Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 176 Natalia's brows furrowed sharply.

She glared at Hamilton with fury in her eyes.

"Hamilton, either spit it out or hit the road!" Hamilton's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Natalia, did you seriously just tellto get lost?" Ignoring him, Natalia turned to the man beside her.

"Ryan, I'm starting to feel a bit peckish." Ryan quickly ladled out a bowl of steaming porridge from the thermos.

"Scarlett made this for you. Have sto tide you over, and then I'll go grab us sreal food." Natalia nodded with a grateful smile.

She had wanted to serve herself.

Despite her injury, she wasn't so helpless that she needed to be coddled.

But seeing Ryan's eagerness to care for her, she relented.

Hamilton's countenance turned even more sour as he watched Natalia sip the porridge gracefully from the spoon Ryan held to her lips.

He suddenly felt like a glaring spotlight in a cozy dim room.

To him, it seemed Natalia had completely dismissed his presence.

It gnawed at him, the urge to shove Ryan out of the room boiling up inside. He should be the one comforting Natalia, not Ryan.

Hamilton's face darkened as he watched the intimate scene before him, the urge to storm out growing stronger. But he restrained himself.

"Natalia, Graham's dead." Hamilton's voice cut through the tension of the hospital room.

Natalia's heart skipped a beat.

"What?" Ryan also paused abruptly.

Hamilton took a drag from his cigarette.

"After I brought you to the hospital last night, I sent Alden to look for him. But by the tAlden got there, the alley was empty." "When they finally found him, he was already dead." Natalia's lips tightened.

Her complexion soured-not so much from grief over Graham's death. After all, she had wished him dead ever since he threw Tatiana to the wolves.

But despite Graham's lifetof debauchery and wrongdoing, he had always managed to survive. Now, when she had urgent questions for him, he was conveniently dead. "How did he die? Any leads on the cause?" "They're conducting an autopsy. We should have the results soon. The police will likely want a statement from you, just be straightforward with them." Natalia nodded, her mind swirling with unease.

For now, all she could do was wait for the autopsy report.

Ryan's phone rang-it was the State Department. He had an important meeting scheduled today, which he was missing because of Natalia.

Not wanting to worry her, he excused himself.

"Natalia, I need to take this call." She nodded understandingly.

"Sure." Once Ryan had stepped out, Hamilton scoffed.

"Natalia, are you sure this boyfriend of yours is what you're looking for? He's never around when you need him." Natalia didn't want to engage in this topic. "Mr. Fowler, isn't that a bit overstepping?" "Overstepping? Natalia, think about it. Who is it that's always there for you when trouble strikes?" She laughed coldly, "Yeah, and it's usually trouble you bring." Hamilton's face stiffened.

"That won't happen anymore, I promise." She glanced at him, "Hamilton, I have a boyfriend now. Do you really enjoy being the other man that much?" Hamilton's temple throbbed.

The other man? She dared to call him that? "Natalia, say that again, I dare you!" She couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"I'm only stating the truth, Mr. Fowler. Please keep your distance in the future!" Hamilton's face was a portrait of annoyance.

He was the one who had rescued her last night, yet now, she only had eyes for Ryan.

Clearly, Hamilton was fuming.

Natalia, on the other hand, couldn't care less.

She needed to find out who was behind Graham.

If she'd had suspicions before, Graham's timely death had all but confirmed them.

It was all too convenient-practically screaming cover-up.

Lost in thought, she suddenly asked, "Hamilton, how has Eveleen been these past days?" He was taken aback, then his eyes narrowed.

"Why? You concerned about her?" Natalia simply held his gaze. They had known each other long enough for Hamilton to understand the subtext.

He hesitated before asking, "Or do you suspect her?" Natalia looked away, neither confirming nor denying.

She did suspect Eveleen-who else would target her so personally? Hamilton snorted.

"Don't worry. I've had people watching Eveleen closely these past days. She's had neither the tnor the opportunity to contact Graham." Natalia scoffed silently. Hamilton's defense of Eveleen was as transparent as it was habitual.

Mention Eveleen's name, and he was quick to justify her actions. Such a predictable pattern.

She figured it would be pointless to ask him to investigate Eveleen.

So, she dropped the subject.

Hamilton, realizing his reflexive defense might have been inappropriate, added stiffly, "I had her watched to prevent another suicide attempt." Natalia didn't even acknowledge the comment.

Before Hamilton could say more, Ryan returned with a team of doctors.

The words Hamilton had been about to say were swallowed back down.

Natalia cooperated with the doctors for the examination.

Physically, she was in the clear and could recover at home.

That suited her just fine-she had no desire to stay in the hospital anyway.

Hamilton's brow furrowed ever so slightly.

"Are you sure you're okay? What if that wound reopens?" Natalia chuckled, "Mr. Fowler, relax, it's not like I did a number on my wrist." Hamilton's expression darkened in an instant.

"Natalia, I'm just concerned about you." "Then maybe you should concern yourself a little less." With that, Natalia turned her attention away from him.

After she finished the discharge paperwork, she was ready to leave with Ryan.

Hamilton trailed behind them, eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Was that call from the department? Is something up?" Ryan shook his head.

"Nothing major, just sminor stuff. I've taken stoff to stay here and take care of you." A smile swiftly played across Natalia's lips.

"Good." Hamilton, listening from behind, felt a sudden jump in his chest.

Ryan was staying to look after her? Did that mean the two of them would be living together? The implications of a bona fide couple shacking up were clear as day.

Suddenly, Hamilton could hardly contain himself.

He reached out and grasped Natalia's wrist.

Natalia's brow furrowed deeply.

She tried to shake him off but couldn't.

Her expression turned sour instantly.

"Hamilton, if you're sick, go see a doctor! Keep this up and I'm calling the cops" A complex emotion lingered in Hamilton's eyes.

"Natalia, I just got a call from the police. We're both suspects, so you might not be able to go back just yet."