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.

the doorway, "Aren't you going back to

bore into Ryan. "Mr. Holzer, you were all about preserving Ms. Jenkins' reputation before, and

heart; he could

close to

letting Hamilton vent a

expression, however, turned

close

a smile and unceremoniously shut the door in his

right before his eyes, his face

bellhop tentatively asked, "Sir,

glacial

say another word

water, planning to make Ryan a cup of

stopped her

"What happened last night?"

hesitated. "Thalia showed up with

come you didn't

so fast-from Thalia showing up to Hamilton dealing with it-it

had been with Natalia all day, and she hadn't

hotel, and while Natalia had a problem,

the current nature of his relationship with Natalia,

on, could you call me, no

Natalia smiled and nodded.

balanced his approach, not pressing further, and they switched topics to

didn't stay too

was his oversight

it was inappropriate for him to stay in Natalia's room so late at

a while,

the neighboring room saw him and jumped with

doing out here at

was annoyed and frowned

have an epiphany. "Oh, did your girlfriend kick

mouth twitched, but he

suddenly found the idea of Natalia as his girlfriend

"Well, you'd better apologize quickly, then."

your

and Natalia

her gaze sweeping back and forth between

Hamilton a look of utter

believe you turned

was as

never been spoken

couple!" His voice was

lady still looked disgusted. "But she lets him

Hamilton's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

explain, the lady had

heavy chill enveloped

Ryan. "Be careful on your way

nodded, then

you going to your

a cold laugh. "What's it to

and turned back

sure you lock the

Natalia nodded.