Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Hamilton released her with a chuckle, even as he pressed down on her legs.

"Look at you, bumping right into it!"

Natalia glared at him, wiping her mouth with a look of distaste.

But Hamilton, ever so gently, lifted his hand to caress her soft cheek with his knuckles.

"Natalia, thank you."

She hesitated for a moment, then averted her gaze.

"I did it for the kid. I don't want our child's father hurting himself over some childhood memories."

Hamilton's eyes were filled with an undeniable affection.

"Yeah, I know."

He smiled, rubbing his fingers across his chin with her hand.

"Even if it's for our child, I'm grateful you'd take this step."

Natalia tried to retract her hand, but Hamilton held on tighter.

She frowned, and Hamilton, seizing the moment, pulled out a document from the storage compartment beside them.

Natalia was taken aback.

"What's this?"

"Just open it," Hamilton said with a smile.

After hesitating for a moment, she did and was shocked. Hamilton had

transferred 51% of Ivy Gemstone's shares into her name.

Natalia looked at Hamilton, utterly stunned.

"Hamilton, what... why?"

His eyes were tender. "I told you, it's yours. Ivy Gemstone was always meant for you."

For a moment, Natalia was at a loss for words.

After a while, she tried to hand the agreement back to Hamilton.

"I told you, I can't accept this."

Hamilton played with her fingers, saying, "Then let's keep it for our child. From

now on, I'm working for you two, Ms. Jenkins. If you'll let me, I'm willing to work for you for the rest of my life."

Natalia's fingers curled slightly. She looked down, taking a long time before she finally spoke.

"Hamilton, you don't have to do this."

Hamilton laughed softly. "Whether it's necessary or not, I decide. For you and our child, everything is necessary."

With that, he started the car and drove off.

Natalia leaned back in her seat, her thoughts a whirlwind as she gazed into the night.

Meanwhile, in another car parked in front of the Foreign Affairs Department, Delilah watched their car drive away, slamming her hand against the steering wheel in frustration.

Lately, she had become the laughingstock of Boria City's elite circles.

All that kept her going was her grandfather's prophecy that Natalia would eventually face disaster.

But as she waited and watched, Natalia only seemed to thrive, fueling Delilah's rage.

Suddenly, she couldn't wait any longer.

When the two returned to the hotel, Killian had already ordered dinner.

Natalia, seeing Killian briefing Hamilton by his side, felt as though she had walked into another trap.

"Can you two be a little more discreet around me?"

Killian looked somewhat awkward, but Hamilton seemed unfazed.

"It's part of his job," he said with a smile, turning to Natalia who then stalked off to the bedroom.

Once she was gone, Hamilton inquired, "Any news from the Powell family recently?"

Killian shook his head.

"The Powell family has been unusually quiet these days."

Hamilton nodded and dismissed him with a wave of his hand.

Natalia emerged from the bedroom in fresh clothes to find Hamilton on the phone,

his frame thinner yet bearing a mature aura.

She couldn't help but notice the world-weariness in his eyes, a stark contrast to his efforts to seem cheerful around her.

Without saying much, Natalia sat at the table and began unpacking the food.

Hamilton wrapped up his call.

"You planning to move?"

Natalia paused before replying, "Yes."

Her assignment had been pushed

back, with no new tasks on the horizon, she had to stay at the Foreign Affairs Department indefinitely. Staying in a hotel wasn't a long-term solution, so she had Ryan help her find an apartment.

Expecting Hamilton to insist on moving with her, she was surprised when he

simply nodded in agreement.

"Living in a hotel isn't convenient," he conceded.

Natalia bit her lip, nodding.

Hamilton's next words caught her off guard. "Disappointed I didn't suggest moving

in together?"

Natalia glared at him, silent.

That night they avoided any

arguments, conversing late into the

evening about everything from their

picturesque first meeting to the

times she had chased after his car

in tears.

Hamilton listened intently, as if trying to etch every word into his memory.

He had regained some memories during this time, but they were all dark, ugly fragments of his past, particularly concerning that fishing village, seemingly lost to the world.

"Natalia," he held her close. "Let's visit River State sometime."

She looked down, her voice low. "It's been demolished. Even if we went, it wouldn't look the same."

Like their relationship, past and present, irrevocably changed.

Natalia didn't realize when she fell asleep, but upon waking, she found Hamilton gazing out the window, lost in thought.

She watched him silently, feeling an inexplicable loneliness and vulnerability.

Tears welled in her eyes, and after a moment, she forced herself to close them, turning away from the sight of Hamilton lost in his contemplation.

The latter part of the night was nearly sleepless for her.

Hamilton lingered by the window for a long while before returning to the bed.

His slightly cool body didn't deliberately press against hers until it warmed up, and

then he gently pulled her into his embrace.

He knew she was awake.

Her stiff body gave everything away.

Yet, neither broke the silence.

Some things remained hidden in the darkness.

The next day, Hamilton was back to his usual thick-skinned self.

Natalia pretended not to notice.

When Scarlett returned from a business trip, passing through Boria City, Natalia seized the opportunity to catch up over dinner and handed her a prepared birthday gift.

Scarlett's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the diamond necklace inside the

box.

"Natalia, did you hit the jackpot or what?"

Natalia chuckled, "Yeah, hit the jackpot. Enough to take care of you for a lifetime."

Scarlett paused, "Really? Then I might as well quit my job!"

Their laughter filled the meal.

As they finished, Hamilton was already waiting outside.

Scarlett glanced at Hamilton's figure.

"Has he been following you around?"

Natalia shook her head.

"He found me a doctor here. Went for a prenatal checkup today."

Scarlett nodded understandingly.

"Almost four months, right?"

Natalia hummed in affirmation.

Looking at her, Scarlett couldn't help feeling a bit of pity, "Natalia, have you

thought about what to do later?"

Now, it's possible to erase all the medical records.

But what about later? After the baby is born?

Natalia's eyes lowered.

"I'll leave with the child."

Natalia smiled, "Scarlett, my assignment was just postponed, not canceled."

Scarlett furrowed her brows and sighed, feeling genuinely sorry for Natalia.

"You and Hamilton—"

"Scarlett, I can't risk my child's future."

Hamilton, growing impatient at the door, couldn't help but walk over. Approaching, he caught just that last sentence.noveldrama