Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Patrick had been itching to hitch his wagon to the prestigious Fowler family for far too long.

It all started a decade ago when he orchestrated the charade of Eveleen posing as Natalia to reconnect with Hamilton.

But Eveleen, with her capricious nature, wasn’t content with just having Hamilton’s wealth–she wanted his heart, too.

Now, his scheming had backfired, and it seemed that Natalia, the underdog, was reaping the benefits.

Natalia let out a chuckle. “If Hamilton truly intended to marry Eveleen, do you think I’d be the one to stand in their way?”

Patrick felt a sting at her words. He had thought that once Eveleen returned, Hamilton would reconcile with her in no time. The proof was in the pudding when Hamilton immediately gave her the spokesperson role for Ivy Gemstone upon her return. His family had been all set for a grand merger with the Fowlers.

But to his dismay, not only was there no talk of marriage, but Hamilton also showed no sign of warming up to Eveleen again.

Patrick snorted. “Hamilton marrying Eveleen is inevitable, Natalia. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll step away from Hamilton sooner rather than later. Otherwise, neither you nor the woman in there will have a happy ending!”

With those words, he stormed off without another peep.

Natalia stood there, her nails digging into her palms. If there was one person she despised more than anyone over the years, it was Patrick.

For his own gain, he had all but abandoned his wife and daughter. Tatiana, bless her heart, might not hold much resentment, but Natalia had harbored a deep hatred for him ever since she learned about her true parentage. This man was the root of all her misfortunes.

Taking a deep breath to collect her thoughts, she walked toward the curb. The last night bus was about to make its final round.

Staring absently at the bus stop, Natalia felt a sudden chill. She glanced over her shoulder, only to see the usual hustle and bustle of passersby.

After a short pause, she looked away.

For some reason, she had a feeling that someone was staring at her. However, that only lasted for a fleeting second.

Shaking off the feeling, she looked at her phone. The bus would only arrive in a few more minutes. Then, she decided not to wait for the bus and hailed a cab instead.

12:09

Moments after she left, a man stepped out from the shadows. His gaunt face was marred by a

vicious scar.

As he watched Natalia’s taxi disappear, he clicked his tongue. “Quite vigilant!”

Once in the cab, Natalia couldn’t help but look back one more time. Seeing no sign of trouble, she finally relaxed a bit. It must have been her imagination.

Approaching home, her phone rang. It was Ryan.

“Natalia, there’s a Synergy Economics Summit tomorrow morning in Silkwood City. Our scheduled interpreter had a last–minute hiccup. Can you fill in? It’s French.”

Natalia hesitated. “Tomorrow morning? Isn’t that cutting it a bit close?*

These summits were a whole different ballgame compared to the investment meetings she was used to, with much higher stakes. Interpreters usually prepared months in advance.

Ryan’s voice was upbeat. “It’s tight, I know, but I have faith in your abilities. Mr. Collin is confident you’ll nail it.”

Laughing, Natalia replied. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll botch it?”

“You’ve pulled off miracles with less prep time back in school.”

After a moment’s thought, she agreed, “Alright, send me the materials, and I’ll get on it tonight.”

There was a pause before Ryan spoke again, “Thing is, the documents contain sensitive info, so I can’t send them over the net. I’ll have to deliver them. Are you free?”

Natalia bit her lip. “I’ll come to you. Where are you?”

“I can drive over; it won’t take long. Same complex as last time?”

“Yeah,” Natalia said.

“Be there in a moment. See you later,” Ryan said.

Expecting to arrive before him, Natalia was surprised to find Ryan already waiting.

“You got here fast,” she remarked.

Ryan had actually been nearby when he called.

*Just wrapping up some business,” he said, handing her a cup of steaming hot cocoa, her favorite flavor. “I wasn’t sure if you still liked it.”

Her eyes lit up. “I can’t believe you remembered after all these years.”

Ryan’s smile was gentle as he teased, “I was worried your tastes might’ve changed.”

Natalia chuckled, shifting away from the topic. “Didn’t you go home during New Year’s?”

“I did. I just rushed here today.”

The truth was that Ryan didn’t have to be here for this meeting. It was the top brass of the department who was supposed to attend. Though Ryan was a rising star in the Foreign Affairs Department, he was not yet qualified for such meetings.

When he parted with Natalia previously, he noticed her mood was rather down. Thus, he asked around, only to find out that Hamilton had never publicly admitted Natalia was his girlfriend.

Ryan was furious. How could that man not treasure such an amazing girl?

He had planned to call her at New Year’s midnight but worried it might be inconvenient. Thus, he used this opportunity to meet her.

To put it simply, he just wanted to see her.

Ryan handed over the confidential documents. Natalia, bathed in the soft glow of the streetlight, flipped through the pages. Ryan watched her, the gentle light casting a serene glow on her face, and memories of stolen glances in their school days came flooding back.

Ryan watched Natalia, his gaze lingering before he finally broke the silence. “Natalia, have you ever thought about leaving Hamilton?”

Natalia, engrossed in the documents before her, at first thought she had misheard.

She paused, a brief flicker of surprise crossing her face before she chuckled. “I can’t.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to. She simply couldn’t.

The thought of leaving Hamilton had crossed Natalia’s mind countless times. From the moment she found out she was pregnant, through the heartbreak of a miscarriage, to the subsequent hurts that kept coming.

She truly wanted to leave. But as long as Hamilton disagreed, she was stuck. The agreement, the relationship, it was never up to her to start or end on her own terms.

frown creased Ryan’s brow; he couldn’t understand. “After everything he’s done to you…”

Natalia lifted her gaze to meet Ryan’s. Her expression was the epitome of calm.

“Ryan, we’re not really a couple. We’re… just a transaction.” Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

All the words Ryan wanted to say were suddenly lodged in his throat.

Yet, Natalia seemed to carry a new sense of acceptance on her face. By now, she didn’t mind Ryan knowing about her affairs. Hiding them was more discomforting than letting them out.

“Thanks for bringing the documents. It’s getting late. You should head back, and I need to prep for tomorrow’s presentation.”

Having said her piece, Natalia stepped back, making room for Ryan to approach his car.

Ryan watched her, his frown deepening. He wanted to ask her if she had considered ending this deal, but the words dissolved before they could escape.

Clearly, Natalia had no desire to continue this conversation.

12:09

He hesitated for a moment, then simply said, “If he ever bullies you, or if you feel wrongea, you can always call me.”

Natalia’s lips curved into a small, wistful smile.

“Okay.”

She watched Ryan drive away before turning to walk home.

The neighborhood was an older one, the lighting somewhat dim.

As Natalia reached the entrance of her building, she suddenly felt as if someone was watching

her.

Startled, she spun around, but there was no one.

In the quiet complex, only the distant laughter of children could be heard.

Her brows furrowed slightly, and she quickened her pace into the elevator. Stepping out, she discovered the corridor’s motion–sensor light was broken.

Fumbling in the dark, she managed to unlock her door. Before she could step inside, an unexpected embrace enveloped her from behind.