Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 68

Natalia shot a glance at Hamilton, the muscles in her jaw tightening as she fought back a surge of anger and managed to mutter, “Nothing.”

Eveleen had gone to visit her mother, and the last thing Natalia needed was for Hamilton to catch wind of it. She couldn’t even begin to imagine how to explain it without stirring up a hornet’s nest.

The threats Lucinda had hurled their way years ago still haunted her. She couldn't possibly tell Hamilton that she was Patrick’s daughter. That would mean turning her back on her mother’s well-being.

Eveleen was probably banking on that very fact, which is why she felt emboldened to visit her mother so brazenly.

Seeing her reluctance to speak, Hamilton didn’t press the issue. He wasn't particularly interested in Natalia’s family drama. Especially that Graham.

In truth, Hamilton was somewhat curious about how Natalia’s mother had ever fallen for a man like that. He had never met Natalia’s mother, who had been lying in the ICU ever since he'd known Natalia.

But judging by Natalia’s features, her mother must've been a looker. What did such an

attractive woman see in Graham?

He wondered aloud, “What on earth did your mother see in Graham?”

Natalia’s lips tightened. What did she see in Graham? She must've been charmed by his facade at first.

Graham had been particularly kind to Tatiana in the beginning. Although not wealthy, he would wait for Tatiana after work and indulge her in little luxuries she craved but wouldn’t dare spend on. His punctuality, his warmth during chilly evenings were his trick to trap women. Having wandered through life for so long, Tatiana probably yearned for some semblance of warmth.

So, under Graham’s persistent courtship, she had agreed to be with him. And since Graham had never been married before, it made Tatiana, with her daughter in tow, feel even more out of his league. Natalia’s gaze fell, masking the sad emotions in her eyes. “My mother married him with me in

tow.

Hamilton was taken aback. This was new to him. He had always assumed that Graham was Natalia’s biological father. Despite the lack of resemblance, he never doubted Graham’s paternity.

“Your mother was divorced? Who's your biological father then?”

Natalia scoffed coldly, “It wasn’t a divorce. She was dumped before they ever married. He fell for some heiress and tossed my mom aside like leftovers.”

4/4 14:31 Hamilton listened, feeling numb. Such stories were all too common to him.

Men abandoning women for profit was sadly a societal norm. Women without power or pedigree often ended up as disposable playthings.

It just hadn’t occurred to him that Natalia’s family was one of those stories.

He nodded, losing any further interest in prying for more details.

Instead, he said gently, “Get some rest. Call me if you need anything.”

Natalia nodded in response, “Sure.”

Hamilton got up to change his clothes.

Natalia watched his strong, handsome form and suddenly realized that Scarlett might have been onto something. Both Lucinda and Patrick were likely eager for Eveleen to reconcile with Hamilton.

After Patrick had climbed the ranks through marriage, he had been relentless in his ambition to ascend further. Yet, despite the years, the Schafer family’s fortunes hadn’t improved much.

Silkwood City’s old—money families were a tough crowd to break into.

The Fowler family was a prime example, entrenched and powerful, with a reach that extended into both politics and business. As the de facto head of the Fowler family, Hamilton was a force no one in Silkwood City dared to cross.

Patrick probably dreamed of securing such a powerful alliance for his daughter. Yet Hamilton showed no signs of wanting to reconcile with Eveleen.

No matter how much Patrick and Lucinda fretted, they were powerless against Hamilton.

Natalia suddenly amused herself with the thought of Patrick’s reaction if he knew that she was the one by Hamilton's side. Thinking about this, a wave of satisfaction washed over her, and her mood improved considerably.

“Mr. Fowler, goodbye. Have a safe drive.” she said with a lighter tone.

Hamilton raised an eyebrow. He handed her his tie and said, “Don’t just talk a good game, Ms. Jenkins.”

She took the tie, hesitated for a moment, but still stepped forward to knot it for him.

After she finished, she tried to step back. But Hamilton suddenly grasped her waist, his gaze falling on her slender collarbone, “Ms. Jenkins, you should eat more. You're too thin now.”

Natalia shrugged nonchalantly, “Sure.”

Hamilton didn’t seem inclined to let go. As Natalia furrowed her brow to question him, his lips descended upon hers. 2/4

14:31

His kiss deepened until Natalia started to struggle, and only then did he release her.

Breathless from his kiss, Natalla heard Hamilton chuckle softly, his finger tracing her lips.

“Call me if you need anything.”

She dodged his touch and gave back a brief nod.

But Hamilton anticipated her evasion, pulled her back for one more touch before leaving.

Natalia wasn’t sure what had gotten into him, but she didn’t dwell on it. In the end, it was all just a game between them.

She made time to visit Tatiana, then kept to herself at home. After nearly a month of rest, her complexion finally improved. At least she no longer looked as pale as before.

During these days, apart from the gigs with Lionel, she had been picking up a bunch of translation side jobs online. Watching the numbers in her bank account creep up, she felt a sense of satisfaction and security she’d never known before. Sure, the money was nothing compared to the hefty sums Hamilton doled out, but it brought her a different kind of comfort. Hamilton had been pretty tied up lately. He’d swing by occasionally for a meal with her, and the overnights were few and far between.

The internet still buzzed with news about him and Eveleen every now and then.

Natalia saw it all, but didn’t pay it much mind.

Indeed, once you stop hoping for something, you stop feeling the letdowns.Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

Feeling better, Natalia got a call from Lionel.

“Natalia, we've got a court date set, and there are some things | need to go over with you in person. Can you swing by?” She thought it over and agreed. She had been cooped up at home long enough:

Now that she was nearly back to full health, it was time to stretch her legs and exercise more.

She noted the time and place Lionel had given her, freshened up and stepped out. No sooner had she left than a message popped up on Hamilton’s phone.

He glanced at it but didn’t make much of it. After a month indoors, a little outing seemed perfectly normal to him. It wasn’t until he saw where Natalia was headed that his eyes narrowed slightly.

When Natalia arrived at Lionel’s law firm, he was still tied up in a meeting. His assistant ushered her into a lounge. “Ms. Jenkins, Lionel will be available in about ten minutes. Would you mind waiting?”

14:31

“Sure.”

After pouring her a cup of coffee, the assistant left.

Natalia picked a legal tome off the shelf and flipped through it, biding her time. Ten minutes flew by quickly. Suddenly the door to the lounge opened, and expecting Lionel, Natalia looked up.

“Is it over?” The words left her lips, but the smile vanished from her face in an instant.