When She Rose From the Ashes

Chapter 36 The Cruel Truth

Jensen’s chest ached with every word Sharon spat at him.

Looking at her frenzied state, he suddenly realized just how blind he had been all these years.

In beauty, in grace-how could Sharon ever compare to Natalie?

Even though the Summers family had raised the wrong child, those eighteen years of careful upbringing had left Natalie with a natural elegance, a deep-rooted refinement Sharon, who grew up wild, could never possess.

So why had he been drawn to Sharon’s fiery nature?

It was because he himself had been born into wealth, surrounded by polished heiresses his whole life. He had wanted to know what it felt like to taste the recklessness of a “wild girl.”

And for that youthful thrill, he had nearly lost his life.

He should have hated Sharon, but because one of her ribs had saved him, he found himself bound by guilt-caught between love and hate. Over time, it was Natalie’s companionship that anchored him, and his feelings shifted to her.

He kept telling himself he married Sharon only to fulfill her dying wish.

But only now did he dare face the truth.

Those were excuses.

He had simply wanted excitement.

He had believed too firmly that Natalie loved him too deeply to ever leave-that she had no family, no friends, no one but him. He was certain she would never walk away.

And yet… she had.

actions had screamed of her resolve, but he

when her fingers were shattered, when her career as a designer was destroyed, he had known she was suffering-yet he

enough to repay Sharon’s so-called

still have to

hearing Sharon harp on that same debt

it with the title of Mrs. Luke. As long as you’re alive, you’ll have that title. But don’t expect anything more. And from now on, you are forbidden to set foot in the Grand Pavilion again. You will never touch anything related to Natalie. And if I find something

Hansel, Jensen turned

Sharon froze.

1/3

you

to block his path, but Hansel stepped

please

I’m Jensen’s wife! How dare you call

her like a

his wife in name, but in reality-you will always be Ms. Summers. For the

You’re just a secretary-how dare you speak to me like this? I’ll have Jensen fire

merely pulled his hand back, unmoved by her

Jensen opened Natalie’s

at the very top of her

realized that for the past ten days, his replies to her had

had he really been

his nights

he saw Sharon’s name among Natalie’s recent