Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 133

A shroud of gloom seemed to envelop Hamilton, yet his face remained as unreadable as ever, betraying no hint of the storm brewing within.

He casually scrolled through his missed calls until one name made his finger pause abruptly–Natalia. Her call had come in a few minutes before the snapshot of Orpheus had landed in his inbox.

That meant she had tried reaching out to him before she was taken.

A suffocating sensation rose in his chest as he wondered how she felt hearing his phone click off.

Then, as if on cue, his phone rang again. With a steely expression, Hamilton answered.

“Bro! Ms. Jenkins is in trouble!” Alden’s voice trembled with urgency on the other end.

Hamilton’s eyes narrowed, a cold fury beginning to simmer beneath his calm exterior. “What’s the situation now?”

Alden struggled to speak, finally managing to utter a dire statement. “It’s touch and go.”

“What did you say?” Hamilton’s voice dropped to an icy register, disbelief threading through his tone.

“Touch and go? Who’s touch and go? Alden, you’d better make yourself clear!”

“Bro, Ms. Jenkins was thrown off a cliff, and we’re still searching, but we don’t know if she’s… if she’s still alive.”

Though Alden spoke of search, hope seemed a luxury he could scarcely afford.

Natalia had been thrown off the cliff with her hands tied and gagged. From such a height, the fall alone might not kill her, but the waters below could claim her life just the same.

Hamilton’s mind blanked, a taut wire in his head snapping, leaving him rigid with shock.

Whatever Alden said next was lost to him; his thoughts were consumed by the pleading look in Natalia’s eyes when he’d left the hospital last night.

She had been afraid, and he knew that.

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12:23

Chapter 133

lurking danger she couldn’t see. She hadn’t wanted him to leave,

assumed Killian’s presence meant safety.

had assumed that staying with

IS Iñ

he had chosen to visit

turmoil. But he finally snapped to action and strode purposefully

had arrived early, only to encounter Hamilton, a man he’d never seen so close to the

the thoughts aside and walked straight into Eveleen’s

expected Hamilton, but

her. “So, you’re really disfigured?”

“What do you

your own face like that. Aren’t you afraid of scars? If you wanted Hamilton’s attention, couldn’t you have faked it?”

out a laugh. “What do you know?”

away. More importantly, she was certain Hamilton wouldn’t let her

outside?” Eveleen asked.

saw him looking murderous.

twisted into a cold sneer. “Probably that wench is

instantly connecting the dots. “Did you do something

replied, “How could I? I wouldn’t lay a finger on her. But I can’t speak

nothing more, quickly turning to leave. “I’ll go

12:24

Chapter 133.

Rover to

should have been a half–hour drive in under ten minutes.

and grief, confronted Hamilton with a fist to the face.

“Hamilton!”

“Bro!”

shouted in

got some nerve showing up! Where were you when she needed you?”

shouted at Hamilton.

sneered at Ryan. “Stay out of this, Ryan. Natalia and I are none of your

else, but was pulled back by Dawson as soon as he could. “Don’t add fuel to the flame. It’s important to find Natalia now.”

angrily at Hamilton but didn’t say

aside, Hamilton turned to Alden, his face a mask of ice. “Any

pale as

voice, a grim omen of hope fading.