Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 175

When Alden's call came through, Hamilton's expression darkened immediately.

"I'm sending someone to look for him right now. He can't have gotten far."

Hamilton's gaze flickered, his response curt and to the point.

"Once you find him, stash him somewhere discreet, and don't say a word to Natalia. If she asks, just tell her he's long gone."

Alden thought he must have heard wrong.

"What? Bro, why all the secrecy?"

"Don't worry about the why. Just do it," Hamilton drawled, his voice laced with indifference.

No further explanation came, and with that, he hung up.

Hamilton never made a losing deal.

Natalia could see Graham again, sure. But it would cost her. Like, unblocking his number, for starters. Or, breaking things off with Ryan. At the very least, she should come asking for Hamilton's help on her own.

As Hamilton pondered, Natalia's phone began to ring. He glanced at the caller ID, a flicker of coldness passing through his eyes. The name "Ryan" seemed to taunt him from the screen. Without a second thought, he disconnected the call. But it wasn't long before Ryan called again.

Hamilton's brow creased slightly. Then, he picked up the phone.

"Natalia, are you off work yet?" Ryan's voice came through, tinged with cheer.

Hamilton let out a mocking laugh, "Mr. Holzer? Sorry, Natalia's out like a light. Tired. Anything you need, I can pass on the message."

There was a pause on the line, Ryan's voice instantly chilled.

"Hamilton? Where's Natalia? Let her take the call."

Hamilton's brow arched, "Didn't I just tell you? She's asleep."

After a moment of silence, Ryan hung up the phone.

When Natalia woke up, she was in a hospital room. Opening her eyes, she saw Ryan sitting beside her bed, his face marred by a bruise. Natalia blinked in confusion before speaking.

"Ryan, what are you doing here? What happened to your face?"

Though Ryan's expression was strained, he managed to hide his emotions in front of Natalia.

"Are you feeling alright anywhere else?"

The cut on her neck wasn't deep, and with medicine applied, it hardly hurt

you get into a

reply

she noticed something

"Was it Hamilton?"

he had come over and ended up in a scuffle with Hamilton. Even though he knew Hamilton hadn't really done anything to Natalia, the things he said were just to rile him up. But still,

tell me you were hurt, Natalia? You promised me before that you would let me know

a twinge of guilt; it wasn't anything else but

was an emergency, and I didn't

that you didn't have the

tone was

said, "Sorry. In the future, no matter

his harshness. In such a situation, he knew Natalia probably really hadn't had the chance. But he still felt uneasy. There was too much distance between them. She was in trouble and he could never

to

handling her

might be at least

Ryan's frown deepened instantly.

say it would be

as quick as possible." Once the new company with Ron Group was on track and her bet

Ryan was visibly upset.

"Did something happen?"

moment of silence,

pay fifty million to break my contract with Hamilton. I had no choice but to sign an

Ryan's expression darkened.

Natalia, do you even

ask Ryan for the money. And if

hadn't seen what she was like with Hamilton, but it was clear she depended on him when

need time to commit to another. But with

under the covers

give me

her, the question

you, would you get back together

side

web of disgust and concern. Hamilton, with a cigarette pinched between his fingers, had a gaze

"Where was he found?"

Alden frowned harder.

By the

of his nose, a clear sign of

surveillance in

"There's only one from a convenience store nearby, but it didn't

of heavy