Chapter 5 His loath

"I am about to get dressed up." He reminded her.

"Okay. I can see that." She replied, sitting in place, oblivious to why he had told her that.

She didn't think much about his statement.

"Did you not hear what I said? I am about to get dressed, Evelyn. Do you plan to openly flaunt your flagrant nature by watching me strip and get clothed? Will that give you the satisfaction you crave for, Evelyn?"

His opinion of her got worse by the minute.

How could a woman be so at least she should be able to follow proper etiquette. This was truly disappointing.

"What...?!" Evelyn croaked and choked until her face to her ears turned red as she looked at him, stupefied.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered and did a ninety-degree turn, facing the other wall of the room both her focus point and peripheral view became out of reach of Nathan's figure.

Evelyn facepalmed herself mentally. Why hadn't she gotten his meaning when he complained earlier.

Then she thought about it. They were both married to each other, wasn't it natural for married couples to see their partners nudity? Guess it couldn't be helped since he had been away for five years and they never consummated their marriage.

Evelyn cringed. She would also feel very uncomfortable changing in Nathan's presence. She felt that she now understood Nathan's plight more.

Nathan looked at her figure, which was facing away from him. It seemed like this woman wasn't planning to leave him alone in the room.

Whatever, he would get dressed soon, anyway.

In less than four minutes Nathan was fully clothed in a somber Italian navy blue double-breasted suit.

He looked very dashing in it.

"Are you going out?" Evelyn asked, noticing he had chosen formal wear.

"I plan to attend a *family* meeting. I'd be back in the evening" He replied, adjusting his necktie in front of the large mirror.

"May I come with?" Evelyn inquired his permission.

If it was to discuss and review his father's burial plans, then it wouldn't be an inconvenience to let her follow him. She was part of his family after all.

"No you may not. Just stay at home and try not to be a nuisance. That shouldn't be too hard for you, right?"

"Hmmm. What meal should I make for dinner?" She asked, suddenly feeling excited about preparing Nathan's first meal from her.

"You don't need to hold back. I can make a lot of dishes, I attended cooking classes in the past to polish my skills, you are permitted to have high expectations."

Oh, did she?

He gazed at her stiffly, her smooth face looked expectantly at him. That innocent face had once deceived him before.

He hated when she smiled like that, her naive sugar sweet expression made him saltier by the second. Ha had been gone for five years yet she wasn't making a fuss, and even looked excited to welcome and cook for him.

The Evelyn he knew as a child would never accept such treatment. She was a bold no nonsense child, who had rewarded him with a few bumps on the head anytime he wronged her.

She was definitely plotting something. Who knew if she might add an aphrodisiac to his meal tying him down to her?

It was not wise to underestimate her,he had witnessed that firsthand.

He took his gaze off Evelyn.

Soon enough he would get rid of her.

"Don't bother, I plan to eat out before coming home. I'm sure anything out there is better than whatever concoction you mix up" Nathan rasped, there were no emotions in his eyes.

Evelyn bit her lips, hurt from his reply. It seemed that even if he was back, she still hadn't tamed his heart; her suffering might just increase from his aloof behavior towards her.

"Do you really hate me so much, Nathan? Why do you disregard my attempts to bring us closer as a couple to make up for the past years of your absence. Even if we are in a loveless marriage, we had been the closest of friends during childhood. At least you would respect me for that. What changed?" Evelyn poured out her heart complaints.

How dare she mention their childhood? That was when he began to loathe her two faced nature. On one turn she was nice to him as his best friend and on the other she was a monster, preying up his ignorance as a child.

He will never forget that day! The day he had gotten to see just as horrible Evelyn was. He had put so much trust in her but she had shattered it on a whim. How could he possibly respect her after all she did?

Nathan did not love Eveyln at all. Instead, he despised her and her antics. She had collaborated with his father, forcing him into marriage with his inheritance on the line.

He hated her for being a hindrance from fulfilling his promise to Juliet. The one he vowed to take care of for the rest of his life on earth.

"You are right Evelyn. I do not love you and I never will. If you can't put up with this, get some divorce papers. I would gladly sign them after securing my inheritance."

Evelyn's face sank and her heart was stung by Nathan's ruthless words. That was all she was... a liability to his inheritance?

"I do not know why you hate me so much Nathan. What did I ever do wrong? Tell me I would make sure I change." There was a hint of sadness and determination in her voice.

"Don't play victim in front of me. You know what you've done. I don't need to spell it out for you." Nathan spoke through gritted teeth, extreme hate in his eyes.

Evelyn sat in confusion. But what did she do?

Her countenance became gloomier. She had only agreed to marry Nathan when his father requested because she had been in love with him since they were kids.

She didn't think he would loathe her so much because of that. Her father-in-law, a spiritual man, had made it clear he wanted her to be his son's bride for his own safety.

She was only trying to help, why couldn't he understand that she cared so much about him that she was willing to enter a marriage without prior courtship.

Evelyn debated within herself.

Since birth, Nathan always seemed to be on the brink of death at any time. He had been born prematurely and had to stay in the hospital for a full year before he was discharged due to major complications and numerous diseases he caught as he grew older.

It seemed anywhere Nathan went, his life was constantly endangered. He had been severely ill, shot, kidnapped multiple times, almost drowned, electrocuted due to carelessness; it was impossible for a person to be absolutely sure of his safety status due to his ill luck in fate.

Concerned and worried about losing his favorite child before his time, Mr Ben Wither, Nathan's Father resorted to more traditional solutions.

He was to marry someone who's destiny could bring him good luck. She had been picked out for Nathan, having a perfect match of destiny to keep out his ill luck.

Nathan took a glance in her direction after not hearing a reply from her in a while. He had seen her befuddled state and glowered at her suspiciously.

Even at this moment she was still pretending to not know what he was talking about. Just how low could she go to keep herself to his side?

Nathan trudged across to the room and in seconds he was standing in front of Evelyn, his tall frame casting a shadow over her.

He held up her chin to match his eye level. Being locked in place by Nathan's pair of eyes, which were dark and unforgiving, Evelyn's heart nearly stopped.

"Oh Evelyn, you truly are irredeemable."

He let go of her quickly, wiping his hands immediately, almost as if Evelyn had suddenly been plagued with an infectious virus.