Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Natalia simply nodded.

Mrs. Joyner didn't say much either, just let her gaze linger on Natalia for a while before looking away.

After saying goodbye to Ronin, Natalia and Ryan headed to the venue together.

By the time they were done, it was already past 10 p.m.

"Tired?" Ryan asked, concern evident in his voice, "Can you handle all this running around?"

Natalia shook her head with a smile. "It's fine, being busy is good."

At least when she's busy, she wouldn't have time to overthink.

Ryan hesitated for a moment, about to ask her if she'd like to grab some late-night snacks, when he noticed a man standing in the night outside.

The man stood tall and lone, his hand casually tucked in his pocket, his shadow elongated under the streetlight.

His gaze was fixed on Natalia, filled with intense complexity and guilt.

Naturally, Natalia saw Hamilton too.

She glanced in his direction and then looked away.

Ryan chuckled softly, then looked down at Natalia, "Do you need me to take you home?"

Natalia let out a sigh, "No need, you should head back, Ryan."

Since Hamilton was here, he wouldn't leave easily.

Putting Ryan in the middle would just make things awkward.

Ryan gave her a look, "Call me if you need anything, I'll be there."

Natalia smiled and nodded.

Ryan cast another glance at Hamilton before turning to leave.

Hamilton only approached after Ryan had left.

"Tired?"

Looking at him, Natalia asked, "Don't you have work at Ivy Gemstone? Is it about to go under? Can't you just leave me alone for a couple of days?" Hamilton chuckled, "Ivy Gemstone won't go under. And I won't let it because it's Ivy Gemstone."

That hit Natalia hard, bringing a wave of bitterness. Right, Ivy Gemstone was his creation for Eveleen; of course, he wouldn't let it fail. "Yes, then go be with your beloved Eveleen," she said with a tinge of sarcasm.

With that, she turned to leave.

But Hamilton grabbed her hand.

"What if it's not Eveleen I love? What if it's someone else?"

A pang of sour pain hit Natalia.

If not Eveleen, then who?

Since she found out Eveleen was Hamilton's first love, Ivy Gemstone had become a symbol of their love.

The year Eveleen went abroad was the same year Ivy Gemstone was founded.

Not for Eveleen, she thought bitterly? That would be hard to believe.

Natalia managed a bitter smile, "Love whoever you want, just stop bothering me!"

Hamilton held her firmly, not letting go.

"What if the one I've always loved is you, Natalia? Only you."

Natalia froze.

She never expected to hear such words from Hamilton, not under these circumstances.

This was the first time Hamilton had said he loved her.

But what kind of love was this that allowed for such hurt?

At the end of the day, it was because of indifference.

Natalia tried to walk away.

But then Hamilton said something unexpected.

"I thought she was Evi."

Natalia stopped dead in her tracks.

"What did you say?"All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Hamilton's voice was hoarse with emotion.

I

got it wrong."

Natalia was stunned, tears starting to fall.

From Hamilton's mention of Evi, her emotions spiraled out of control.

She had thought he had completely forgotten Evi.

And just when she had accepted their current estrangement and wanted nothing to do with him, he admitted, he got it wrong?

Hamilton, seeing Natalia in tears, pulled her into his arms.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Nataliet

all my fault. I made you suffer, I deserve to die. I was blind not to recognize you, mistaking her for you. It's all my fault."

Natalia listened to him, her face deathly pale.

After a while, she suddenly pushed him away, her slap landing hard on his face.

Then, she turned and walked into the night, tears streaming down her face.

Hamilton, despite the slap, hurried after her.

Natalia walked fast, Hamilton struggling to catch up until he finally embraced her from behind.

Natalia stopped then, breaking into sobs.

All her pain and hurt were because of a simple mistake.

A light "mistake," yet it took away all she held dear.

Natalia cried until she felt physically unwell, then she snapped back to reality.

She pushed Hamilton away, intending to hail a cab.

Instead, Hamilton lifted her into a nearby car.

Natalia didn't resist; she just let him, not saying a word.

Hamilton drove her back to the hotel.

Sitting on the bed, Hamilton went to draw her a bath.

After the bath was ready, he approached to carry her but she gently pushed him away.

No outburst, just deep-seated pain in her eyes.

"Please leave," she said softly.

Hamilton paused, his heart filled with bitterness.

"Natalia, if you're upset, you can hit me."

Natalia looked down, then quietly asked, "Why did you mistake her?"

Her voice was eerily calm.

Hamilton swallowed hard, "I don't remember things from when I was young."

Pain flickered through his eyes as he spoke.

"Eveleen spilled the beans about everything that went down in the fishing village. And she still has that necklace."

If there's one thing Hamilton would

confess to regretting the most in his

life, it would likely be his

overconfidence that nobody could

Lovel

ever deceive him. So, he never bothered to dig deeper into

Eveleen's background, taking her at

her word.

Had he investigated, he might have spared himself the blind trust he placed in Eveleen and, more importantly, prevented the hurt he caused Natalia. Regret slowly filled Hamilton's heart.

Meanwhile, Natalia felt a sharp pain in hers.

She could never have imagined that the dream she had clung to so fiercely for years would end up being another woman's victory lap.

"She took your heart with her to the grave, how ridiculous."

Hamilton took her hand, "Even though she's gone, I'll make the Schafer family pay for everything."

Natalia, however, withdrew her hand.

Hamilton quickly grabbed her fingertips, his large hands trembling.

"Natalia, did it hurt a lot back then?

Every bit of pain you've endured, 'Il make them pay back double. That includes me. Whatever you want from me, just say the word, and I'll do it."

Tears welled up in Natalia's eyes again.

She knew it wasn't fair to blame Hamilton.

After all, he was a victim too.

But the wounds she suffered were directly caused by him. How could she not harbor some resentment?

And payback? How could everything ever be truly settled?

Hamilton held her tight, his kisses landing one after another on her cold, damp cheeks.

In the end, Natalia pushed him away.

"Please, just go. I'm tired and I want to rest."