Echoes Of a Forsaken Heart

Chapter 270 Downstairs.

The moment Hamilton stepped out, he spotted Elliott lingering at the entrance of the hallway, sporting a fresh bruise on his forehead.

Hamilton walked over to his car and lit a cigarette, watching as Elliott approached, frowning.

"Scarlett and Natalia are living together now?" Hamilton glanced at him, "You got beaten up over a girl?" Elliott coughed lightly, "I accidentally fell off the bed. How's Scarlett doing?" After taking a drag, Hamilton finally spoke.

"No idea." "Weren't you just up there?" Hamilton gave him a look, "I only went to see Ms. Jenkins." Elliott sighed, lighting his own cigarette.

When Natalia cdownstairs, she was greeted by the sight of two men smoking side by side.

Hamilton moved towards her upon her arrival.

But Natalia, ignoring him, walked directly to Elliott.

"Elliott, is this how you said you wouldn't bully Scarlett?" Elliott looked dejected, "Natalia, would you believeif I said she initiated it? She was clinging to me, asking if we could sleep together. I'm a normal guy; of course, I couldn't resist!" Natalia eyed Elliott, "Couldn't resist, huh? She was drunk, were you? At the end of the day, you couldn't control yourself!" Elliott felt somewhat guilty.

He had indeed drunk quite a bit, but not to the point of being intoxicated.

But facing Scarlett, he truly had a hard tcontrolling himself. When Scarlett kissed him, it was like being set ablaze.

"What now? I can't possibly marry her, can I?" Since Scarlett didn't intend to pursue anything with Elliott, Natalia didn't have much to say.

She was just irked.

A lack of self-control seemed to explain everything.

Even though Scarlett kept saying it didn't bother her, such incidents aren't easily brushed off.

She glared at Elliott.

"You're not sick, are you?" Elliott was taken aback, "Natalia, what do you takefor?" Natalia replied, "Scarlett's asleep now. There's no use waiting around. Go home, and we'll discuss how to resolve this when she wakes up." Elliott nodded, feeling exhausted. Scarlett had kept him up all night, and a morning kick had sent him tumbling off the bed, leaving him sore all over. After Elliott left, Natalia sighed.

She never anticipated something like this would happen between Scarlett and Elliott.

"Ms. Jenkins." Hamilton called out somewhat discontentedly.

"You've been ignoringall morning. Isn't it tto paysattention?" Natalia glanced at him, "Elliott... He doesn't have any major issues, right?" Hamilton's expression darkened slightly, "Since you cdown, all I've heard is Elliott this, Elliott that." Natalia frowned, "I'm just worried about Scarlett." Hamilton chuckled, "They're all adults. A night's sleep doesn't cost them flesh. In the end, even if it was a drunken mistake, it was consensual. They made their bed; now they have to lie in it." Natalia pursed her lips, sighing after a moment.

Although Hamilton's words were somewhat harsh, she couldn't find the words to argue.

"I'll stay hwith Scarlett today. You go on ahead." Hamilton's mood instantly soured, "What about moving back in today?" Natalia gave him a look, "With Scarlett like this, there's no way I'm leaving." "Go on, we'll talk on the phone." With that, she turned to leave, but Hamilton suddenly pulled her towards the car.

"She's asleep now; staying won't make a difference. Cto work with me?" Natalia shook her head, "No, I have to prepare sdocuments later, and I'm flying to Boria City in a few days." "Again?" Natalia smiled, kissing him lightly on the lips, "Behave, I'll make money to support you." Hamilton's Adam's apple bobbed, pulling Natalia closer for a kiss.

"You don't need to support me; just make sure I'm well-fed." Blushing, Natalia pushed him away gently, "You better head back. I'll go check on Scarlett." Though reluctant, Hamilton eventually let her go.

Scarlett stayed hthe entire day and went straight to work the following morning.

Natalia wanted to talk more with her but realized Scarlett wasn't keen on discussing Elliott.

So, Natalia swallowed her words.

Downstairs, Hamilton was waiting, holding bandages and medicine. Handing them to Natalia, he said, "Would you mind, Ms. Jenkins?" Natalia smiled, taking them and carefully removing the old bandages.

The sight of the nasty cut made her hand shake.

Hamilton caught her chin with his other hand, "Coming htonight? It's inconvenient to shower without you. Got my hand wet last night, had to soak it like that." Struggling to refuse, Natalia eventually nodded, "But I might have to work late tonight." Hamilton's face lit up, "No problem, I'll pick you up, no matter the time." Natalia smiled, nodding.

After she treated Hamilton's wound, they were interrupted.

"Mr. Fowler." Turning around, Hamilton saw Lucinda standing outside.

His gaze instantly turned cold.

"Mrs. Schafer seems to have forgotten my words completely!"

Lucinda's face, still marked with bruises, was a testament to the turmoil that had enveloped her life. "Mr. Fowler, please, have mercy on my brother Patrick. He was just misguided, led astray by sbad influences!" Hamilton let out a derisive chuckle. "Oh? And who was he planning on targeting if not me?" Lucinda's expression froze, her gaze flickering momentarily to Natalia standing nearby before she collapsed against the car window, tears streaming down her face.

"Mr. Fowler, we're at our wits' end here. The doctors say Eveleen's been crying herself to sleep every night, wishing she were dead."

"Don't you care about her at all anymore? If you truly don't, then maybe it would be better if she were dead. After everything she's been through, after all the years she's been by your side, can you really stand to see her end up like this? Mr. Fowler, she's still young. Can't you show her a little compassion, for old times' sake?" Hamilton's face remained impassive.

"She chose this path herself. She could've stayed safely back home, could've stood proudly on her own two feet, but she insisted on going down this road. It wasn'twho forced her into kidnapping, nor was itwho pushed her towards any drastic measures. Not letting her die is already more than generous on my part." Seeing her plea to Hamilton fall on deaf ears, Lucinda turned desperately to Natalia.

"Ms. Jenkins, I know Eveleen wronged you, but she truly regrets her actions. Please, give her a chance to make amends. If things keep going as they are, she might not make it. I'm begging you." Natalia's lips were pressed into a thin line, her silence speaking volumes.

Lucinda wanted to say more, to plead further, but Hamilton had already rolled up the car window, cutting her off from any more appeals.