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.

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

eyes bore into Ryan. "Mr. Holzer, you were all about preserving Ms. Jenkins' reputation before, and now you're shamelessly entering her room in the middle of the

heart; he could understand

close to

didn't mind letting Hamilton

however, turned

close the

unceremoniously

the door that had been closed right before his eyes, his face setting into a frosty

bellhop tentatively asked, "Sir, do you need

a glacial look

say another word and quickly scuttled off. Inside

went to boil some water, planning to make Ryan

stopped her right

"What happened last night?"

with a

come

Hamilton dealing with it-it was over in minutes. Ryan

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

hotel, and while Natalia had a problem,

given the current nature of his relationship with Natalia, he

on, could you call me, no

Natalia smiled and nodded.

not pressing further, and they switched topics to some issues at the

stay

was his oversight

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

for a while, he stood up to

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

you doing out here at

and frowned at

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

corner of Hamilton's mouth twitched, but he didn't

of Natalia

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

your

Natalia stepped out

gaze sweeping back and forth between Hamilton and

gave Hamilton a look of

can't believe you turned

was as

been spoken

not a couple!" His voice was firm as he corrected

lady still looked disgusted. "But she lets him into

Hamilton's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

the lady had already slipped into her

heavy chill enveloped

"Be careful on your way

nodded, then looked at

aren't you going to your

out a cold

and turned

lock the door

Natalia nodded.