Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 165

Hamilton picked up the call with unusual haste.

He sat on the couch, his face clouded with brooding shadows.

The housekeeper approached with a cotton swab soaked in antiseptic.

"Mr. Fowler, perhaps you should tend to that bite before it gets worse."

Blood still stained Hamilton's arm from where Natalia had sunk her teeth into him.

He glanced at the wound with detached indifference and muttered, "Leave it."

It was a mark from Natalia, a debt he intended to repay in kind.

Eveleen, on the other end of the line, overheard the housekeeper and felt a surge of hope.

Was Hamilton's injury the reason he hadn't shown up?

"Hamilton, are you hurt? Is that why you didn't come? I'll wait for you, we can postpone the surgery until you're better."

Hamilton took a drag from a freshly lit cigarette before replying, "No need to wait. The surgery's off."

Eveleen's heart skipped a beat, panic rising in her voice.

"Hamilton, you promised you wouldn't abandon me! You can't go back on your word!"

A scoff escaped Hamilton's lips.

"Eveleen, I did promise to help you with the surgery, and I said I wouldn't leave a scar. But if you're the artist behind your own scars, then it's a different story altogether." Eveleen choked up, her anxiety intensifying.

"What do you mean, Hamilton? How could I have done this to myself? I'm not crazy."

Silence was his only response, and in those moments of quiet, Eveleen's panic soared.

"Hamilton, I-"

Before she could finish, Hamilton cut in, "How many times have I warned you, Eveleen? Do you take my words for wind?"

"I didn't, Hamilton, I really didn't-"

that much, then let it adorn your face forever.

that, Hamilton hung

call, her face twisting

was Hamilton playing

he condemning her to

inflicted it

was it

It must be Natalia.

scar was self-inflicted, then surely, he must suspect her

let her live

her

expression darkened on witnessing the scene. She had

be so ruthless," she muttered, shooting a disdainful glance at Patrick. "We should have ended Natalia when we had the chance! Instead, you insisted on letting her change her name. Look where that's gotten us-stuck with a ticking time bomb!" Patrick's face matched Lucinda's in its grimness. Never had he imagined Hamilton would actually fall for Natalia, the daughter he'd cast aside, now climbing to heights his own pampered daughter could not reach. It left him feeling as though he'd swallowed

the medical community. Eveleen was the Schafer

as he made call after call, Patrick realized he had been naïve. Once doctors heard Eveleen's name, they recoiled as if warned off by a higher power. In mere hours, Eveleen had become persona

anger, and Eveleen sobbed

you

that wretch Natalia's doing. I hope she

left her apartment to drop things off at Scarlett's before heading to the

a brief pause, she

got straight to the point. "Ms. Jenkins, I heard from Ronin that you won't be joining

be able

deepened with seriousness. "Ms. Jenkins, if you don't mind, perhaps

agreed. She had given Mason her word, and it was only right to explain

the Ron Group's Silkwood City branch, where Mason was overseeing the setup.

"Thank you, Mr. Joyner."

I still hope you'll consider joining the Ron

but it seems I'm not meant to be part of

of his son, yet markedly more composed than his own

aiming for a spot at the State Department?" Natalia nodded affirmatively, "It's a

gave a nod

into the State Department at such

they were and returned a few of

Mason's tone

to entrust the Silkwood City branch to you. Even if you're with the

Natalia's brow furrowed slightly.