Chapter 62
Natalia was fuming.
Even if she wasn’t in the best shape for work, why on earth did he delete the documents she had spent hours translating?
She glared at him, about to speak, when Hamilton cut in. “And, on my laptop. I don’t want. another man’s stuff.”
Natalia’s throat tightened, and she suddenly didn’t want to talk anymore.
Hamilton was always so unreasonable.
She could just re–translate everything when she got back home.
But as if reading her mind, Hamilton continued, “I suggest you stay home and take care of yourself during this time. I gave you time off to get better, not to serve other men. If you really want to work, you can report to the office tomorrow!”
Natalia was at a loss for words.
Hamilton was too domineering, so it seemed like she would have to do her work in secret from
now on.
Not long after, the secretary brought in dinner.
Hamilton came over with a warm washcloth to clean Natalia’s hands.
She instinctively wanted to refuse. But Hamilton just looked at her with stern eyes. “Didn’t your ask for my personal care?”
Natalia’s lips twitched, wanting to say that even personal care didn’t have to be like this, but Hamilton had already wiped her hands and let go.
“Stop being so fussy. Come on, let’s eat.”
Natalia sat down, and Hamilton started unpacking the meal boxes one by one. Then, he placed a bowl of oatmeal with dried cranberries in front of Natalia.
“Even if you like sweets, you can’t always eat them.
“I don’t always eat them.”
By her count, she had had treats so infrequently over the past three years.
Hamilton hummed noncommittally and started eating with his fork.
He always ate with a slow, methodical elegance. Having been with him for three years, Natalia had also developed the habit of eating silently.
Their meal was extremely quiet until Hamilton’s phone rang. He glanced at it but didn’t answer.
13:09
Chapter 62
The phone lay on the table, and Natalia thought it might be Eveleen again.
But to her surprise, it was the senior Mr. Fowler.
She had never met the patriarch of the Fowler family, nor did she have the standing to.
But she remembered Alden mentioning something about the patriarch asking Hamilton to return to the family estate.
Thus, she said, “If you have to go, you don’t need to stay here with me.”
Hamilton didn’t look at her and simply rejected the call with a cold laugh. “If I leave, are you going to make a scene again?”
Natalia knew he wouldn’t have anything nice to say to her. She forced a smile, “I was just worried that you might be delayed because of me.”
“When you were throwing a tantrum earlier, that’s not what you thought.”
Hamilton sure could hold a grudge. He would always bring up past grievances:
It was probably because she had made him uncomfortable, and now he wanted to return the favor.
Natalia regretted not having controlled her temper. But upon reflection, she felt it wasn’t necessary. Fighting or competing might keep this man by her side for a while, but it wouldn’t stir his heart in the slightest. In fact, it might make him resent her more. He had stayed with her purely out of what he called a sense of responsibility.
It really wasn’t worth it.
However, she had felt so wronged at the time that she couldn’t hold back.
“I apologize for not controlling my temper before, Mr. Fowler. Don’t take it to heart; it won’t happen again.” Natalia’s voice was very calm.
Hamilton snorted. “Ms. Jenkins, you’d better not say such things. You’ve completely lost your credibility with me.”
Natalia’s lips twitched, but she didn’t say anything more..
Hamilton’s phone rang a couple more times, and the last time, he finally answered.
After the call, Hamilton looked at Natalia and said, “I’ve got something to take care of and won’t be able to stay with you tonight. Will you be alright on your own?”
“I’ll be fine.” Natalia replied tersely.
“Alright, I’ll come pick you up early tomorrow to discharge you.”
“Okay.”
As Hamilton left the hospital, he ran into Victor.
Victor had been smitten lately with an intern at his company who bore a striking resemblance
2/4
13.40
to Natalia. The intern wasn’t feeling well today and insisted on his company, so he obliged. That was why he had bumped into Natalia at the restaurant over lunch.
When he wasn’t seeing Natalia, he was quite content playing with the intern. But after seeing Natalia at lunch, he immediately found the intern dull by comparison.
She lacked Natalia’s poise and beauty. The only thing she had going for her was a passing resemblance to Natalia. Natalia’s allure was simply incomparable to that of that intern.
Victor’s desire only grew more intense. Unfortunately, that wily Natalia somehow managed to cling to Hamilton’s side until now.
“Hamilton?” Victor called out.
Hamilton nodded in acknowledgment.
Victor raised an eyebrow. “See those photos at lunch?”
Hamilton gave him a look. “If you have something to say, say it.”
Victor chuckled lightly. “What’s the point of keeping such a dirty woman around?”
Hamilton’s stride didn’t falter, but his voice grew colder as he said, “Mr. Henkel, you should know that I don’t like others prying into my affairs.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Echoes of a Forsaken Heart