Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 158 Hamilton had lost his appetite.

Hence, the dinner plans they had made just fell apart.

Mr. Bran had wanted to have dinner with Ryan, but it was clear Ryan wasn't playing ball, and that was that.

The tleft the office together, with Mr. Bran politely seeing them out.

Ryan and Natalia walked ahead, deep in conversation, about the opening ceremony of the international expo that evening.

Hamilton squinted at their retreating figures and, unable to help himself, lit up a cigarette.

The thick smoke did little to obscure the bitterness in his eyes.

Mr. Bran chuckled as he watched him. "I thought Ms. Jenkins was with you." Hamilton snorted.

He used to think so, too.

He had always believed Natalia was his for the taking.

A tantrum, a temporary split, he figured it was just a flash of anger.

She would cback when she cooled down, he thought.

Until today, when he heard Ryan call her Nat.

It hit Hamilton then - Ryan wasn't like Ronin.

Sure, he had been mad at Natalia over Ronin before.

But deep down, he knew that playboy wasn't for her.

If he could see it, so could Natalia.

With Ronin, at best, it would end up as ssugar daddy arrangement.

A fling he could break if he pushed hard enough.

But Ryan was different.

He could tell Ryan was serious about Natalia.

The way he looked at her had a cautious tenderness that spoke of real intent.

And Natalia didn't seem to mind Ryan's attention.

Hamilton suddenly realized.

This woman, it seemed, could entertain the idea of anyone but him.

She was utterly resistant when it cto him.

A frustration like he'd never felt before surged within him.

He strode forward, catching up with the two.

Natalia paused, giving him a glance before resuming her talk with Ryan about the expo's opening.

Hamilton cut in without preamble.

"I had Linda book a flight for this afternoon." Natalia stopped in her tracks, turning to face Hamilton.

"I've got things to do. I'll head back to Silkwood City tomorrow. No need to worry about me, Mr. Fowler." Hamilton frowned. "What things?" "I've got a meeting tonight." Hamilton eyed her skeptically. "Really? No meetings when you're away, but as soon as you hit Boria City, you're booked? Convenient." He suspected this was just Ryan's ploy to get close to Natalia.

Every day, there was a meeting; what else did he offer? Natalia's patience waned. "Believe it or not, I don't care." With that, she quickened her pace, putting distance between them.

But Hamilton was on her heels again.

"I'll have Linda book for tomorrow. I'll go back with you." As he finished, Ryan chuckled.

"I'm heading to Silkwood City for a business trip tomorrow, anyway. I can accompany Natalia. You've got a business empire to run, Mr. Fowler. You should head back." With that, Ryan opened the car door for Natalia, who slid in without a word and closed the door behind her.

Hamilton stood outside, his face a mask of cool contempt. He let out a derisive laugh.

"Mr. Holzer, aren't you being a bit too attentive?" Ryan glanced back into the car, his eyes softening.

"Isn't it natural to be attentive to a girl I like?" He drove off, leaving Hamilton in his wake, crushing his cigarette underfoot as if stamping out his frustration.

Ryan glanced at Natalia. "Hamilton must be regretting things." "Yeah," she responded without emotion.

She had noticed it, too.

A proud man like Hamilton wouldn't keep coming back to her if he didn't regret it.

But women were never in short supply around Hamilton.

Even if he regretted it now, he would likely forget her soon enough once someone new calong.

Natalia took a deep breath, pushing thoughts of him aside.

She had something else on her mind.

"Ryan, you don't have to force yourself to have dinner with anyone on my account." She could tell he didn't enjoy these social obligations.

And given his background, he probably wasn't keen on dealing with strangers.

"I'm not forcing myself," Ryan said softly, looking her way.

"Natalia, I just want to be part of your work, your life. It's not just for you; it's fortoo." Natalia was at a loss for words.

After a moment, she managed a bitter smile.

"Ryan, I'm really not good enough for you." "Natalia!" Ryan's brow furrowed, his face cooling for the first time.

She laughed, meeting his suddenly stern gaze. Even his cold look had an imposing aura.

"Don't rush to conclusions. I just want to lay out my situation for you. If you don't mind it, we can talk about 'us.' Otherwise, I'm afraid you'll be wasting your time." Ryan's expression softened, but the concern remained.

"Natalia, I know your situation, and it doesn't bother me. I've told you the your fallbac fallback. Whenever you're ready to take a step back, I'll be there." Natalia paused, then smiled. She understood what Ryan meant, but sometimes things weren't as simple as they seemed.

"Ryan, my past has its dark spots, and all that could beca thorn in your side, professionally or personally. Have you thought about that?" Ryan frowned, his gaze fixed on her.

"You're not lacking in any way, Natalia," Ryan assured her, his voice carrying a warm timbre that brushed away concerns like cobwebs.

"If my career suffers because of you, then that's onfor not being good enough. What's that got to do with you? Besides, you're going to keep En getting better. So stop talking down about yourself, alright?" Natalia let out a laugh, the sound light, like the tinkle of a bell. "Okay, I'll stop." Ryan reached out, tousling her hair affectionately. "Don't overthink things. Just go for what you want with all you've got. Don't worry about the rest." She finally nodded, a small concession.

Over the years, her heart had slowly closed up, seemingly shuttered by the presence of Hamilton.

Perhaps it was tto try and pry it open, to let Hamilton out and others in.

After a brief tour of the Foreign Office with Ryan, they headed straight to the venue to prepare for the opening ceremony of the Expo that evening.

By the tthe ceremony wrapped up, it was past ten o'clock.

Ryan took Natalia out for a bite to eat at a casual diner, where they shared a hearty meal, and by the the dropped her off at the hotel, it was after eleven. He had wanted to go up to her room to sit for a while longer. But upon reaching the hotel entrance, Natalia was practically shooing him away.

With no choice but to relent, Ryan offered a cheery "Goodnight" and turned to leave. But then, a flicker in the corner of his eye stopped him.

There, lurking in the shadows with a cigarette dangling from his lips, was Hamilton, his gaze fixed on them.

Hamilton hadn't left after all.

Not only had he stayed, but he had been waiting here the whole time? Ryan's brow furrowed slightly, and he suddenly asked, "Natalia, may I cup for a bit?" Though puzzled by his sudden change of mind, Natalia nodded after a moment's hesitation.

"Let's go then. I'll treat you to a cup of tea upstairs." "Sounds good." Ryan's face broke into a triumphant grin as they entered the hotel together.

Hamilton watched their retreating backs, his face turning an ashen hue.

This late, and she was allowing another man up to her room? Were they planning to stay the night together? The Black Forest cake in his hand, a sweet he had picked up as a peace offering, was crushed beyond recognition.