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 everpare 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’spanionship 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.


    At the productunch, Natalie’s actions had screamed of her resolve, but he hadn’t listened. He had even med her for being unreasonable.


    Later, when her fingers were shattered, when her career as a designer was destroyed, he had known she was suffering-yet he still stood by Sharon.


    Wasn’t that enough to repay Sharon’s so-called lifesaving grace?


    So why did he still have to lose Natalie?


    Now, hearing Sharon harp on that same debt again, Jensen suddenly found it meaningless.


    “Your lifesaving debt-I’ve already repaid 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 rted to Natalie. And if I find something in this phone I don’t want to see… I don’t know what I’ll do.”


    Snatching the phone from Hansel, Jensen turned and walked away.


    Sharon froze.


    “Jensen, what do you mean by that?”


    She scrambled to block his path, but Hansel stepped in.


    “Ms. Summers, please show some self-respect.”


    “I’m Mrs. Luke! Didn’t you hear him say it? I’m Jensen’s wife! How dare you call me Ms. Summers?”


    The title cut her like a knife.


    Hansel’s voice was calm, indifferent. “Mr. Luke ordered it. You may be his wife in name, but in reality-you will always be Ms. Summers. For the rest of your life.”


    “Ridiculous! I don’t believe Jensen would treat me this way. You’re just a secretary-how dare you speak to me like this? I’ll have Jensen fire you!”


    Her eyes burned scarlet with rage, but Hansel merely pulled his hand back, unmoved by her outburst.


    Inside the car, Jensen opened Natalie’s phone.


    His own number sat fixed at the very top of her chats.


    Scrolling through their messages, he realized that for the past ten days, his replies to her had been nothing but curt excuses- business trips,te nights, noting home.


    And what had he really been doing?


    Spending his nights with Sharon.


    Then he saw Sharon’s name among Natalie’s recent contacts.


    Jensen’s eyes narrowed.


    Recalling Sharon’s desperate attempt to grab the phone, he quickly opened their chat.


    Ten days ago, the night he told Natalie he was workingte, Sharon had sent her a photo of the marriage certificate. <fn6861> This content belongs to Find[F]ovel</fn6861>


    The next day, she had sent a video-of him kneeling to propose.


    And the ring… the ring was the wedding band Natalie herself had designed for him.


    Jensen’s blood turned to ice.


    Why had he given Sharon that ring?


    Because Sharon had begged. She said she loved it, said she was dying, said she only wanted to wear it once for a photo. Just for the


    memory.


    Her pleading eyes had seemed so pitiful that he had lost his mind and slipped Natalie’s ring onto Sharon’s finger.


    At the time, he hadn’t thought it mattered.


    It was only a ring.


    Sharon would give it back. Natalie would never know. Just a moment-what harm could it cause?


    He never imagined Sharon would send the video to Natalie.


    And now, for the first time, he truly grasped what Natalie must have felt in that moment.