Twisted Ties of Love (Izabella Salotti and Brett) novel Chapter 603

Nate looked down at the sorry state of the wound with a furrowed brow, the festering meat beginning to give off a foul stench. It needed a thorough clean with antiseptic before he could scrape away the dead tissue and apply fresh dressing. Anesthesia would have been the sensible choice, but Nate, ever the type to avoid unnecessary hassle, grabbed the scalpel and started to debride the wound without it, stripping away layers of skin and flesh.

Belle stirred from her faint with a soft whimper of pain. She couldn't even scream, but tears streamed down the sides of her face.

She felt as weak as overcooked noodles and struggled to even twitch. Barely managing to lift her eyelids, she saw Nate and bit down hard on her lip to stop herself from making any noise. She knew he hated seeing her cry, so no matter the pain, she stifled it.

But her back throbbed fiercely, the feeling of the scalpel grinding against the raw flesh beneath was excruciating.

Once the dead tissue was removed, Belle was drenched in a cold sweat.

Nate, noticing she was awake, asked nonchalantly, “Why didn't you tell me about the wound on your back?”

Belle just shook her head, unsure of how to respond.

Nate had a knack for concocting his own remedies and knew a thing or two about medicine. He found some anti-inflammatory cream, cleaned the wound with antiseptic, and dressed it with gauze.

He then handed her a couple of fever-reducer pills to swallow.

Belle obediently took the medicine, feeling drowsy yet unwilling to sleep. She wanted to keep looking at Nate; as long as he was by her side, he was all she could see.

“What are you staring at?” Nate asked.

“Mr. Krueger,” Belle paused before blurting out, “You're handsome.”

And Nate was a sight to behold, his physique rivaling that of top models, his features refined even under the soft glow of the lamp. His eyes, especially, were enchanting, with a natural pink at the corners and long, dark lashes that fluttered like butterfly wings. When he smiled, it was like the first rays of spring sunshine, melting away the frost.

His shoulder-length hair was often left untamed or tied back in a casual knot, a style few men could pull off. But Nate did, and his long locks only accentuated his sharp, cutting presence.

Belle found herself captivated by his beauty. As long as she kept her gaze on him, the pain seemed to vanish.

She really, really adored Mr. Krueger.

Her eyes reddened further, a bitter taste rising in her throat and stinging her nose.

She eyed the glass of water in Nate's hand and choked out, “This is the first time I’ve been sick and had someone by my side.”

Nate set down the glass and gently ruffled her hair, a smile threatening to break through his usual indifference. Look at her, he thought, already forgetting who was responsible for her injury.

“Have the shoots been tiring you out lately?” Nate inquired with a hint of amusement.

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