Echoes of a Forsaken Heart novel Chapter 236

Natalia woke up, again, finding herself in the sterile white of a hospital room.

Scarlett, seeing her awake, rushed to her side with concern. "Are you feeling okay? The doc said you got a mild concussion. Headache, nausea, anything?"

Natalia took a moment to assess herself. "No, I'm fine. But, what about Hamilton? And my mom?"

Scarlett hesitated, her face shadowed with worry before she finally spoke. "Your mom's in ICU, and Hamilton... he's hurt pretty bad. Lost a lot of blood and hasn't woken up yet."

Natalia's heart skipped a beat. "Where's he hurt? Where is he?"

As she attempted to rise from her bed, Scarlett gently but firmly pushed her back down. "Stay put for now. He's still unconscious, and rushing over won't help. Let me get a doctor to check on you first."

After a brief check-up that confirmed Natalia was alright, Scarlett allowed her to get up.

"Go see Hamilton first. Visiting hours for your mom in the ICU aren't until later, and the docs are changing shifts. You can check on her after."

Natalia nodded, a mix of gratitude and urgency in her gaze.

Scarlett couldn't help but smile, "You were planning to see him first anyway, weren't you?"

Natalia's cheeks flushed, a silent acknowledgment.

"Either way, he's the hero this time. Heard if it wasn't for the ambulance right there, he might not have made it," Scarlett added, her tone somber.

A chill ran down Natalia's spine, her heart aching with a blend of fear and tenderness.

"I need to see him."

Scarlett nodded, "I'll grab some food for you guys."

Approaching Hamilton's room, Natalia's pace quickened, her heart pounding. Yet, standing at the door, she hesitated, unsure of what awaited her inside.

Upon entering, the sight of Hamilton's pale, lifeless face washed away all her fears, leaving a deep, searing pain in its place.

Alden, who was in the room, stood up as she entered. "Natalia, you okay?"

"I'm fine. How's Hamilton?"

"Spleen rupture, lost a lot of blood. But he's stable now, just hasn't woken up yet. Stay with him; I need to make some calls."

Left alone with Hamilton, Natalia's emotions swirled into a storm. She couldn't believe he'd risked his life for hers, especially when survival instincts should have kicked in.

Holding his cold hand, she whispered through tears, "You think you're some kind of hero? That I'd be touched by this? Do you want me to owe you my life? How could you be so reckless?"

As she prepared to stand, Hamilton's grip tightened. He was awake.

"Couldn't help it. Heard someone was worried about me," he said, a weak smile on his lips.

Natalia, torn between relief and frustration, called in a doctor to check on him. Once assured of his stability, she relaxed, only for Hamilton to feign pain, pulling her into a tight embrace to avoid any real discomfort.