He Does Not Deserve My Devotion-Chapter 66: Take Me Away from Crestfall

Nina’s mind went blank. She felt as if her soul had left her body.

Clutching the test report, she slowly walked toward the stairs when a figure suddenly appeared, blocking her path.

"Nina Walsh, you’re disgusting. You climbed into your own brother’s bed and got pregnant with his baby. Aiden Sinclair will hate your guts when he finds out."

Clara Jacobs was suddenly standing in front of her. Before Nina could react, Clara pulled out her phone.

"I’m going to call Aiden. I’m going to tell him everything."

"You’re dragging his name through the mud! Because of you, people will be whispering behind his back for the rest of his life. Nina Walsh, you’re a cancer. I have to tell Aiden!"

"Don’t."

Nina finally snapped out of it and reached out to stop Clara from making the call, but Clara dodged, clutching her phone.

"Don’t tell him, please don’t..."

Nina lunged frantically and snatched the phone from Clara. Clara let out a sudden scream. The next second, she was tumbling down the stairs, landing with a series of heavy THUDS at the bottom.

Nina stood frozen, staring in bewildered shock at Clara. ’But I didn’t even touch her.’

"Clara—!"

Sophia Sawyer came running from the stair landing, rushing to cradle Clara’s body with a cry.

"Nina Walsh, you vicious woman! Why did you push Clara down the stairs? Don’t you know she’s pregnant?"

’She’s pregnant? With Aiden’s child?’

Nina was once again struck dumb, Clara’s phone still in her hand.

Quick, heavy footsteps echoed from the stairs. Sophia Sawyer glanced over her shoulder. "Aiden, you’re here! I brought Clara for a check-up, and I can’t believe she ran into Nina here. It was her! I saw it with my own eyes—she’s the one who pushed Clara down the stairs."

Hearing his voice, Nina panicked and turned to flee, but Wendy Sherman, who had been nowhere in sight, suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs and blocked her way.

"Sister, how could you push Ms. Jacobs? Even if you’re upset that she’s getting engaged to Mr. Sinclair, you can’t just go around pushing people. Ms. Jacobs is pregnant!"

Aiden Sinclair’s face darkened as he stared at her. "You pushed her?"

A sharp pain shot through Nina’s heart. ’How did it come to this?’

"You don’t even have to ask her! Look, she’s still holding Clara’s phone! Just grab her!" Sophia Sawyer spat venomously.

CLATTER—

Nina dropped Clara’s phone to the ground. She gave up on arguing, on resisting. "I pushed her."

’There was no point in fighting it. No matter how much she struggled, her life was always stuck in the most wretched mire.’

Aiden Sinclair said nothing. He lifted the unconscious Clara from the floor and strode away.

Clara Jacobs soon regained consciousness. Her body was bruised from the impact, and the doctor informed her that she had lost the baby.

"Aiden, I’m so useless. I couldn’t protect our baby," Clara sobbed, throwing herself into Aiden’s arms.

A dark glint flashed in Aiden’s eyes, but his expression remained blank as he comforted her. "Just focus on resting and getting better."

Sophia Sawyer added from the side, "Clara keeps getting hurt. This is going to be difficult to explain to the Jacobs family. I’ve already called Clara’s father. He’s flying back tomorrow."

"Do what you want. I have things to deal with at the office, so I’m leaving."

Unmoved, Aiden turned and left the room. Sophia Sawyer chased after him.

"Aiden Sinclair, stop right there!"

Aiden stopped. Sophia ran up to him, fuming. "What is this attitude? Clara is seriously injured, and you’re not even staying to take care of her? Are you even human?"

A cold smirk played on Aiden’s lips, his gaze chilling. "I’ve played my part in your little drama. What more do you want?"

Sophia froze. "What do you mean?"

Aiden said, "I’ve never touched her, and she was never pregnant. Mrs. Sinclair, I’m not a three-year-old. These tired old tricks don’t work on me anymore."

Sophia was stunned. ’He knew everything.’

...

At the hospital entrance, Nina sat numbly on the steps, drawing countless curious stares.

"Miss, it’s getting dark. There’s a typhoon warning for tonight. You should hurry home."

After being urged several times by hospital staff, Nina stood up and staggered away.

Once she was gone, Julian Sinclair, who had been hiding in the shadows, finally revealed himself. Recalling the drama he’d just witnessed, he couldn’t help but click his tongue.

’So Nina Walsh is Jonathan Sinclair’s daughter?’

’Not even a prime-time soap opera would be this outrageous.’

RUMBLE—

A flash of lightning tore through the night sky, and the heavens opened up.

Drenched by the downpour, Nina made her way to Crestfall Cemetery, weaving between the cold tombstones like a lost soul.

Nina found Rose Walsh’s gravestone and knelt, hugging the photograph of her mother.

The rain beat down on her relentlessly. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the cold rainwater.

"Mom, is my very existence a mistake? Should I never have been born?"

Her mother didn’t answer. A flash of lightning illuminated the warm smile of Rose Walsh in the photograph.

Nina’s heart ached. She had no outlet for her pain. Why was fate playing such a cruel joke on her?

"Mom, what am I supposed to do?"

"Mom, you’re not answering. Are you blaming me? Are you mad I didn’t come to see you one last time?"

"Mom, I really don’t know what to do anymore. Who can help me?"

Nina cried her heart out, but the only answer was the sound of the rain. No one could hear her desperate sobs.

The rain fell harder and harder. Nina didn’t know how long she had been crying. Her legs were numb. Suddenly, the rain on her head stopped.

Declan Grant had taken off his overcoat and draped it over her head. He slid his arms beneath her and lifted her into his arms, carrying her out of the cemetery.

Nina’s vision was blurry, but she gripped Declan’s arm tightly.

"Second Brother Grant, my mom won’t answer me. Is she still mad at me? Is she mad that I didn’t listen to her and insisted on going to Axton University?"

"If I hadn’t been so stubborn about going to Axton, Mom wouldn’t have had to work so many jobs for my tuition. She wouldn’t have worked herself to exhaustion. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault. I’m the one who killed my mom."

Declan placed her in the car, then knelt on one knee, wrapping her snugly in clean clothes he found.

"That’s not true. Aunt Walsh was so incredibly proud that you got into Axton University. Nina, it has nothing to do with you. You’ve done so well. You’ve always done so well."

Nina just shook her head, repeating over and over, "I’m sorry. I’m sorry."

Declan pulled her into his arms. "Nina, I’m the one who’s sorry. I didn’t take good care of you. I should have found you sooner. I should have brought you home a long time ago."

Declan took the dazed and confused Nina back to his place and had a maid help her change into clean, dry clothes.

All night, Nina was plagued by nightmares. She would cry out and convulse, sometimes even screaming shrilly for help. Declan didn’t dare to leave her side, keeping watch by her bed the entire night.

...

The next day, Nina opened her eyes. When she shifted, she realized her hand was held tightly in a larger one.

Declan was slumped over the edge of the bed; he hadn’t left her side all night.

Nina didn’t know why he had shown up at the cemetery last night, but his gentle presence gave her nearly shattered heart something to hold on to.

Declan stirred and woke up. "Nina, you’re awake?" 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Nina tried to pull her hand back, and Declan let go, reaching up to feel her forehead instead.

"Good, you don’t have a fever. You can’t be so reckless again."

’This time, Nina was truly exhausted. Even the strongest heart couldn’t withstand being shattered again and again. She just wanted to find a safe harbor, a place to shelter from the storm and live out the rest of her days in peace.’

She raised a hand and grasped his wrist, her gaze pleading. "Second Brother Grant, no matter what I do... you won’t give up on me, will you?"

Declan could sense what was coming. He nodded. "No matter what, if you want me as your Second Brother Grant, then that’s who I am. If you want me as your doctor, then I’m Dr. Grant, at your service. Whatever you want, as long as I can do it, I’ll never give up on you. I’ll always be on your side."

A wave of warmth washed over Nina. She looked at Declan and pleaded, "Second Brother Grant, take me to Moraine. Will you?"

A smile lit up Declan’s eyes. "Really? Nina, are you serious?"

Nina nodded. "I want to leave this place. The sooner, the better..."

"Okay. I’ll book the tickets right now." Overjoyed, Declan pulled out his phone.