When She Rose From the Ashes

Chapter 19 The Real Reason

Chapter 19 The Real Reason

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She had been so full of ambition, so full of promise. That cufflink design held meaning and power. But now, if she could never pick up a pen again… then what?

Jensen instinctively reached for the sketch in his pocket, only to realize it was missing.

His chest tightened. A sharp pang ran through him.

A terrible thought came to him. He turned on his heel and rushed straight toward Sharon’s hospital room.

Inside, Sharon was tearing up the cufflink design with an expression twisted by rage. It was as if the paper in her hands wasn’t a drawing, but Natalie herself.

Jensen froze. His heart clenched tight.

“What are you doing?”

His voice was cold, cutting through the room like a blade.

Sharon jolted. She hadn’t expected him to come back so suddenly. Startled, she dropped the torn pieces immediately.

Even though the sketch had been ripped into several pieces, Jensen still recognized what it was. The lines. The details. The shape. It was Natalie’s design.

She had taken it. She had destroyed it.

And maybe that design–this very drawing–had been the reason Natalie’s hand was broken in the first place.

jolt of electricity. His vision

grabbed Sharon by the throat, and shouted, “Why did you have Clark destroy her hand?! Do you even understand what

like this. She couldn’t breathe. She flailed, her hands slapping against his arms in desperation, and she sobbed through gasps

because she can design that you won’t let her go, isn’t it? Jensen, you promised me. You said you’d stay with me. You said you’d be a good husband until I died. And now you’re strangling me over her? Don’t forget–you have my rib in your body! I’m dying anyway. Go ahead, choke me to death! Kill me if it’ll

He pulled his

back onto the bed, gasping for breath, pale and trembling, but the look in her eyes was bitter

And I’ve got cancer. I’m running out of time. I only asked for three months. Couldn’t you give me that? If I hadn’t given you that rib, my immune system wouldn’t have collapsed. I wouldn’t have gotten sick. Jensen, you said

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The Real

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step back and dropped into a chair.

I married you. I stayed. Why did you have

Isn’t that worth it? One hand in exchange for your loyalty for the rest of your

reasoning was cruel and absurd, but Jensen couldn’t find a

his eyes, Sharon softened her tone

promise. Don’t be mad at me. Don’t abandon me. I’m really

Jensen closed his eyes.

I’ll make this disappear. But you have to promise me–this is the last time.

won’t go near her again. Not

some rest. I’m going to

left the room without

closed behind him,

face. Her eyes turned sharp, cruel, and filled with venom. There wasn’t a trace of weakness left

the emergency room, Natalie’s surgery had

out on a gurney. She was unconscious, pale,