Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 55

“Ms. Jenkins, I’m not joking around here. I’m telling you the stone—cold truth. You’ve been by my brother’s side for so long, and you're just going to let Eveleen waltz in and take him? If | were you, I’d never stand for it. I'd at least go down swinging.”

Natalia smiled silently, a bitter twist to her lips. What could she do even if she could not stand for it? Matters of the heart aren’t a thing you can simply wrestle into submission. Besides, it was not like she hadn't tried.

Over the past three years, she had given it her all, trying to make this man fall for her. Even a flicker of a heartbeat from him would've been something. But in the end, she never managed to pull it off.

She hadn’t before, and now that Eveleen was back, her chances were slimmer than ever. Natalia let the comment slide. She didn’t even know how to respond.

Alden, standing beside her, was growing anxious. “Ms. Jenkins, you have no idea how frantic my brother was when he couldn't get through to you on the phone. The traffic was bad on his way here, so he just ditched his car on the roadside and ran through the rain to see you. You telling me he doesn’t care about you at all? I’m not buying it.”

If Hamilton didn’t care for Natalia one bit, with his temperament, would he have braved the rain and come to her so late?

A faint movement played at the corner of Natalia’s mouth. She hadn’t expected Hamilton to run through the rain just to see her, but she understood. When Hamilton couldn’t get through to her, there must have been an element of urgency, but more than that, it was probably the irritation of her not picking up the phone.

Otherwise, his first words after arriving wouldn’t have been, “Why aren’t you answering your phone?” Natalia didn’t want to lie to herself. She didn’t want to cling to some faint hope only to face a greater disappointment later.. She knew the dynamic between her and Hamilton far better than Alden ever could.

Hamilton had come to the hospital more to reprimand than out of concern. If he truly cared, he wouldn’t have spent the whole day without making a single call; he wouldn’t have chosen to accompany Eveleen to change her bandages, knowing that she had just had a miscarriage; and he wouldn’t have rushed to pick up Eveleen so hurriedly that he even forgot his phone, despite the fact that she needed someone by her side.

Natalia hadn't forgotten the photos she had seen in the chat group.

13:02

When she needed him, he was by another woman’s side. Even if he had a shred of pitiful concern for her now, she didn’t want it.

“Alden, when it comes to love, force is the last thing that works.” With that, she smiled, “But thanks for being willing to talk to me about all this.”

Alden’s frown deepened. Suddenly, he seemed at a loss for words.

It wasn’t until Hamilton emerged that Alden finally spoke up.

“Bro, Grandpa wants you to come back to the family estate in the next couple of days.” Hamilton nodded nonchalantly. “Anything else?”

Alden quickly shook his head, turned to Natalia, and said, “Ms. Jenkins, take care of yourself. I'll head out now.”

With that, he left with haste.

Natalia turned to look at Hamilton, who was leisurely drying his hair with a towel. His damp, lustrous hair softened his features, adding a touch of gentleness.

Natalia pursed her lips. “You don’t really need to stay.”

Hamilton paused in his motion, lifting his gaze to Natalia.

“Don't you feel a bit embarrassed saying that, Ms. Jenkins? If you hadn’t made a scene earlier, maybe I’d believe you.” Natalia’s expression tightened slightly. “Don’t worry, | won’t cause any more scenes.”

Hamilton huffed lightly, ignoring her comment, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his drenched clothes, stepping outside. Natalia stood in place for a while before returning to her bed.

If Hamilton didn’t want to leave, she couldn’t really force him out. Any more words would just lead to another argument. Having just experienced a miscarriage and a fever, she simply didn’t have the energy to deal with his stubbornness.

Inside, Hamilton was still fuming.

Natalia’s indifferent attitude, as if his presence meant nothing, irked him immensely. She could chat on the phone with Victor, but when he came to keep her company, he felt like an excess. Thus, he had intended to smoke a cigarette to calm down. He just couldn’t fathom why he allowed her to get under his skin so easily.

But as he finished his cigarette, his irritation only grew.

Crushing the butt, he turned and walked back to the ward. Upon entering, he saw her lying on the bed. A small bundle curled up under the covers.

Natalia wasn’t short by any means. Standing at five and a half feet tall, she was quite tall among women.

Only, she was too thin. Her waist was so slender that a hand could grip it entirely with space to spare, yet her body was still curvy at the crucial parts.

Now, after the miscarriage, she seemed even thinner. Especially in the oversized hospital gown, she looked frail, as if she would shatter at a touch.

The fire in Hamilton’s heart was smothered once again.

“Hungry? Should | have someone bring you something to eat?”

Natalia hadn’t eaten much all day, and now that the fever had subsided, she was feeling hungry.

She didn’t bother with formalities with Hamilton and simply said, “A little.”

Hamilton made a call, and soon enough, food was brought in.

After a few spoonfuls of soup, Natalia couldn’t eat anymore.

Hamilton’s brows furrowed instantly. “That’s all you’re eating?”

Natalia really couldn’t stomach more. Any more food and she would probably throw up.

Hamilton fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Should | have them bring some dessert? | forgot you have a sweet tooth.” Natalia shook her head. “No need.”

Hamilton didn’t press further.

Once she laid down, he did, too, pulling her into his embrace. “Who picked up when | called you earlier?” Natalia felt awkward being held by him. She tried to pull away, but Hamilton’s grip tightened.

“Natalia!” He pressed.

She stopped moving, and after a moment of silence, she finally said, “Victor Henkel.” Hamilton scoffed coldly. “What did you and Victor talk about?”

Natalia chuckled, “Are you suspecting that | had a chat with Victor? Don’t worry, | didn’t. The moment he answered the call, he told me you had rushed out to pick up Eveleen, and

because you were in such a hurry, you forgot your phone.”

As Natalia finished her explanation, Hamilton’s brow furrowed. “Eveleen was downstairs shooting a commercial, and my phone was charging, so | didn’t bring it.”

With a light laugh, Natalia said, “Mr. Fowler, you don’t need to explain.”

After a moment of silence, Hamilton let out a sardonic laugh. “True, there’s no need to justify myself to you.”

Natalia cast her eyes down, then hummed softly after a long pause.

The hospital room was eerily quiet, but Natalia found herself restless. She wanted to ask Hamilton what he was really thinking.

If he cared so much for Eveleen, why didn’t he just make a clean break and be with her? Continuing on like this would only cause pain for all three of them.

However, she knew this man would never let her pry into his personal affairs. “Can't sleep?” Hamilton’s voice floated down to her. Natalia tensed up, knowing that each time he asked this before, it meant he wanted to have sex with her.

Hamilton chuckled softly. “Ms. Jenkins, rest assured, I’m not that much of a jerk. If your body is weak, let’s at least keep your mind pure.”

Natalia’s lips twitched. “My mind is pure.”

With another chuckle, Hamilton teased, “So, it’s me who's impure?”

Natalia was speechless.

“Best get to sleep, or else, | wouldn’t mind letting you give me a hand job.”

Natalia quickly shut her eyes.

The next morning, Natalia woke up to find Hamilton standing beside her bed with a stern expression.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

She barely moved her lips to speak when Hamilton cut in with a question, “Did you submit your resignation?”