Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter

Natalia forced a silent but bitter smile. The guy was a real bastard, but she knew he’d never be

without an heir.

With all the women in his orbit, could any of them fail to give him a child?–

Scarlett cursed under her breath, feeling a bit better after letting off some steam, and then got down to business.

“So, you don’t want this baby, right? Should I just go ahead and schedule the operation after your check–up tomorrow?”

Natalia caressed her belly, swallowing the pain in her heart, and replied softly, “Yes.”

As her voice faded, a tear rolled down from the corner of her eye. In the end, she was the one who should apologize this child. But without a legitimate claim, she had nothing to offer her baby, and how could she dare keep it? She was just an ordinary woman from an ordinary family. She couldn’t let her child be marked as a bastard for life.

Hamilton would never give her a title. He wouldn’t give her any chance to tie him down.

Nor affection, love, family, or children.

He wouldn’t give any of it.

Natalia closed her eyes and wiped away her tears.

The night was quiet and long, and her sleep was restless. She seemed to have a dream.

In the dream, she was back in her childhood. As a child, she and her mother had been through tough times, and the longest they ever stayed in one place was a small fishing village by the riverbank.

It was there that Natalia first met Hamilton. As a child, Hamilton didn’t have his current brooding look. His features were so delicate that he seemed almost like a doll.

Later, Natalia learned that he had been there to recuperate from an ittness. Recovery must have been rough for him because he often sat by the riverbank alone, wiping away tears.

Every time Natalia saw him, she’d offer him a lollipop to cheer him up. He ignored her at first.

But later on, he would secretly perch on her garden wall and call her “Evi.”

Eventually, it seemed his health improved, and he was whisked away by a group of people. Before he left, he promised he would come find her. But Natalia never saw him again.

Their reunion ten years later was accidental.

On her seventeenth birthday, her half–sister claimed she’d lost a bracelet on the beach and asked Natalia to look for it. On the beach, Natalia recognized Hamilton at first glance.

At nineteen, the boy had shed his childishness but carried an air of melancholy. When she

spotted him, he was slowly walking into the cold, tumultuous sea.

Without a second thought, she ran and grabbed him.

The boy turned around, his eyes filled with a cold and ruthless edge that didn’t match his age

Natalia instinctively stepped back in fear..

He scoffed and walked back into the sea.

coward!”

sea. She couldn’t remember what it felt like,

churned, and her body bobbed up and

drag

waking up to

for yourself, it’s none of your business worrying about someone else.”

turned and walked

cried out in

the dream shattered.

found

It was Scarlett.

surgery. Don’t eat or drink anything

gathered her emotions before responding, feeling a sense of heaviness in her heart.

the baby couldn’t stay. Not out of fear of discovery,

left the hotel. But she stopped short at the hotel entrance at the sight of

wasn’t surprised Hamilton had found her.

easy

bother to look for her at all. After the clear–cut conversation last night, why come

and she feared

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14:19

Chapter 4

fleeing. But Hamilton had already stepped out of

man approached with measured steps, his voice laced with

playing games?” Hamilton stopped in front of her, his expression blank, looking

down on her.

didn’t meet

darkened. “So, you’re serious about running off

twitched slightly. “You’re mistaken. I’m leaving because I want to, not because of

“Reason?”

to meet his gaze. “I want to

eyes narrowed.

already

brushed her face, his eyes flashing dangerously.

in mind?”

for a

yet. But whether I do or not, I need to quit

raised an

Being with him for the money was always the most shameful secret she harbored, and yet he reminded her time

all her strength not to break down in front of this man, and she managed a weak smile. “No. But if

Hamilton’s expression darkened.

to let

Fowler? Marry me and have kids with me,

even a distant,

his increasingly cold demeanor clearly stating his answer. He

I always thought you were smart.”