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?"

feeling weak, she was okay. The cut on her neck wasn't deep, and with medicine applied, it hardly hurt

Did you

reply as he adjusted

brows knit together as she noticed something off

"Was it Hamilton?"

Even though he knew Hamilton hadn't really done anything to Natalia, the things he said were

promised me before that you would let me know

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

Ryan. It was an emergency, and I didn't have

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

tone was sharp,

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

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 be there for her immediately. Yet

to officially join the State

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

be at least another

Ryan's frown deepened instantly.

it would

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

Ryan was visibly upset.

"Did something happen?"

silence, Natalia

contract with Hamilton. I had no choice but to

Ryan's expression darkened.

didn't you tell me about this? Natalia, do you even

Their relationship was still new; she couldn't possibly ask Ryan for the money. And if she could solve a problem through

moment, he found it hard to appreciate those traits. He hadn't seen what she was like with Hamilton, but it was

just come out of one relationship and would naturally need time to commit to another. But with Hamilton as a formidable rival before him, he was full of a sense of

out from under the covers and

give

the question heavy

you,

the other side of the

and concern. Hamilton, with

"Where was he found?"

Alden frowned harder.

By

the bridge of his nose, a clear sign of his rising

the surveillance in

his head, "There's only one from a convenience store nearby, but it

moment of heavy silence, Hamilton