When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 548

**HereSelf 548**

They had just arrived, and a wave of panic washed over her. How could she possibly face the situation without a gift for the child? The thought of letting a child hand over money to Holt felt utterly absurd.

“Susie, wait!” she called out, but the little girl was already pouting, her small lips forming a stubborn line. “This is for Holt. Can you please not meddle in us kids’ business?”

With that, she turned back to Holt, her face lighting up with a bright smile. “You hold onto this card. You can buy whatever you want in the future. And you can keep buying me candy, okay?”

Natalie couldn’t suppress a smile at the innocence of it all. But Baron, on the other hand, felt an eye-roll bubbling up inside him. His daughter, bless her heart, seemed a bit naïve. Wouldn’t it make more sense for her to use her own card to buy candy instead of gifting it to someone outside? Was he really raising a daughter who was already hopelessly infatuated at such a tender age?

“Alright, enough of this! It’s getting late, so hurry up and get to bed!” Baron declared, scooping up his daughter and heading towards her playroom.

Susie nestled against her father’s shoulder, waving enthusiastically at Holt. “Good night! We’ll have breakfast together tomorrow morning, okay?”

Baron felt a tug of exasperation at his daughter’s exuberance. “Be quiet! It’s time to sleep!” His voice dropped, taking on a deeper tone that brooked no argument.

Though Susie pouted at his command, she didn’t protest. Instead, she happily climbed into bed, her little face still glowing with excitement.

From where she stood, Natalie noticed that Holt didn’t seem to mind Susie’s affectionate nature. A warm smile crept across her face. “It looks like bringing Holt back was a very wise decision. I truly believe that with time, his autism will improve. After all, my daughter is quite the chatterbox.”

The thought of Susie’s relentless chatter made Natalie’s heart swell with pride.

Meanwhile, Beth discreetly wiped away the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes. “Ms. Stone, I never imagined you would have children.”

Natalie shook her head gently, a hint of humility in her voice. “Baron has always been the one taking care of the kids. I’ve done very little, really.”

Beth’s envy was palpable as she replied, “Ms. Stone, you are incredibly fortunate to have found a husband like Mr. Baron.”

“Indeed, I feel the same way. Meeting Baron is the greatest blessing of my life. From now on, just call me Natalie.”

“How can I do that? You and Mr. Baron have been so generous to us. I would work tirelessly to repay your kindness.”

Natalie winced at Beth’s self-deprecating words. “Holt is my student. What do you mean by working tirelessly for me? We are equals. I’m hiring you to work for my studio. Please don’t diminish your own worth like this. It’s not good for Holt either. You wouldn’t want him to feel inferior when he goes out, would you?”

Upon hearing Natalie’s words, Beth glanced at her son. Holt had retreated back into his cool, detached demeanor, but she noticed he had carefully tucked the black card into his pocket. His gaze drifted toward Susie’s room, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.

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