Chapter 28 Ashes and Regret


    That innocent, yearning heart of a girl had once beat only for Jensen.


    Five years of sweet memories dissolved like soap bubbles. When Sharon and Jensen registered their marriage, Natalie finally realized just how much of a fool she’d been all along. <fn8866> Follow current nov?ls on FindN0vel</fn8866>


    She had wanted to walk away from them, start fresh, rebuild her own life. So why? Why did she still have to endure Jensen’s betrayal?


    Why did Sharon keep hounding her?


    In the end, she even died in that fire.


    The way the mes scorched her flesh


    the pain was unbearable.


    She had thought that even if love had faded, five years of being together would at least earn her a little dignity. But in the end?


    Why didn’t they leave her even that?


    “Jensen…” Natalie murmured through gritted teeth.


    If I could go back in time, I would’ve rather died in the Summers’ backyard than followed you. I would never have fallen in love with you.


    Inside the operating room, Baron focused entirely on the surgery. The scalpel in his hand moved like a living extension of him, swift and precise.


    But when Natalie suddenly whispered that name, his hand trembled.


    The next second, the scalpel veered—aiming directly for her chest.


    At thest possible moment, Baron caught the de between his fingers.


    Fresh blood dripped onto Natalie’s chest.


    A shadow crossed Baron’s eyes. Staring at the unconscious woman still murmuring someone else’s name, a dark jealousy surged in him like a wave ready to drown him.


    “You really can’t let go of Jensen, huh?”


    Baron’s hand jerked upward, nearly reaching for her throat.


    But just before he touched her, reason mmed back into ce.


    “I’ll deal with you when you wake up.”


    He muttered under his breath, then took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, resuming the surgery with steady hands.


    Even in her unconscious state, Natalie had sensed the threat of death in that moment. Her body twitched -but then the threat vanished.


    A crushing wave of exhaustion hit her, and she slipped into a deeper ckout.


    The surgerysted over ten hours.


    When Baron finally stepped out of the OR, Finn and Shauna rushed to meet him.


    “Mr. Baron, your body-”


    Exhaustion nketed Baron’s features. His body was well past its limits. He swayed, and Finn quickly caught him before he copsed.


    Baron nced at him and said coldly, “Initiate Level One security. Protect her life at all costs. If I don’t wake up… from now on, take orders from her.”


    And with that, he passed out.


    “Mr. Baron!” Finn shouted, lifting him in his arms and hurrying to the private suite nearby.


    “Get a doctor!” Shauna barked.


    She knew ordinary doctors wouldn’t do much good


    –


    but it was better than nothing.


    With Baron unconscious, the entire estate fell into chaos. But the room where Natalie rested was sealed off, guarded so tightly not even a fly could sneak in.


    At that same moment, Jensen regained consciousness at the hospital.


    When he learned Natalie’s remains had already been cremated and buried in a public cemetery, the man who had once spoiled Sharon endlessly – for the first time – raised his hand against her.


    “Who the hell gave you the right? Who do you think you are, making decisions for me? Sharon, have I been too kind to you?”


    The p sent Sharon stumbling to the floor, her cheek stinging with a hot burn. For a moment, she was too stunned to react.


    “You hit me?”


    “Hitting you is letting you off easy! If I weren’t remembering the fact that you once saved my life, I’d grind your bones to dust right now.”


    Jensen’s bloodshot eyes were full of murderous rage. He looked pale, but the fury in him burned like a


    storm.


    Sharon had never seen him like this. Her heart pounded with fear even as indignation festered.


    She clutched her face and began to sob.


    –


    “Jensen, you’re the president of Luke Corp. Do you know how many eyes are watching you? The board, the shareholders — they’re all just waiting for you to screw up so they can rece you. I did all of this for you! You and I are legally married now. If the media finds out you’ve been losing your mind over some woman, what do you think they’ll say? What will the board think?”


    But Jensen wasn’t listening anymore.


    All he could think about was that he would never see Natalie again.


    Never again would she smile at him so purely, never again would she give everything for him without asking for anything in return.


    He had lost her.


    Pain bloomed in his chest, deep and suffocating.


    Without another word, he turned and walked toward the door.


    Sharon lunged forward, grabbing the hem of his pants. “Where are you going?”


    “None of your damn business.”


    “I’m your wife, Jensen!” she screamed, desperate.


    But that word


    wife


    –


    stabbed Jensen like a knife.


    And once again, Natalie’s smile shed through his mind.