Echoes of a Forsaken Heart novel Chapter 2

Natalia's spine stiffened, a chill creeping up her back.

But she turned her head, managing to keep her expression casual. "And if it were true, what would you do?"

Hamilton's brows were furrowed, his entire demeanor radiating a frosty aura as if the warmth and passion from moments before had been an illusion.

"What else can I do? I'd help you schedule the operation."

Natalia's face gradually lost its color, her hands clenched tightly together.

Hamilton's gaze grew colder.

"Natalia, don't forget the rules of our game."

Natalia's body tensed suddenly.

Right, their relationship had always been a game. After all, she could never truly match up to Hamilton with her background.

She was from an average family.

Hamilton, on the other hand, was the eldest son and heir of the prestigious Fowler family, the true master of its empire.

Their relationship had started by sheer coincidence.

Three years ago, her mother was in a terrible car accident and needed money urgently. Natalia had swallowed her pride and gone to her biological father's mansion to ask for help.

She had collapsed after kneeling outside the opulent mansion for an entire night, without a penny to her name.

It was Hamilton, passing by, who found her.

When she woke up in the hospital, the first thing Hamilton did was propose a game to her.

An adult game with no strings attached.

Back then, all she had asked was, "Will I get paid?"

Hamilton had laughed at that, calling her "sensible."

But over these three years, while Hamilton continued to play his game, Natalia found herself falling deeper and deeper.

This was the man she'd had a crush on for years.

But she understood that this was just an unrequited love that would lead nowhere.

Suppressing the spreading ache in her heart, Natalia forced a smile.

"Don't worry, Mr. Fowler. It's not me."

Hamilton leaned back in his chair, his thin lips curving into a slight smirk. "Ms. Jenkins is always sensible. I can trust that."

Natalia smiled and quickly left the office before he could notice anything amiss.

Once outside, Tess was already waiting for her. "Boss, the meeting starts in five minutes."

Natalia nodded, composed herself, and headed to the conference room.

By the time the meeting was over, it was already 10 p.m.

Victor was cunning and shrewd.

Natalia nearly slipped up several times.

Neither gave in until the very end, finally agreeing on a price that was acceptable to both parties and signing the contract for the next year's collaboration.

As Victor was packing up, he glanced over at Natalia.

"Ms. Jenkins, care to join me for a drink?"

Natalia offered a polite smile, "It's quite late today, maybe another time. I'll treat you then, Mr. Henkel."

But Victor didn't take her refusal seriously. "Ms. Jenkins, just for a brief celebration. Why not?"

That comment gave Natalia a headache. Ever since Victor had started working on a project with her last year, he had been pursuing her.