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.
seemed, could entertain the idea of anyone but
was utterly resistant when it came to
frustration like he'd never felt
forward, catching
before resuming her talk with
in
Linda book a
in her tracks, turning to
I'll head back to Silkwood City tomorrow. No need to worry
Hamilton frowned. "What things?"
got a meeting
when you're away, but as soon as you
just Ryan's
was a meeting; what
"Believe it or not, I
quickened her
Hamilton was on her heels
tomorrow.
finished, Ryan
anyway. I can accompany Natalia. You've got a business empire to run, Mr. Fowler. You should head back." With that, Ryan opened the car door for Natalia,
his face a mask of cool contempt. He let out
aren't you being a bit too
glanced back into the
be attentive to
drove off, leaving Hamilton in his wake, crushing his cigarette underfoot
Natalia. "Hamilton must
she responded without
noticed
proud man like Hamilton wouldn't keep coming back to her if he didn't regret
were never in
it now, he would likely forget her soon enough
a deep breath, pushing thoughts
something else on her
to force yourself to have dinner
didn't
probably
myself," Ryan said softly, looking her
your work, your life. It's not just for
at a loss
a moment, she managed a bitter
not good enough for
brow furrowed, his face cooling
laughed, meeting his suddenly stern gaze. Even his cold look had
my situation for you. If you don't mind it, we can
expression softened, but
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!