When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 535

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**Chapter 535: The Master Plan**

Natalie had always viewed Baron through a lens tinted by the shadows of the underworld. She imagined him as a Godfather figure, someone who might resort to dubious tactics to navigate the murky waters of life’s challenges. Yet, as she observed him now, dealing with the complexities surrounding the old mansion and the alarming situation of Jensen’s abduction, she found herself taken aback by his finesse. Baron was orchestrating everything with remarkable precision, leaving a clear trail behind him, all while remaining firmly within the boundaries of legality and reason.

This iteration of Baron resembled a refined young gentleman, devoid of any overt signs of his underworld connections. His demeanor was calm, almost regal, and he exuded an air of confidence that was both reassuring and unnerving.

As the police began their investigation, it became apparent that Jensen had indeed seemingly evaporated into thin air. The officers exchanged glances, their brows furrowed in concern and curiosity.

Then Baron stepped forward, producing a video clip with an air of authority.

“Officer, I have here a surveillance video I managed to recover from the clothing store directly across from the back gate,” he stated, his voice steady. “It was corrupted earlier, but with a bit of technical know-how, I managed to restore it. Please, take a look.” He handed the device over, his eyes glinting with purpose. “Jensen must have been abducted and taken through that very gate. The store owner, Natalie, likely witnessed this event unfold and was almost silenced in the process. When we returned, we found her lying on the roadside, bloodied and barely conscious. She has since been rushed to the hospital; you can verify this.”

The police officers leaned in, their attention riveted to the screen. The footage revealed a chilling sight: Jensen being forcefully ushered into a van, his expression one of fear and confusion. And there, unmistakably clear, was Rachel’s face—captured in a moment of brazen audacity.

“Immediately locate this woman. Block all major roads and airports. We need to mobilize every resource to find her,” the lead officer commanded, urgency lacing his tone.

Baron, sensing the momentum shifting in their favor, seized the opportunity to present another piece of evidence. “Officer, I also have a recording of a phone call between Jensen’s assistant, Hansel, and my wife. At the time, my wife was resting, and I answered the call. Hansel, under the duress of Rachel’s threats, mentioned that Jensen had agreed to help her escape Ocean City. However, he didn’t dare to ask my wife directly for assistance; he spoke in code. This Rachel is the very woman who has kidnapped Jensen. She had been part of our Stone family for over twenty years, and she had been administering chronic poison to my mother-in-law, resulting in her deteriorating health. We were on the verge of contacting the authorities when she fled, and we never anticipated that she would abduct Mr. Luke.”

As Baron articulated this, the police exchanged wary glances, their expressions shifting from skepticism to concern.

“This woman is implicated in a poisoning and attempted murder case?” one officer asked, his brow furrowed in disbelief.

“Indeed, it goes deeper than that. Concerning the buried body case linked to our old mansion, though Logan took his own life, he had been extorting money from our family for years, with Rachel as his accomplice. She was our former housekeeper, and I suspect she fled because she realized Logan was about to be exposed. She may have intended to kidnap my wife but ended up abducting Mr. Luke instead. As for the Luke family’s silence on the matter, they may have their reasons for caution,” Baron explained, his voice steady but laced with urgency.