Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 184 The woman's face was devoid of shame.

"I just wanted to see for myself," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand, "the kind of woman that our dear Ryan has been pining over for all these years." "I just never expected Ms. Jenkins here to be such a revelation. If I hadn't had someone tail her, I might still be in the dark. Ms. Jenkins, cavorting with other men while you're supposedly with our Ryan? You do know what that makes you, right? You're nothing but a stain on his life!" With that, she let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Did you know? Our Ryan has never dropped the ball at work, but recently, for you, he missed a crucial meeting. Ms. Jenkins, you must have stricks up your sleeve to have kept Hamilton on the hook for three years and to have Ryan so besotted. But lettell you, our family won't stand for someone as sullied as you!" Natalia's face turned a ghastly shade of pale.

Being rejected by the Holzer family had been expected, but being followed was a surprise she hadn't anticipated.

She stared darkly at the woman in front of her, and after what felt like an eternity, she finally spoke. "Whether I'm dirty or not is not for you to judge. If Ryan hadn't been clinging to me, I would have been long gone." With that, she forced a smile at the woman.

The woman's face contorted with anger.

"Have you no shat all?" As she finished, the doorway was suddenly filled with noise.

A man's figure strode in.

Natalia's face changed instantly.

"What are you doing here?" Hamilton raised an eyebrow but didn't answer her. Instead, he approached the women and greeted the older one with a smirk, "Mavis, long tno see." At the sight of Hamilton, Mavis let out a cold huff.

"Mr. Fowler, your timing is impeccable. You can see for yourself just how shameless this woman is, so you won't be deceived by her in the future." But Hamilton just chuckled lightly.

"A homewrecker calling someone else shameless?" Mavis froze, "What did you say?" Hamilton's smile remained, "I said, remember when the Spiegel family's scandal was all anyone could talk about? You think people have forgotten just because it's been a while?" "Mavis, how dare you speak tolike this? I am, after all, your elder." Hamilton scoffed, "Elder? You should get out more and see how important this woman is tobefore you chere spouting nonsense." His expression then turned serious.

"And as for Ryan, you can relay a message for me. If he can't manage his own family's mess, he'd better pack his bags and leave. There are plenty of people waiting to take his place. He's not fit!" "You dare say Ryan isn't good enough for her?" Hamilton raised an eyebrow, "Isn't it obvious? A woman who matters to Hamilton is out of Ryan's league. And you, Mavis, if you dare bother her again, beware, I won't be so friendly next time!" "Mavis, I'm doing you a favor, and this is how you repay me? Do you not realize our families go way back? Are you willing to risk a feud over this woman?" Hamilton's laugh was cold and sharp.

"You overestimate your importance. The relationship between the Westleys and the Spiegels won't change because of you. If it does, it wasn't worth keeping." Mavis' face turned pale with anger. She whipped out her phone to make a call but was interrupted by an incoming call.

She answered furiously, "Caspian, get over here now! I'm being bullied!" Whatever Caspian said made her face go white, "Caspian, I'm your aunt!" Apparently, Caspian was less than sympathetic, and Mavis hung up the phone in a huff.

She glared at Natalia, "Just wait until Ryan breaks up with you!" With that, she stormed out, purse in hand.

Since Hamilton's arrival, Natalia hadn't said a word.

Humiliated and awkward, she couldn't even describe what she was feeling.

Mavis's insults brought her back to reality.

She had been naive, too simple in her thinking.

"Feeling sorry for yourself?" Hamilton taunted from beside her.

"Natalia, can you really accept Ryan's family? You'll be hassled by them every day. They look down on you before you've even entered the door. Can you really stand it?" Natalia met Hamilton's gaze.

"Feeling smug, Hamilton?" He chuckled, "That's not quite the word I'd use. I told you from the start you two weren't a match. You wouldn't listen and had to learn the hard way. The Holzer family is too traditional; they'll never accept your past." As he spoke, a hidden grin was fighting to show, "Breaking up isn't the end of the world. There are plenty of good men out there, Natalia." Natalia scoffed, "Who said anything about breaking up?" With that, she marched out.

Hamilton's expression darkened.

He started to follow but then stopped, turned back, and gathered all the photos from the table into his hands. Ironically, this was the first the'd ever taken a picture with Natalia.

Natalia walked briskly, her heart heavy with hurt.

Once she got into her car, tears threatened to spill.

She had been sincere in wanting a future with Ryan, but she hadn't expected it to end this way.

She knew breaking up like this wasn't fair to Ryan.

But she also had to admit that she couldn't fight this battle.

After one heart-wrenching experience, she now sought self-preservation.

Her lips turned white as Ryan's number flashed across her phone, calling her.

Natalia glanced at her phone, took a by herself and deep breath to steady herself, and was just about to answer the call when the passenger door suddenly swung open. Hamilton plopped down in the seat beside her.

He glanced at Natalia's phone, grabbed it, and hung up the call.

"Natalia, how can you still not dump him after everything?" he questioned.

Natalia snatched her phone back. "That's none of your business."

"How can it not be my business? Natalia, am I not good to you? Why do you keep running back to Ryan to be treated like dirt? Is he worth it? Does he deserve you?" Natalia bit back the bitterness rising in her throat as she looked at him. "Hamilton, since when do you get to judge who deserves what? Get out of my car!"

Hamilton's face twisted in annoyance. "Con Natalia after all I've done for you! Natalia scoffed, En.

"Get out!" Hamilton's brows knitted together in frustration.

Natalia raised her hand and started to push against him.

"Get out, Hamilton! I mean it, get out!" Her anger spilled out, hitting him again and again, a release of pent-up emotion.

Hamilton frowned, about to say something, but then he saw the redness creeping around Natalia's eyes.

A pang of genuine hurt struck him.

This time, he truly felt for her.

Ignoring her resistance, he pulled her into an embrace.

"Natalia," he said softly, "letlook after you from now on, okay?"