Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 154 Natalia was caught off guard by the stinging slap that reddened her cheek.

Rubbing her face, she turned to confront Thalia, who stood by the waiter, fuming with anger.

"You tramp, luring Hamilton wasn't enough? Now you're setting your sights on Ronin? Can't get enough of men, can you?" Thalia spat out, her hand raised to strike again.

But before she could land another blow, Natalia's hand shot up, returning the favor with a sharp slap of her own. The sound echoed through the hallway, and Natalia didn't hold back. The waiter, clearly startled by the scene, stared at Natalia.

"Miss, do you needto call the police?" Natalia's lips were a thin line, her gaze fixed on Thalia's face; then she said to the waiter, "Thanks, that would be great. And could you call security while you're at it?" The waiter nodded quickly and scurried away.

Thalia, still reeling from the unexpected retaliation, let out a shrill scream.

"Natalia, this is the Spiegel family's hotel! You're going to regret crossing me!" As she finished her threat, she waved to someone off to the side. A burly man entered the hallway, his bulky frcasting a shadow over Natalia, who was wearing only a bathrobe. Feeling his leering gaze, Natalia's face turned a shade paler. She tried to head back to her room, but Thalia grabbed her hair.

"You think you're going anywhere, slut? Since you're so desperate for men, I'll give you your fill!" In a flash of defiance, Natalia jabbed the fork she was using for her cake into Thalia's arm. Blood spurted out as Thalia shrieked, "You dare to hurt me? You bitch! Beat her up!" The man swung at Natalia, but before his fist could make contact, his wrist was seized by an iron grip. He howled in pain as he was flung out of the hallway.

Thalia, taken aback, finally noticed Hamilton, his face ablaze with fury. After tossing the man aside, Hamilton faced Thalia.

"Thalia, do you even realize what you're doing?" Shaking, Thalia hadn't expected Hamilton to burst onto the scene.

"Mr. Fowler, she was the one seducing Ronin! I was just getting back at her," Thalia stammered, her face pale with rage. She produced a stack of photos and thrust them at Hamilton. "Look, she's the one who seduced Ronin!" Natalia glanced at the photos, all of her and Ronin walking to the restaurant that evening. Her expression darkened.

"Who gave you these?" she demanded through clenched teeth.

"It doesn't matter who," Thalia glared back. "You seducing Ronin is a fact!" Natalia laughed coldly. "Thalia, don't let yourself be used and not even know it. And for the record, it wasn'tchasing Ronin; he's the one after me." Thalia's face went blank, then turned to Hamilton.

Hamilton, his face smeared with blood and eyes still smoldering, said nothing to refute Natalia's claim.

Red-eyed and furious, Thalia shouted, "Impossible! Ronin would never be interested in you! You must have seduced him first!" She had pursued Ronin for years without his acceptance, and now he was going after Natalia? "Mr. Fowler, are you going to let this bitch seduce men left and right?" Hamilton looked at Thalia, silent for a long moment before speaking. "Thalia, sadvice as always-if your brain isn't up to it, stay indoors." With that, he pulled Natalia into the room, slamming the door shut behind them.

Thalia, left standing outside, suddenly burst into tears, but even then, she refused to accept that it was Ronin who pursued Natalia.

"You whore, you seduced Ronin! This isn't over!" Inside the room, Hamilton's gaze on Natalia was heavy.

It was only now that Natalia began to feel fear. She stood there, her fingers trembling. No one knew how panicked she felt when the blood spurted from Thalia's arm as she stabbed her.

Her hands clenched at her sides, and after what seemed like an eternity, she managed to whisper, "Thank you." Hamilton said nothing but led her into the bathroom to clean the blood from her face and hands.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked afterward.

Natalia shook her head. "No." Hamilton's expression was stormy, his eyes still cold. He gripped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Natalia, do you see the trouble that 'caring' man Ronin brings you? Is he really that innocent? Don't think too highly of him." Natalia met his gaze and, after a moment, pulled away from his hold and walked towards the door.

Hamilton's face darkened. "Natalia, can't you hear me?" Natalia turned back with a wry smile. "Hamilton, do you really not understand who's at the root of today's events?" If not for Eveleen's scheming, Thalia would have never targeted her.

Hamilton squinted his eyes in a swift, sharp motion.

"So you're saying you still think it's okay for you to be hanging out with Ronin, huh?" Natalia's eyelashes fluttered downward.

She wasn't going to get involved with Ronin anymore.

It wasn't about taking out her frustration from today's events on Ronin; she simply didn't want to entangle herself in such a complex web of emotions again.

All she wanted now was the simplest, most uncomplicated relationship.

Either way, this was none of Hamilton's business.

"What I do with Ronin is my own concern." Hamilton's face, however, turned even grimmer.

"What exactly do you want, Natalia?" She turned to face Hamilton.

"That's what I should be asking you, Hamilton. What do you want? You know that your relentless pursuit only bringsmore trouble. Why do you keep this up?" Hamilton was taken aback, not expecting such a bold retort.

"Me, relentless? Natalia, it's Ronin who's causing you trouble, yet you accuseof it? If hadn't followed you here today, do you have any idea re today, what kind of mess you'd be in?" Natalia let out a weary chuckle. She looked at Hamilton.

"Can't you see, Hamilton? Today's was yet another setup by your darling." Hamilton's expression darkened. "If you weren't involved with Ronin, she would have no way to stir things up!"

Natalia tasted the bitterness in her m heart. "Victim-blaming, really? Hamilton, sometimes I'm truly in awe of you: To excuse her, you'd resort to any means." Hamilton's face turned to stone. "I just don't want you to continue with Ronin." "Without Ronin, there will be someone else." Hamilton's expression twisted instantly, "Do you have to find someone else? Natalia, how have I wronged you?" Natalia smiled faintly. "Are you trying to reconcile with me?" Hamilton's eyes narrowed.

Before he could speak, Natalia continued.

"Okay, Hamilton, I'll give you a chance.

I want to see Eveleen behind bars. I don't need your help; I'll do it myself, with my own hands. I'll send her to prison.

Just don't help her, and we can make amends.

Hamilton, can you do that?"