Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 159

Ryan followed Natalia into the elevator and then came clean.

"I saw Hamilton downstairs just now, so I figured I'd come up with you. He's probably here to see you, right?"

Natalia paused for a second.

She hadn't noticed Hamilton.

But whether he came or not didn't really make much difference to her now.

"Does tea keep you up at night?" she asked directly.

It took Ryan a moment to catch on, but then he realized she truly didn't care anymore.

She was letting herself move on.

"Nope." He looked at Natalia and chuckled. "You know your stuff about tea?"

Natalia nodded. "Took a class."

Ryan's eyes twinkled. "Well then, you might be in for some trouble. My granddad's a real tea aficionado. Looks like we'll be calling on your expertise." Natalia laughed, "Alright, I'll have to show him my skills one of these days."

They chatted and laughed as they stepped out of the elevator.

As soon as they did, the elevator next to them opened, too.

Hamilton's gaze landed on their smiling faces, and it felt like a punch to the gut.

Especially Ryan's smile-it just looked so off.

A grown man grinning like that-it was almost like he was selling himself short.

Natalia's stride faltered, and her brows furrowed.

"Mr. Fowler, is there something you need?"

Hamilton looked at Natalia, suddenly at a loss for words.

Need something?

Of course, he did.

He was there to keep an eye on Ryan, to make sure he didn't get any funny ideas.

But he didn't really have a leg to stand on for that now.

"I got a room here," Hamilton said, his gloomy expression laced with a touch of nonchalant ease.

Natalia's brows furrowed deeply. "What?"

Hamilton let out a laugh. "After what happened to you last night, I couldn't just ignore it."

Natalia hesitated, then fell silent.

She turned and unlocked her own door.

Ryan followed her in.

But as he started to close the door, Hamilton stopped him.

in the doorway, "Aren't you going back to your room,

were all about preserving Ms. Jenkins' reputation before, and now you're shamelessly entering her room in the middle of the

to heart; he could understand

the woman you like getting close to another man-it's bound

mind letting

however,

just close

and unceremoniously shut the door in

closed right before his eyes, his face

bellhop tentatively asked, "Sir,

a glacial

word and quickly scuttled off.

to boil some water, planning to make

her right

"What happened last night?"

showed up with a guy, trying to

"How come you didn't call me?" "There

showing up to Hamilton dealing with it-it was over in

there wasn't time last night, what about today? He had been with

this hotel, and while Natalia had a problem, he

current nature of his relationship

you call me, no

Natalia smiled and nodded.

balanced his approach, not pressing further, and they switched

stay

his oversight

as Hamilton had pointed out, it was inappropriate for him to

a while, he

was still standing outside when a lady from the neighboring room saw him and jumped with a

are you doing out here

and frowned

could reply, the lady seemed to have an epiphany. "Oh, did your

mouth twitched, but

found the idea of Natalia as his

laugh, "Well, you'd better apologize quickly, then." Hamilton's brows furrowed.

tough she is; you gotta try unless you don't want her as your girlfriend anymore." Hamilton's eyes flashed, and just as he was

Natalia

her gaze sweeping back and forth

Hamilton a look of utter

like you; I can't believe

as dark

spoken to like that

His voice was firm as

still looked disgusted. "But she lets him into

Hamilton's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

the lady had already slipped

heavy chill

Ryan. "Be

then looked

you

out a cold laugh.

smiled and turned back to

you lock the

Natalia nodded.