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?"

was okay. The cut on her

Did you get into

terse reply

together as she noticed something off with

"Was it Hamilton?"

anything to Natalia, the things he said

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

wasn't anything else but the fact that she might have

Ryan. It was an emergency,

have the chance, or you didn't

tone was

After a brief silence, she finally said, "Sorry. In the future, no matter what happens, I'll try to let you know

uneasy. There was too much distance between them. She was in trouble and he could never be there for her immediately. Yet

plan to officially

right after handling her resignation. But now, due to the

at least another

Ryan's frown deepened instantly.

say it would be

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

Ryan was visibly upset.

"Did something happen?"

silence, Natalia told

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

Ryan's expression darkened.

about this? Natalia, do you even

on my own." Their relationship was still new; she couldn't possibly ask Ryan for the money. And if she could solve a problem through her own efforts, she didn't want to depend on a man. Asking for money always left her

moment, he found it hard to appreciate those traits. He hadn't seen what she was like with Hamilton, but it was clear she depended on him when trouble struck. Yet now, she didn't even show the slightest reliance on

She had just come out of one relationship and would naturally need time to commit

under the

give

at her, the question heavy in

if—just if-Hamilton came back to you, would

the other side of

web of disgust and concern. Hamilton, with

"Where was he found?"

Alden frowned harder.

block in an old, abandoned yard. By the time we got there,

of his nose, a clear sign of his

the surveillance

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

moment of heavy silence,