Chapter 47: Nathaniel Isn’t Dressed

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Nathaniel Isn’t Dressed

Estelle thought she had misheard. Her eyes widened. "...What did you say?"

Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze carried a physical weight. He swept his eyes over her face inch by inch before speaking in a hoarse, deliberate voice.

"I said, Dr. Lockwood, if you give me a kiss, I’ll help you deal with Noelle."

Estelle stood stunned for two seconds before taking a sharp step back. "Nathaniel Sloan, have you no shame?"

She wondered if he was completely devoid of shame. She was merely his family doctor right now, yet he had the audacity to ask her for a kiss out of the blue! Was he even human?!

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, then broke into a smile. "I can tell you really dislike Noelle, Dr. Lockwood. If she steps in to take care of me, she’ll have to move back into Imperial Crest.

"When that happens, you and Noelle will be bumping into each other day in and day out. What a difficult situation that would be."

Estelle was no fool. "Are you threatening me?"

She wondered if this bastard was sick in the head! It was one thing that he insisted on having her take care of him. But now that Noelle had shown up, he actually wanted her to kiss him, or else he wouldn’t give her the right to care for him... Who did he think he was? Was taking care of him such a great honor?

But if Noelle moved into Imperial Crest, wouldn’t all of her own schemes be wasted? Estelle’s expression gradually twisted in conflict.

Nathaniel gave a soft chuckle. He already had a rough guess as to what she would do, and was just about to tell Noelle to get lost when a shadow fell over him.

Estelle quickly pecked him on the lips!

It was a fleeting peck, brushing past as lightly as a feather, but that soft, warm sensation sent a jolt straight through Nathaniel’s body.

A deeply familiar feeling surged up within him, and his gaze darkened profoundly.

After the kiss, Estelle immediately backed away two steps. She wiped her lips in clear disdain and shot him a look, silently urging him to speak up.

Noelle froze completely. Her eyes went wide, the blood rushing to her head until her vision tinted red.

She internally screamed, wondering what Yara was doing. Yara had just kissed Nathaniel! She had stayed by this man’s side for so many years without ever getting the chance to lay a finger on him. Why was Yara allowed to kiss him?!

Tears welled up in Noelle’s eyes, making her look incredibly pitiful. "Dr. Lockwood, how could you do this? Nathaniel, he..."

"I don’t need you to take care of me here. I’ve told you before—you are not allowed at Imperial Crest without my permission," Nathaniel interrupted coldly. "Will you leave on your own, or do I need to have someone escort you out?"

Noelle acted as if she had suffered a monumental blow. Tears streamed down her beautiful face as she stumbled back a couple of steps, crying uncontrollably. "Nathaniel, I know you still blame me. I’ll just go.

"But even if you blame me, there’s no need to put on an act with Miss Yara just for my sake. I know..."

"Who said I’m acting?" Estelle didn’t mind provoking her a bit more.

She gently pressed herself against Nathaniel’s chest, looking at Noelle with utter leisure.

"Nathaniel and I are sincere. Miss Lockwood, it’s getting late. Could you stop bothering us now?"

She would return every single word Noelle had once said to her, right back at her!

Seeing that Noelle still hadn’t left, Estelle smiled brightly. "Or perhaps you want to stay and watch us continue kissing?"

"You... you..." Noelle whimpered. Under Nathaniel’s icy glare, she covered her mouth and ran away.

Her retreating figure made it seem as though Estelle was some heinous Sinner.

Nathaniel’s gaze was quiet and profound, carrying an indescribable depth as it fell upon Estelle.

Once Noelle was gone, Estelle immediately shoved him away, leaving his embrace. She frowned in annoyance. "What are you doing? Let go of me. Are you addicted to hugging me or something?"

Nathaniel let out a soft scoff. She really knew how to use him and toss him aside, burning the bridge the moment she had crossed the river.

Estelle headed straight upstairs. Nathaniel watched her back, suddenly closing his eyes.

"Mr. Chapman, I’ll need you to do me a favor tonight."

He still had one more way to force her to admit her true identity.

Later that evening.

Estelle had just finished her work. Upon exiting the study, she bumped into a hurrying Mr. Chapman.

"Dr. Lockwood, the wound on Mr. Sloan’s arm has split open again. It’s too late to call for another doctor, so I must trouble you to take a look."

Estelle halted her steps toward her room. "Split open again?"

Thinking of Mr. Sloan’s instructions, Mr. Chapman felt a bit guilty, but he still continued, "Yes, it seems quite serious. It’s his right hand, and he can’t even hold a pen right now."

As he spoke, he observed Estelle.

He noted how remarkably she resembled Mrs. Sloan. Rumors claimed she had undergone plastic surgery, so why was Mr. Sloan so certain of her true identity?

However, Mr. Sloan had mentioned he had a way to test her, and this wasn’t something a butler like him needed to concern himself with.

Estelle furrowed her brows deeply, silently cursing Nathaniel in her head.

Was he crazy? Staying up in the middle of the night, tossing around until his wound bled again, to the point where he couldn’t even hold a pen.

Didn’t he know he had a ton of documents to sign tomorrow?

Fueled by pure, unadulterated fury, Estelle stormed into Nathaniel’s room. "Nathaniel Sloan, you—"

Before she could finish her sentence, she abruptly froze, her eyes widening.

The man had discarded his black silk shirt, standing completely bare-chested. His broad shoulders, narrow waist, and perfectly sculpted eight-pack abs were put on full, unguarded display right before Estelle’s eyes.

A thick rush of masculine pheromones seemed to saturate the air. With only a single bath towel wrapped loosely around his waist, he was a sight that easily sent the imagination running wild.

She was intimately familiar with this body. Over countless nights, he had used this very body to pin her down...

Stop. She couldn’t let her thoughts go any further down that path!

Estelle immediately looked away, a faint shade of pink uncontrollably rising to her cheeks. "Can’t you wear your clothes properly? Does the dignified head of the Sloan Family have exhibitionist tendencies?"

Nathaniel, however, simply raised his eyes indifferently, his Adam’s apple bobbing. "Dr. Lockwood, this is my room. You didn’t knock."

The implication was clear: she had barged in without knocking, so whatever she shouldn’t have seen was her own fault.

Estelle choked on her words a bit, keeping her eyes averted. "Fine. Then do as you please, Mr. Sloan."

Saying this, she turned to walk out.

"Heh." Nathaniel gave a low chuckle. He raised an eyebrow with profound meaning and total composure. "Why keep your eyes closed, Dr. Lockwood... Are you afraid to look?"

Estelle’s feet felt glued to the floor. She sensed a faint presence drawing closer and closer, followed by the man’s unique body heat enveloping her entire figure.

"Didn’t you say that in the eyes of a doctor, there is no distinction between genders? Why is Dr. Lockwood too afraid to even open her eyes?" Nathaniel’s tone was slow and light.

Estelle silently cursed him for being sick in the head and angrily opened her eyes. "I am off the clock!"

The moment she opened them, her eyes landed squarely on the man’s full, well-defined pectoral muscles. She instantly squeezed her eyes shut again, her cheeks flushing even redder. "Mr. Chapman was worried about you and asked me to come check on you. Since you’re fine, I’m leaving."

A hint of scrutiny appeared in Nathaniel’s eyes.

He still remembered that Estelle would blush no matter how many times she saw his physique. And as for Yara... since she had clearly returned, why was she hiding her identity?

"Of course there’s an issue." Nathaniel leaned in slightly. His scorching breath brushed against Estelle’s ear, sending a shiver of goosebumps down her skin and making her body go slightly weak.

The man’s voice was hoarse as he spoke slowly, "Dr. Lockwood, help me bathe."