Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 221 Natalia's body tensed up suddenly.

"Hamilton, let go of me." Hamilton hummed a response but only held her tighter.

"Natalia, stop moving. Just for a bit, lethold you just for a bit." The man's breath carried a hint of whiskey, showering her neck, mingling with the faint scent of tobacco.

Natalia's body stiffened significantly.

She took a deep breath and said again, "Let go of me." Hamilton could tell, Natalia was angry.

But he couldn't bring himself to let her go.

Not only did he not want to let go, but he also tightened his grip as if trying to merge her into his body.

Natalia suddenly lost her patience and began to struggle furiously.

Hamilton grabbed her hands firmly, controlling her completely.

"Stop moving, Natalia, or I'll get really excited." Natalia's body tensed up fiercely.

She stepped on Hamilton's foot, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed.

Hamilton's excitement was real.

The nearly seamless distance between them allowed her to clearly feel Hamilton pressing against her.

"Hamilton, we are in public! What are you doing?!" Hamilton buried his face in her hair, "Can't help it, I've missed you too much." Natalia gritted her teeth in anger.

Their current position was dangerously intimate, and she didn't dare to struggle too much, while Hamilton was only becoming more audacious.

The hand he had on her waist was even starting to wander upwards.

Natalia directly smashed a thermos against his side.

"Hamilton, I'm telling you one more time, let go of me!" Hamilton groaned, "Just...givea moment to cool off." "Can you actually cool off?" Hamilton fell silent.

Probably because he couldn't.

Earlier in the car, watching her standing in the night looking so gentle and soft, he had thoughts.

This side of Natalia, he had almost never seen before.

Or perhaps, he had never paid attention.

Hamilton wanted to ask her if she had missed him these days.

But he suddenly felt that it was a pointless question.

Hamilton made no further moves, seemingly trying to calm down.

But he was getting more and more aroused.

"Hamilton, you-" Before Natalia could explode again, Hamilton finally let her go.

Natalia's face turned red with anger.

She shoved the thermos in front of Hamilton.

Hamilton caught it with a smile, then handed her the thermos he was holding.

"I made this for you." She didn't finish her sentence before Hamilton cut her off.

"I had my housekeeper make ssoup for your mom, it's very light. Take it to the hospital for her, and have syourself." After saying that, he smiled.

"Natalia, I hope next time, you'll givea chance to meet her, even if just as someone who admires you." With that, Hamilton turned and walked away.

His tall figure and the coat flapping in the wind drew looks from passersby.

Natalia got back in the car, staring at the thermos beside her in a daze.

Killian, sitting next to her, couldn't help but ask.

"Ms. Jenkins, is there smisunderstanding between you and Mr. Fowler?" Natalia snapped back to reality, avoiding his probing gaze, "No." "If there's no misunderstanding, and it's obvious you like each other, why has it cto this?" Natalia smiled faintly, "You're mistaken, I don't like him, and he doesn't likein that way." Killian wanted to say more, but Natalia suddenly interrupted him.

"Let's go to the hospital." Seeing she didn't want to talk more, Killian closed his mouth, feeling helpless.

Tatiana seemed in good spirits.

Seeing Natalia enter, her eyes lit up.

"I thought you weren't coming today. I was just coaxing your mom into eating, she insisted on waiting for you," the nurse couldn't help but say.

Natalia smiled, carrying the thermos over.

"Mom, you have to eat well even when I'm not here." Tatiana nodded vigorously.

The nurse opened the thermos and exclaimed.

"These dumplings look exquisite, and this soup, must have taken hours to make? Natalia, you're so thoughtful, making such complex dishes even with your busy schedule." Natalia glanced at the dumplings in the thermos without saying a word.

The nurse handed her a small bowl of soup.

"Let your mom taste it." Natalia took it, hesitated for a moment, but still fed Tatiana.

After two sips, Tatiana couldn't drink any more.

Natalia was about to help her with sphysical therapy when Tatiana suddenly grabbed her.

Natalia was taken aback.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Tatiana bit her lip hard, turning her lip corners white.

After a long while, she managed to say three words.

Graham Jenkins.

Natalia's smile disappeared instantly.

This was the first tTatiana had mentioned Graham since waking up.

Was it an illusion, or was there hatred in Tatiana's eyes? Natalia sat by the bed, whispering, "Graham is dead, Mom. He's gone." Tatiana clenched her fingers tight, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

She strained to say, "Good, good." Then, she seemed to smile a little.

Natalia sat by the bed, watching Tatiana cry with her eyes closed, and couldn't help but ask.

"Mom, back then, did Graham intentionally push you? He wasn't drunk, was he?" The pain was evident in Tatiana's eyes.

Natalia gripped Tatiana's hand tighter.

She had intended to wait until Tatiana was better to discuss these matters.

But Tatiana had brought it up herself.

It seemed the truth was as Natalia had suspected.

The accident that befell Tatiana wasn't an accident at all.

She patted Tatiana's hand in a comforting manner.

"Let's not talk about this now, Mom. We'll discuss it once you're better." But Tatiana's tears couldn't be stopped.

"I'm...happy." After Natalia grasped what was being said, a sourness touched the corners of her eyes.

The hardships she and her mom, Tatiana, endured with Graham over the years were known only to her.

"I want a divorce, he's been threatening me," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Natalia paused, a flood of realization washing over her.

Suddenly, she found it hard to control her emotions.

"Mom, did he threaten you with me?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Tatiana, having once made the bold decision to leave everything behind and start anew with her daughter, was not a woman to be underestimated.

The reason she endured Graham's mistreatment without seekingam divorce for so many years must have been her child. Tatiana didn't answer; instead, she looked at Natalia with a heart full of distress.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice laced with regret.

Natalia couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

"No, you've done nothing wrong. It's me... I'm the burden," she sobbed, "Mom, it's all my fault." Tatiana struggled to lift her hand to wipe away Natalia's tears.

"Don't cry," she whispered.

Natalia managed a small laugh. "Okay, no more tears." The nurse, witnessing this moment between mother and daughter, couldn't help but wipe away her own tears.

Natalia stayed by Tatiana's side in the hospital until she was sure her she was mom had fallen into a peaceful sleep. Only then did she leave. Stepping out into the brisk air, she pulled out her phone and dialed Hamilton.

"Hamilton, are you free? I really need to see you."