Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Hamilton let out a derisive snort as the call disconnected with a beep.

This woman, he mused, was really growing bolder by the minute. She had the gall to block his number even before they had finalized their split.

Stubbing out his cigarette, Hamilton shot off a text message.

[Call me back.]

After sending it, he couldn’t peel his eyes away from the phone, waiting for Natalia’s response.

But Natalia didn’t call back. His phone remained silent, the conversation frozen on the screen. A sense of suffocation gripped Hamilton. The anger within him simmered, impossible to quench. He had resolved not to insist, to let go. But thinking it and doing it were worlds apart.

His grip tightened on the phone.

He wanted to go see her.

But then what? Why cling to a lost cause?

Why demean himself, as if he couldn’t survive without her?

He picked up the phone, then set it down again, a restless cycle.

The silence of the phone grew heavy, oppressive. Frustrated, Hamilton scrolled through his sparse chat history with Natalia.

He realized that he rarely messaged her directly, usually going through Linda or simply having sex at home. They barely talked.

Looking at the few messages on his screen, discomfort churned within him.

Was she like this with everyone else?

Unlikely. At least with Scarlett, their chats seemed lively.

Suddenly, he remembered when they first got together, Natalia often sent him messages. She would text about a strangely shaped cloud, a new recipe she tried, her mood, or just trivial

things.

How did he respond to those messages?

Hamilton couldn’t recall, but knowing himself, he probably didn’t reply. He might have even found her annoying, telling her to stop bothering him.

Eventually, she did stop.

The more he thought about it, the more stifled he felt. Rubbing his temples, he got dressed and stormed out.

Once outside, he called Alden. “How’s the search for Orpheus going?”

MA

11-06

Alden had been on it for days. Orpheus had vanished, but Quill had been caught.

With a curt acknowledgment, Hamilton hung up and drove to their rendezvous point.

At the bistro, Natalia glanced at her phone and then muted it without a second thought.

Ronin chuckled. “Looks like you are serious about leaving Ivy Gemstone.”

Natalia just smiled, without a word.

Ronin didn’t press on about Hamilton, instead asking. “What about my offer. Ms. Jenkins? Have you given it some thought?”

Natalia pursed her lips. “Is Ron Group really planning to set up a branch in Silkwood City?” Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Ronin raised an eyebrow. “Of course. I meant what I said about saving the branch manager position for you.”

Natalia nodded. “Mr. Joyner’s offer is tempting, but I’m curious–what exactly caught your eye about me?”

Their interaction had been limited to that one collaboration, which went smoothly, but she didn’t believe she had the sort of charisma to make Ronin so keen on poaching her, especially under such generous conditions.

Ronin’s youthful face lit up with a grin. “Ms. Jenkins, are you worried about some sort of unspoken rule?”

With a small laugh, Natalia replied, “Don’t take offense, Mr. Joyner, but I’m not interested in entangling with a boss again.”

Ronin glanced at Ryan. “Ms. Jenkins, rest assured, I’ve no interest in such games. If I were really into you, I’d pursue you openly and honorably.”

Ryan’s brows furrowed slightly at this, but he stayed silent.

Ronin continued, “Besides, it’s not just me. My old man’s been pushing me to recruit you as well.”

Natalia was taken aback. “Does President Mason Joyner know me?”

Ronin nodded. “He saw you once during a video call and was so impressed with your business acumen that he listened in on the whole meeting.”

Understanding dawned on her. It wasn’t just Ronin acting on a whim.

After a moment’s thought, she replied, “I’ll consider it, but I’m not sure when I can leave Ivy Gemstone.”

Ronin appeared unconcerned. “No worries there. Whenever you’re ready to join, Ron Group will welcome you.”

11:06 F

With Ronin being so upfront, Natalia couldn’t well refuse. “Alright, then. Here’s to a successful partnership.

The dinner was a quiet affair, with little attention paid to the food.

After dropping Ronin off at his hotel, Ryan drove Natalia home.

“How have you been these past few days?” he asked gently.

Natalia nodded. “Not bad.”

Ryan hesitated before broaching the subject. “How are things with Hamilton?”

Natalia didn’t really want to discuss Hamilton. Despite her decision to leave, each mention of him twinged her heart with a dull pain–he had left a deep imprint.

After a pause, she said, “I’m ending things with him.”

Changing the subject, she added, “Ryan, could you let Mr. Collin assign me more tasks?”

Ryan nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure your work and schedule are well managed.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Ryan.”

Ryan gripped the steering wheel, pausing before saying, “Actually, I’d prefer if you focused on joining the translation department. Only as an official member will opportunities for advancement arise. Collin’s about to retire, and he’s considering you for his successor.”

Natalia desperately wished she could simply dive into her translation work without distraction, but her current spat with Hamilton was only the tip of the iceberg. Tatiana’s medical bills were mounting, and there was no way she could cover them on her translation gigs alone.

And then there was the lawsuit with Eveleen looming over her, threatening to drain what little funds she had. It wasn’t as if Caspian’s offer to help could mean she’d just stop contributing

altogether.

“I’ll figure it out. I’m kind of strapped for cash right now,” she admitted.

Ryan frowned slightly, the words “I can help you” teetering on the edge of his lips. But he swallowed them back down. His approach to Natalia was to take it slow, to gradually become a part of her life, not to overwhelm her.

After parking the car outside Scarlett’s apartment complex, Ryan turned to her. “I really think you should reconsider the translation department. It’s a golden opportunity. Collin is retiring in less than a year and hasn’t found a replacement he trusts…until you. He’s mentioned it to me several times.”

Natalia pursed her lips and said, “I’ll give it serious thought.”

As she got out of the car, her phone buzzed with Scarlett’s call.

“I’ve made some porridge for you. Have a little when you get back, especially since you’re just getting back to regular meals. Remember, small portions, more frequently.”

11:06

Natalia chuckled, “Got it.”

“Oh, and when I went down to take out the trash earlier, I saw Hamilton’s mean mutt lurking at the entrance. Be careful on your way in, and don’t let him bite you.”

At that, Natalia’s steps faltered. She looked up to see Hamilton standing under a tree, his presence brooding, his gaze sharp and piercing.

Unbidden, memories of Hamilton at nineteen by the seaside surfaced in her mind. Back then, his expression must have been similar to what it was now.

But Natalia was no longer the same person she had been.

She told Scarlett she’d be careful and hung up, turning to enter the building, but Hamilton called out to her, stopping her in her tracks.

“Natalia, don’t forget we still have to sign the termination agreement,” he said.

Natalia hesitated, “Is there something you need, Mr. Fowler?”

Hamilton’s brows knitted together instantly. “Natalia, as long as that contract isn’t signed, nothing has changed between us! You better watch yourself and not go flirting around.”

Natalia let out a laugh, “Rest assured, Mr. Fowler, I’m not in any rush.”

Hamilton’s temper flared. “So what you’re saying is, the moment we’re done, you’ll be with someone else?”

She met his gaze steadily. “If we’re done, then it’s none of your concern, is it?”

Hamilton felt a surge of frustration, his chest tight with anger. He scoffed, “So, you’re not scared of anything now, huh? You even had the nerve to block my number.”

Natalia’s gaze lowered, her long lashes casting a veil over her eyes, shielding her emotions from his view.

Time seemed to stretch before she spoke again. “Can’t handle being out of touch just once? Hamilton, do you have any idea how many times I couldn’t reach you?”

Hamilton’s heart felt like it had been struck with a hammer. In that moment, the pain was so acute he found it hard to breathe.