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 dro