomorrow," Nathan said before hanging up the phone. He tossed the cigarette on the ground, looked up to see me standing there. "You're here," he said, his face returning to a calm expression.

I nodded, feeling caught in the act. Did he know I was listening? He didn't say anything else, leading me to his car. He opened the passenger door for me, but as I was about to get in, his hand grabbed my exposed shoulder. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through my body, freezing me in place, suddenly sandwiched between his legs.

His eyes grew deep, meeting mine, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe. The air between us seemed charged, reminding me of that night three months ago when we ended up in his bed. The memory brought a flush to my cheeks.

Unexpectedly, he took off his leather jacket and draped it over my shoulders. "You girls always dress like it's summer," he muttered.

"T-Thank you," I stammered, feeling both relieved and disappointed as he took a step back to let me slide into the car.

I couldn't help but feel puzzled.

How did I end up in a car with the one person I had been avoiding?

As he settled into the driver's seat, he asked simply, "Your address." I told him, and he started the engine. The silence in the car felt stifling. To break the silence, Nathan turned on the radio, soft music filling the car's interior. For a moment, I even considered telling him about the possibility of my pregnancy, but in his attempt to avoid talking to me and my uncertainty, the matter had gone beyond what I could handle.

Even three months ago, he hadn't said much to me. That night, the first time I saw him, I couldn't help but stare at him for a few minutes. There was something mysterious and sexy about him, his dominance stirring something in me. When he caught me staring at him, he immediately dragged me to the office. I remember thinking that I might get into trouble for staring at him too long, but I was wrong.

I knew I was nothing special, just like the other girls, but knowing that no one else had been with him certainly satisfied my vanity. That's why when he ignored me, I felt a shock—I couldn't articulate my expectations of him in words, as he could have any girl who wasn't a stripper.

"I hope you take better care of yourself," Nathan suddenly spoke, interrupting my thoughts. "I'm responsible for you, and if anything happens to you, my father won't spare me."

"I'm fine," I insisted, though my legs trembled beneath me.

"I don't like you lying to me," he said in a low voice.

My heart skipped a beat. Did he know? Could he somehow sense that I might be carrying his child? These thoughts didn't really help; they only made me more anxious, especially since I couldn't relax until I took a pregnancy test.

"You're my father's favorite child," he continued, "and if something happens to you, he won't let me off the hook." A wave of guilt washed over me. Richard had always been good to me, and if I were carrying his grandchild... I pushed that thought aside. I couldn't think about that now, especially sitting next to the potential father of the child.

As we drove into my neighborhood, I felt awkward. Under any other circumstances, I would likely never set foot here, but he had come, and it was to take me home. I looked at his face, trying to decipher his expression, but found nothing but a poker face.

"You work hard," he said as he parked in front of my apartment building, "but if you don't feel well tomorrow, stay home and see a doctor." It sounded more like he was telling me to get out quickly so he could leave here.

"Thank you. I feel fine," I lied again, opening the car door and walking towards the entrance of the apartment building. I felt his gaze on my back the whole time. It wasn't until I closed the door behind me that I heard his car drive away, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Tomorrow, I would buy a pregnancy test and put an end to all of this.