Echoes of a Forsaken Heart (Natalia and Hamilton)

Hamilton felt a twinge of discomfort in his chest.

"Natalia, do you really see me as someone who can't tell right from wrong?" he asked.

Natalia let out a soft laugh.

She wanted to retort, "Aren't you?" But in the end, she swallowed her words. There was no point in arguing now.

Hamilton stood up and approached her. "Look, if she really did it, I won't cover for her, I promise."

Natalia didn't respond, her hopes not high. She had heard such promises too many times, only to be let down again and again. She didn't want to blame Hamilton for Eveleen's actions anymore. After all, their relationship wasn't such that Hamilton was obliged to take her side. Besides, he had saved her that day.

"Let's go back to the hotel," Natalia said, heading towards the door.

Hamilton followed, frowning, wanting to say more but unsure what to say.

They left the Foreign Affairs Department, and in the quiet of the night, Hamilton felt as if a vast chasm had opened between them. This distance irked him, and he quickened his pace to walk beside her. Under the moonlight, their shadows merged together. Hamilton looked down at the shadows, feeling a bit better.

Natalia frowned slightly. Hamilton's sudden closeness made her uncomfortable. His towering figure seemed to envelop her. With the greenery beside her, there was nowhere to escape.

"Hamilton, can you keep your distance?" she said, pushing him slightly.

Hamilton grunted, "My arm hurts."

Natalia took a deep breath and hurried to the car. "Give me the keys."

But Hamilton didn't hand them over; he just got into the car. Natalia didn't argue further and joined him. They returned to the hotel in silence.

When Natalia was about to leave Hamilton at his room, he suddenly grabbed her. "Natalia, I'm hungry."

She glanced at him. "I'll order room service."

Hamilton frowned. "I want to dine with you."

Natalia firmly declined, "No, thank you. Eat by yourself; I'm not hungry."

Hamilton persisted, "Everyone needs to eat! Natalia, it's my health at stake." "I'll eat when I'm hungry!"

"But I need to shower afterwards, Natalia, and it's hard with my arm like this."

Her gaze fell on the bandage on his arm, and after a moment, she snapped, "Hamilton, I've hurt my arm before; don't play dumb with me!"

Hamilton stiffened, suddenly remembering Natalia's past injury caused by Eveleen's fans. Or rather, caused by Eveleen herself.

Swallowing hard, he felt a pang of pain. "Well, now I'm hurt too; guess we're even." Natalia laughed mockingly, "In such a rush to atone for your darling Eveleen?" Hamilton's face darkened, "Natalia, you're twisting my words."

After a pause, Natalia said, "You got this injury protecting me, so I'll take care of you."

She turned to call room service. While on the phone, her own rang. It was Caspian.

She answered, stepping outside. Caspian asked about their return and Hamilton's condition, offering to send someone to take care of him. Natalia declined, stating she didn't want to feel indebted to Hamilton. Hamilton, overhearing, felt a cold laugh bubble up. So she was only helping to avoid feeling indebted.

Removing his jacket, he gazed out the window, calling Eveleen to arrange constant surveillance for him.

After the meal arrived, Hamilton found he had no appetite. He called Natalia with a new number he had arranged.

"Come dine with me, Natalia."

"I'm not hungry."

"If you don't want to owe me, then come."

Natalia's grip tightened on her phone, but after a moment, she agreed with a laugh.

She arrived shortly after, dressed differently. The table was set not just with what she ordered but also with various desserts.

They ate in silence. Afterward, Hamilton requested help with his bath. Natalia's expression soured. She managed to restrain herself from lashing out, opting instead to apply a waterproof covering to his arm.

"I can't help with that, Mr. Fowler. Please manage on your own."

Hamilton looked at her, his eyes dark yet resigned. He didn't argue.

After his shower, the bandage was wet. Natalia's frustration showed. "Hamilton, did you do this on purpose?"

He laughed, "So much for taking care of me. Is this all the patience you have?"

Natalia was fuming, yet she had no choice but to turn around and grab some bandages. "Come here, let me rewrap that for you," she said, trying to keep her cool.

Hamilton moved to sit beside her, his presence overwhelming as always.

Emerging from the bathroom, he was clad in nothing but a bathrobe, the simplicity of the moment making it all the more intimate.

Technically, re-bandaging would have required him to just roll up his sleeve. But Hamilton, in a bold move, slid his robe down from his shoulder, exposing his well-defined muscles. Natalia caught sight of his broad shoulders and halted abruptly, "There's no need for that!"

Hamilton looked down, his gaze softening, "I don't mind."

Natalia averted her eyes, choosing to focus on the task at hand rather than engage in further conversation. She began to change his bandages with practiced ease.

As she peeled back the old bandages, revealing the ghastly wound beneath, her hands trembled slightly.

Natalia thought she had steeled her heart against Hamilton, believing that gratitude was the only emotion she could feel for him, especially knowing he was injured while protecting her. Yet, seeing the raw wound brought a surge of emotions she couldn't ignore. She hadn't known the assailant was armed.

In that moment of restraint, she had been ready to fight to her last breath.

If Hamilton hadn't arrived when he did, she shuddered to think what might have happened.

"Does it hurt?" Natalia asked softly, breaking the silence.

Hamilton's gaze met hers, but he remained silent.

Natalia's lips moved as if to speak, but no words came out. She returned her focus to bandaging his wound, applying ointment with precision before wrapping it neatly in fresh bandages. Once done, she stood up to pour a glass of water, then handed him the prescribed pills. "You should take these."

However, Hamilton caught her hand in his.

"Natalia, is it really just because you don't want to feel indebted to me?" His voice was low, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place.

The room seemed to shrink around them, the tension palpable. Natalia found herself caught in the gravity of the moment, her heart racing with an intensity she hadn't anticipated.