Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 174 Hamilton's face was ashen, particularly when he saw Natalia, half-drenched in her own blood. His expression was icy, like a layer of frost had settled over his features.

As his gaze lifted to meet Graham, who was hotfooting it in their direction, his eyes seemed capable of murder. Graham had never expected to run into Hamilton here of all places. But before he could pivot and flee, Hamilton's foot shot out, connecting squarely with his chest. Graham coughed up blood and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Natalia's legs were jelly, her neck wound still oozing. She looked back at Graham's limp form, then clutched at her throat, her voice quivering as she whispered, "Thank you," to Hamilton.

Hamilton's eyes narrowed, and a cold laugh escaped him. "Natalia, you've got a lot more to thankfor!" Without another word, he scooped her up in his arms.

Natalia began to struggle. "Hamilton, letgo! I can walk on my own!" She hadn't forgotten that she was now Ryan's girlfriend. And here she was, in the arms of another man-what would people think? But Hamilton was resolute, refusing to release her. Tears welled in Natalia's eyes. "Please, I'm begging you, okay?" Hamilton paused mid-stride, looking down at the woman in his arms, only to realize her tears were already falling. A pang of pain jabbed at his heart. "Can't I even hold you for a moment now?" Natalia didn't respond, just struggled out of his embrace. She slipped her feet into her shoes, which lay discarded on the ground. Once her tears were wiped away and her composure regained, she stood before Hamilton, her tone neutral. "Mr. Fowler, this is inappropriate." Her demeanor was as normal as it could be, a stark contrast to her earlier vulnerability. Hamilton scoffed. This woman, could even her tears be a facade in his presence? "What's inappropriate? You used to be all over me. What's changed?" Natalia's lips were a tight line. After a moment, she finally spoke. "Hamilton, I'm someone else's girlfriend now." His expression turned stony.

But he still retorted stubbornly, "So what? I saved you today, not this Ryan character!" Natalia's eyes held a complex mix of emotions as she looked at Hamilton. "Hamilton, I've told you, I don't joke about feelings. Loyalty is the bare minimum in a relationship." Hamilton's Adam's apple bobbed, his face betraying a flicker of discomfort. Natalia's gaze swept over his face. "Of course, loyalty doesn't apply to us. Our arrangement was purely transactional, devoid of emotion." With that, she turned, clutching her bleeding neck, and limped away. Hamilton watched her retreating figure, the ache in his chest spreading. He wanted to pull her back, to ask her if she truly felt nothing. Could someone devoid of emotion kneel for a whole day and night just to get him a single string of prayer beads? In the end, he swallowed his words. This wasn't the tfor such confrontations. He approached her, crouching in front of her. "I won't carry you, but what about a piggyback? At this pace, you'll bleed out before we reach the hospital." Natalia frowned, already feeling the cold grip of blood loss, her head spinning. Despite the severity of her condition, she insisted, "I can walk." It wasn't far to the hospital from where they were.

Ignoring her protests, Hamilton hoisted her onto his back. "Natalia, now's not the tfor pride." She stiffened in his hold, the situation feeling incredibly awkward, but she ceased her struggles and changed the subject. "Just make sure Graham is taken care of." "You're worried about him now?" Her lips were a firm line. "I have questions for him." Hamilton's brow furrowed. "Someone will take care of him." With that, he glanced back at the blood- stained figure of Natalia. Despite the crimson smears on her face, he could still see her delicate features.

How long had it been since he'd been this close to her? Even just carrying her stirred something within him, though he knew it was beastly to feel such things at a tlike this. He truly missed her. His voice was rough when he finally spoke. "Does it hurt?" Natalia's consciousness was fading, but she managed a feeble smile. "It hurts, I'm cold, and I feel dizzy." Realizing her symptoms were signs of severe blood loss, Hamilton picked up the pace. "Natalia, stay awake. Talk to me." Through the haze, Natalia heard Hamilton's voice and forced a laugh. "What should I talk about?" She had thought their conversations would forever be strained.

Hamilton hesitated. "Anything." Natalia thought for a moment. "Why did you chere?" A muscle twitched in Hamilton's jaw. After Natalia had hung up on him earlier, he had intended to find her, but a call from Eveleen had derailed his plans. The woman was in hysterics, refusing treatment, leaving him no choice but to rush to her side.

He wouldn't tell Natalia he'd cfor Eveleen. "Can't it just be a coincidence? Let's talk about something else." Natalia, fighting discomfort, pressed on. "Is Eveleen at this hospital?"

Hamilton choked, at a loss for words. Natalia continued, her voice growing fainter. "Hamilton, you're trulyo m despicable Hamilton felt a surge of resentment. "Oh, I'm despicable? What about Ryan? Is he any better? I don't believe for a second that he's cut ties with all other women!" Natalia forced her eyes open, the world blurring at the edges. "Ryan, I feel like I'm not good enough for him." Hamilton's brows furrowed deeply. Before he could speak, Natalia let out a chuckle. "I can't even have kids in the future. It's unfair to anyone I'm with."

A lump formed in Hamilton's throat.

Suddenly, he felt like he couldn't breathe. He was starting to regret bringing up the subject. After a moment, he managed@grunt.

I m "Natalia, don't want kids. In fact, I'm probably the best choice for you." Natalia gave a wry smile. "Hamilton, there's a chance with anyone else but with you, it's never going to happen." Hamilton's face turned sour in an instant. "Natalia, are you really not afraid oftossing you over the edge?"

After saying that, he felt a sudden weight on his shoulder. His expression darkened immediately His pace, quickened and soon he was sprinting towards the emergency room. Only after handing Natalia over to the doctors did his expression ease. He pulled out his phone and called Alden. But by the tAlden arrived at the alley, it was deserted.