Chapter 158
Hamilton had lost his appetite.
Hence, the dinner plans they had made just fell apart.
Mr. Bran had wanted to have dinner with Ryan, but it was clear Ryan wasn't playing ball, and that was that.
The trio left the office together, with Mr. Bran politely seeing them out.
Ryan and Natalia walked ahead, deep in conversation, about the opening ceremony of the international expo that evening.
Hamilton squinted at their retreating figures and, unable to help himself, lit up a cigarette.
The thick smoke did little to obscure the bitterness in his eyes.
Mr. Bran chuckled as he watched him. "I thought Ms. Jenkins was with you."
Hamilton snorted.
He used to think so, too.
He had always believed Natalia was his for the taking.
A tantrum, a temporary split, he figured it was just a flash of anger.
She would come back when she cooled down, he thought.
Until today, when he heard Ryan call her Nat.
It hit Hamilton then - Ryan wasn't like Ronin.
Sure, he had been mad at Natalia over Ronin before.
But deep down, he knew that playboy wasn't for her.
If he could see it, so could Natalia.
With Ronin, at best, it would end up as some sugar daddy arrangement.
A fling he could break if he pushed hard enough.
But Ryan was different.
He could tell Ryan was serious about Natalia.
The way he looked at her had a cautious tenderness that spoke of real intent.
And Natalia didn't seem to mind Ryan's attention.
Hamilton suddenly realized.
it seemed, could entertain the
when
frustration like he'd never felt before
forward, catching up with the
before resuming
in without
Linda book a
tracks, turning to face
got things to do. I'll head back to Silkwood City tomorrow. No need to worry about me, Mr.
Hamilton frowned. "What things?"
got a
No meetings when you're away, but as soon as you
this was just Ryan's ploy to
there was a meeting; what else
"Believe it or not, I
her pace,
on her heels
for tomorrow. I'll
he finished, Ryan
Mr. Fowler. You should head back." With that, Ryan opened the car door for Natalia, who slid in without a word and
mask of cool contempt. He let out a derisive
aren't you being a bit
the car, his eyes
natural to be attentive to a girl I
crushing
"Hamilton must be
responded without
noticed it,
man like Hamilton wouldn't keep coming back to her
women were never in
likely forget her soon
a deep breath, pushing thoughts of
something else
don't have to force yourself to have dinner
tell he didn't enjoy
he probably wasn't
forcing myself," Ryan said softly,
want to be part of your work, your life. It's not just for you;
at a loss for
she managed a
I'm really not good enough
his face cooling for the first
suddenly stern gaze. Even his cold look had
you don't mind it, we can talk about 'us.' Otherwise,
but the
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