Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 197 No sooner had they stepped out of the diner than Debby's call cthrough, her voice laced with panic, "Ms. Jenkins, you better cquick. It's absolute mayhem here." Natalia hung up, and Hamilton took her wrist, guiding her to the car with urgency.

"I've got the local police on their way, and Elliott's got the security team deployed. It'll be under control, don't worry." Yet Natalia's face remained ashen, her mind racing with a singular, torturous thought.

She had dragged Tatiana into this mess.

Eyes shut tight, her heart was a storm of sorrow and rage.

Maybe she should never have tried to compete with Eveleen.

But she refused to be cowed. Why should she, Natalia, be bullied by Eveleen? Why should it matter that she was the cherished first love? Eveleen and Hamilton, perched upon their high pedestals, their relationship ambiguously competitive.

Was Natalia destined to be their collateral? Hamilton, seeing her distress, chose silence over words.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened, tendons standing out. He knew that if anything happened to Natalia's mother this time, whatever chance he had with Natalia would likely vanish. Upon arriving, Natalia dashed to Tatiana's floor. The elevator doors slid open to a scene of chaos.

Her photographs were strewn across the floor, turned into slanderous flyers by frenzied fans. The words "homewrecker" and "mistress" seared into her eyes.

The fans had been cleared, but onlookers still crowded the hallway, whispering and pointing as she passed. Ignoring them, Natalia made her way to Tatiana's room, Hamilton trailing with a darkening expression. Elliott approached them, and Natalia immediately asked, "How's my mom?" "Thankfully, the police arrived in time. We definitely need to beef up hospital security from now on." Natalia nearly collapsed with relief, managing to muster a "Thank you." Elliott glanced at Hamilton, "Those cops aren't under my command. Without them, this would've been out of my hands." Natalia turned to Hamilton, her voice soft, "Thank you," before heading straight to Tatiana's room. Hamilton's frown deepened at her gratitude but held his tongue.

Elliott eyed Hamilton, "What on earth happened? These 'mistress' and 'homewrecker' labels are way out of line. And to bring this to someone's mother's hospital? I bet Natalia will face whispers and stares for a long time. And I hear it's not just here; fans are spreading these flyers all over town." Hamilton's face darkened. Before he could respond, Scarlett rushed from the elevator, clutching a pile of the svile flyers.

Upon seeing Hamilton, she marched over, fury in her eyes, "Hamilton, do you see this? Your precious first love's handiwork! Do you understand how devastating this is for a woman?" Hamilton's expression was grim, "I'll handle it." Scarlett scoffed, "Handle it? How? This isn't the first time, is it? What's your plan? Keep indulging her, or is your so-called detachment already your benevolence to Natalia? Or perhaps, a stern warning to Eveleen will suffice?" Hamilton's face was a mask of stormy skies, "Scarlett, aren't you overstepping?" Scarlett glared back, her eyes ablaze, "Am I overstepping, or did I hit a nerve?" Hamilton was at a loss for words. He would protect Natalia.

He would deal with those who insulted her, and erase those despicable words.

But Eveleen? He could only promise detachment, treating her as a stranger.

He couldn't guarantee anything more.

Scarlett, heart aching for her friend, lashed out, "Natalia's blind for loving you for a decade. Hamilton, you don't deserve her!" With that, she hurled the flyers at Hamilton, inadvertently hitting Elliott as well.

Elliott, struck squarely, protested, "This has nothing to do with me!" Scarlett shot him a look, "Anyone who associates with him is no good!" Elliott was taken aback, "What the hell does this have to do with me?" Hamilton's breath hitched at Scarlett's words, "What did you say?" Scarlett hadn't intended to confront Hamilton, but her sympathy for Natalia was overwhelming.

Why should Hamilton remain clueless to all of Natalia's sacrifices? "I said she's loved you for ten years! Natalia has loved you for a decade! Hamilton, what have you given her in return? For your so-called first love, what have you done to her? Hamilton, people have hearts, why can't you see Natalia's pain?" As Scarlett's words echoed, a tumultuous wave crashed in Hamilton's mind.

After a long pause, he finally asked, "You're saying, Natalia loves me?" Scarlett's eyes welled with unshed tears.

Even now, speaking of it made her heart ache, not to mention what Natalia had been through.

"What else could it be? Why do you think Natalia stuck around you, Hamilton? Did you really think you're the only one in this world with a bit of cash? Or did you think, if she really wanted to, she couldn't find someone who'd truly cherish her?" Hamilton's face stiffened, and as he looked up, he saw Natalia standing just a few feet away.

There was a brief flicker of panic in the man's eyes.

Then, he took long strides toward her.

It was a short distance.

But in that moment, Hamilton's mind raced through a myriad of memories.

He remembered Natalia's hesitant words when they first met.

He remembered her forced smile when he said their relationship was nothing more than a transaction, devoid of emotion. He remembered the sadness in Natalia's eyes every tshe mentioned the one she loved.

He remembered how forlorn she looked when she said, "He doesn't belong to me."

And he especially remembered her resolve when she said, "Loving him was the biggest mistake I've ever E made." And then there was Scarlett's probing questions and his own reaction.

Standing before Natalia, Hamilton felt panic for the first time.

Only now did he realize he might have lost something incredibly precious.

Hamilton searched for the right words to say.

But before he could speak, Natalia beat him to it.

Her expression was eerily calm, "You should go back. I'll contact Alden about Graham's leads."

Hamilton, however, firmly grasped Natalia's wrist, a tangled knot of emotions choking his heart. "Natalia, is what she said true?" he asked, his voice laden with a desperate urgency.