Echoes of a Forsaken Heart (Natalia and Hamilton)

The moment Natalia Jenkins laid eyes on Delilah Powell, everything seemed to fall into place, albeit in a twisted kind of way.

Natalia had thought that when Delilah left the prestigious Fowler family, it was her waving the white flag of surrender. But now, it was clear that she was too naive in her assumptions.

After all, how could someone like Hamilton, who went out of his way to study nutritional science in depth, just give up so easily?

"Your competitor tonight is Delilah," Collin whispered urgently to Natalia as she entered the room.

"She has a bit of a knack for languages, and this task involves ancient artifacts. Old Mr. Powell, Magnus Powell, happens to be an expert in that field. So, Delilah might have a slight edge over you in this regard." Collin, ever the protective mentor, couldn't bear the thought of his protégé being at a disadvantage.

Natalia nodded, "I've been preparing rigorously and did extensive research, Mr. Collin. You don't have to worry."

Collin believed in Natalia's capabilities, but he couldn't help casting a worried glance towards the judges' panel.

This competition was unlikely to be a fair and square one.

Before he could voice his concerns, Delilah approached them.

"Ms. Jenkins, we meet again," she greeted with a thin smile.

Natalia responded with a natural, pleasant demeanor, "Delilah, what a pleasure."

Collin, slightly taken aback, asked, "You two know each other?"

Natalia was about to respond when Delilah quickly answered, "We've crossed paths a few times."

Collin's look of concern deepened, but he did not press further, instead offering a worried glance towards Natalia.

Natalia, still smiling, reassured him, "Don't worry about me, teacher. I'm fine."

After Collin excused himself to prepare, Delilah turned to Natalia with a smirk.

"Ms. Jenkins, I suppose Hamilton won't be protecting you tonight?"

Her voice dripped with scorn, "You know, there's a saying - a woman who only relies on a man's protection will always remain nothing more than an object of amusement." Delilah's eyes were full of mockery.

"What Hamilton needs is a woman who matches him in both background and ability, not someone clinging onto him like a vine."

Natalia caught the taunt in her words and replied with a restrained smile, "Is writing anonymous letters the kind of ability you're referring to, Delilah?"

Delilah's smile didn't waver.

"Ms. Jenkins, slandering isn't a commendable habit. Do you have proof it was me? Besides, sometimes where there's smoke, there's fire. Perhaps, Ms. Jenkins, you should introspect rather than accuse others without evidence." After a brief pause, she added, "Let's just see who's better tonight, shall we?"

Natalia returned the smile.

"So, it's a skill contest then. Fine by me."

Regardless of whether Delilah was behind the anonymous letter or not, Natalia was determined to prove that Minister Dawson's faith in her wasn't misplaced.

"Natalia, you're up," Collin called out to her.

Taking a deep breath, Natalia made her way to the competition area.

The challenge was straightforward - live interpretation of a negotiation process involving the repatriation of ancient artifacts.

Separated into soundproof booths, Natalia and Delilah began their simultaneous interpretation as the video played.

Collin watched Natalia with a furrowed brow but soon, his expression softened into one of pride and admiration.

Delilah was competent, but Natalia was in a league of her own. Her professional expertise, adaptability, and the authoritative presence required in international negotiations far exceeded Delilah's.

Inside the booth, Natalia transformed, embodying the resilience and confidence befitting a representative of a major power.

Collin chuckled to himself, thinking Natalia's talents were wasted in a mere translation booth.

He was confident, despite the outcome, that everyone present would recognize Natalia's superiority.

The judges exchanged uneasy glances, their expectations vastly overturned by Natalia's performance.

As the competition concluded, to everyone's shock, Delilah was announced the winner, despite the clear disparity in performance. This decision left a bitter taste, marking a blatant disregard for fairness in the face of evident nepotism.

Ms. Jenkins had impressed everyone with her performance, but the judges felt that she seemed less like an interpreter and more like she was personally entering the negotiation ring. "An interpreter should look the part," they argued, "and that's why Delilah is more suited for the job."

The room erupted in murmurs and gasps at the judges' verdict.

Natalia stood at the entrance of the soundproof booth, her expression slightly darkened. It was the first time she realized that being too good could also be a reason for elimination.

Delilah, standing by another booth, raised an eyebrow at Natalia. "Ms. Jenkins, are you satisfied with today's outcome?"

Natalia managed a smile, though the whole situation was still unclear to her. But she was confident in her abilities and looked up at Delilah. "If Delilah thinks this victory has any honor, I have nothing to say."

Delilah's smile faded as she approached Natalia. "Look, Natalia, it doesn't matter if my victory is honorable or not. As long as I'm the last one standing, I'm the winner. That's true for today's competition and for the situation with Hamilton."

Natalia's lips tightened, feeling a surge of frustration. She had clearly performed better than Delilah. Was she being eliminated just because Delilah had more influential backers?

"Delilah, the real victors are those who climb their way to the top on their own, not those who resort to despicable means!"

Leaving Delilah with those words, Natalia walked over to Collin, who looked at her with sympathy.

"Natalia, the Powell family pulled some strings this time, pushing hard for Delilah. I'm afraid you're at a disadvantage."

Natalia gave a wry smile. "And what if I said I don't accept this, Mr. Collin?"

Collin looked troubled. Not only did Natalia find it hard to accept, but so did he. However, Minister Dawson was caught in the middle and couldn't speak up. The outcome couldn't be changed by them alone.

Natalia quickly grasped Collin's implication. She was indignant but didn't want to put Collin or Dawson in a difficult position.

"Thank you, Mr. Collin. You must have tried to advocate for me, right?"

Collin sighed. "There will be other opportunities in the future. Don't lose heart, okay?"

Natalia nodded. "I understand. If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now." She paused, then added, "Please apologize to Minister Dawson for me. I regret involving him."

Collin frowned, about to say something, but Natalia had already turned to leave.

Stepping outside, the bitterness hit Natalia harder. She had believed in climbing the ladder through her own efforts. But now, faced with the harsh reality of power and influence, all her efforts seemed laughably naive. She wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes, only for someone to suddenly lift her chin in the next moment.