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
utterly resistant when it came
like he'd never felt before
forward, catching up
before resuming her talk with Ryan about
cut in without
book a flight for
stopped in her tracks,
Silkwood City tomorrow. No need to worry about me,
Hamilton frowned. "What things?"
got a meeting
meetings when you're away, but as soon as you
Ryan's
was a meeting; what else did
"Believe it or not, I
that, she quickened her pace, putting distance between
on her heels
have Linda book for tomorrow. I'll go back
finished, Ryan
I can accompany Natalia. You've got a business empire to run, Mr. Fowler. You should head back." With that, Ryan opened the
stood outside, his face a mask of cool contempt.
you being a bit
glanced back into the car, his eyes
natural to be attentive
leaving Hamilton in his wake, crushing his cigarette underfoot
glanced at Natalia. "Hamilton must be regretting
she responded without
noticed it,
man like Hamilton wouldn't keep coming back to her if he didn't
never in short
he would likely forget her soon enough once someone new
a deep breath, pushing
something else on
don't have to force yourself to have dinner with
tell he didn't enjoy
his background, he probably wasn't
forcing myself," Ryan said softly,
work, your life. It's not just for
at a loss for
a moment, she managed a bitter
not good
face cooling for the first
gaze. Even his cold look had an
If you don't mind it, we can talk about 'us.' Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll be
expression softened, but the concern
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