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

you get into a

terse reply as he adjusted her

knit together as she noticed

"Was it Hamilton?"

night before, 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, he couldn't hold back. He didn't want to tell Natalia about it, though. It would just sound

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

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

It was an emergency, and I didn't have the

didn't have the chance, or you didn't

tone was sharp,

silence, she finally said, "Sorry. In the

chance. But he still felt uneasy. There was too much distance between them. She was in trouble and he

when do you plan to

She had intended to move to the State Department right after handling her resignation. But now, due to the penalty fee,

be at

Ryan's frown deepened instantly.

say it would be

make it as quick as possible." Once the new

Ryan was visibly upset.

"Did something happen?"

moment of silence, Natalia told the

need to pay fifty million to break my contract with Hamilton. I had no

Ryan's expression darkened.

about this? Natalia, do you even consider me

pause, she said, "Ryan, this is something I can handle on my own." Their relationship was still new; she couldn't possibly ask Ryan for the money.

He had always admired her intelligence and independence. But at that moment, he found it hard to appreciate those traits. He hadn't seen what she was like with Hamilton, but it

come out of one relationship and would naturally need time to commit to another. But with Hamilton as a formidable rival

the covers

can you give me six

looked at her, the question

to you, would you get

the other side of the

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

"Where was he found?"

Alden frowned harder.

By

pinched the bridge of his nose, a

about the surveillance

only one from a convenience store

a moment of heavy