When She Rose From the Ashes

Chapter 1 Leaving Jensen for Good

Chapter 1 Leaving Jensen for Good

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The dim yellow light mixed with the scent of burning incense, making the room feel thick with tension.

Wearing a sheer nightgown, Natalie Summers found herself pressed against the door. Jensen Luke’s hand gripping her neck.

“Natalie, you’re mine tonight.”

He leaned in. Jensen was 6’2“, towering over Natalie, making her seem even more petite.

Before she could say anything, Jensen’s lips pressed against hers, taking her breath away.

Natalie tilted her head up and met the lust–filled depths of his eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed just inches from her, and his scorching breath made her face flush and her body go weak.

It was the fifth anniversary of their relationship. Overflowing with love, she kissed him back.

The sound of tearing fabric and shallow breaths filled the room as the tension between them grew.

Just as they were about to become one, Jensen’s phone rang.

Interrupted at such a moment, his irritation was obvious, but he answered anyway.

Natalie, panting, caught a glimpse of the caller ID: it was Felix, Jensen’s closest friend.

“Jensen, are you out of your mind? You-”

“Switching to Fracian. Now’s not a good time.”

Jensen quickly changed languages.

There was a pause, then Felix spoke in fluent foreign speech: “You really went and got married to Sharon? What the hell are you thinking? Five years ago, you got into that street race to save her and nearly died in the crash. But Sharon? She ditched you and ran off overseas with another guy! She’s had boyfriend after boyfriend while she was gone–she never cared about you! And now you’ve actually married her?”

Felix’s words automatically translated in Natalie’s mind into her native tongue.

Her eyes flew open.

The heat in her body still lingered, but her heart had plunged into an icy abyss.

Jensen hadn’t noticed her reaction. His voice was cold and measured. “Sharon has cancer. She doesn’t have long. Her final wish is to marry me, to be my wife. She said the person she owes the most in this life is me, and she wants to end our first love story with a perfect ending. I can’t let her die with regrets.”

Natalie? After your crash, she was the one who never left your side, who cared for you day and night. She gave you everything she had. You

anger didn’t

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7:16 pm PD

Leaving Jensen for

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“As long as everyone keeps it quiet, Natalie will never know. When Sharon’s gone,

you seriously believe Sharon

question pushed Jensen over

know

he hung

to pick up where they

don’t feel so

wrapped her arms around herself, trembling

last six months secretly mastering three foreign languages—one of which was Fracian. She’d never had the chance to

that, Jensen looked genuinely

you want me to take you to the

concern didn’t seem

care so deeply while secretly marrying someone

phone chimed again—this time with a

of it right away. Try to rest. If you still feel sick, call me–I’ll have

barely had time to nod before he was

the tears finally spilled

She had seen it.

message was

I’m

feeling as if a gaping hole had

blurred her vision as memories she had tried so hard

birth and raised by the Summers family, living a life of luxury until she turned eighteen–when the real Summers daughter, Sharon, was found and brought home. From then on, Natalie’s

eighteen years of her happiness and resented her to the

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7:16 pm P

1 Leaving Jensen for

away in a

moldy corner became Natalie’s entire

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often come down with a twisted smile, whipping her with cruel delight. Each lash was a punishment for the “sin” of

should have protected her,