Love Left Her For Dead (Natalie Carter) novel Chapter 19

In just a week, Jayden's decline was painfully obvious. He looked hollow and exhausted. He couldn't even focus behind the wheel, so much so that he nearly crashed into a guardrail.

The jarring impact jolted him out of his daze. Ignoring the pain from his injuries, he hurriedly looked over at Natalie.

"Natalie, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?" After hearing that she was fine, he let out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, it's my fault."

Natalie looked at his bloodshot eyes and the exhaustion on his face and felt a strange, exhilarating wave of satisfaction rise within her. "Looks like the medicine's working," she mused.

However, she didn't let it show. Instead, she smiled softly and said, "It's alright, Jayden. I'm fine."

Her kindness struck him hard. He was about to respond when Natalie asked, "Is everything okay, Jayden? You don't look so well."

He froze before letting out a bitter chuckle. He'd thought about this moment countless times. If Natalie ever came back, he would drop to his knees and beg for her forgiveness. But now that she was here, he couldn't bring himself to say anything.

What could he say? That he was wrong? That he shouldn't have doubted her? That he shouldn't have hurt her for the sake of an adopted sister or believed the rumors that led him to abandon her on that cruise ship, causing her death in the explosion?

Guilt and regret had already consumed him. When he looked into Natalie's clear, innocent eyes, those words felt like a sharp thorn lodged in his throat—he couldn't swallow them, nor could he spit them out.