When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 579

**TITLE: HereSelf 579**

**Chapter 579: Taught in Bed**

Jensen walked away after their brief conversation, leaving a palpable tension in the air.

A gnawing fear gripped him; he worried that his emotions would get the better of him, that he might actually reach out and touch Renee in a way he knew he shouldn’t.

After all, she was Natalie’s closest confidante, the one person who understood the depths of their complicated history.

Renee stood there, momentarily frozen, as Jensen’s words echoed in her mind.

It was undeniable.

Over the years, she had watched Natalie’s feelings for Jensen blossom and then wither.

There was that one time when Natalie had turned down a coveted invitation from her mentor just to concoct a remedy for Jensen’s sore throat.

Renee recalled how Natalie had come home, her face alight with excitement, only to later deflate when she realized the importance of that opportunity.

She understood better than anyone that such an invitation could have propelled Natalie’s career forward, yet for Jensen’s sake, she had cast it aside without a second thought.

Even now, although Natalie was married to Baron, rumors whispered that it was Baron who had heroically saved her from a blazing fire, risking his own life in the process.

In the eyes of society, a life saved demanded a promise of marriage in return.

And Baron, with his unwavering affection for Natalie, seemed to adore her in a way that made it plausible for Natalie to have settled for him, perhaps out of disappointment in Jensen.

What if, in a moment of reckless abandon, she chose to reunite with Jensen? Would that not cast Renee as the villain in this tangled narrative?

The more Renee pondered this, the more her frustration grew, like a storm brewing inside her. Without wasting another moment, she dialed Natalie’s number, urgency lacing her voice.

Meanwhile, Natalie lingered at the entrance of Grant International Holdings, her mind a whirlpool of indecision about whether to reach out to Baron.

Earlier that morning, she had sent him off with a wave of her hand, telling him he should focus on his own affairs. But now, standing there, she realized she had no clue where else he might be in Ocean City aside from his office at Grant International Holdings.

What if Baron hadn’t shown up there today?

The thought of being alone in this vast, corporate space sent a shiver down her spine.

At that moment, her phone rang, jolting her from her thoughts.

“Is everything alright? Do we need to grab more supplies for the studio?” she asked, her tone instinctively brightening as she answered.

Renee took a deep breath, her heart racing as she blurted out, “Natalie, you won’t believe this! Jensen just came by the studio looking for you. Are you thinking of getting back together with him?”

Disgust washed over Natalie like a cold wave.

“What nonsense are you spouting? I’m married now! There’s no way I could ever reconcile with Jensen. Did he say something ridiculous again? If he shows up at the studio again, just have someone throw him out!”

Renee felt a wave of relief wash over her as she heard Natalie’s resolute words.

“Natalie, are you absolutely sure there’s no chance you’d ever go back to him?”

Only then did he truly see her face—this beautiful woman who had just turned the tables on him.

Before he could form any other thoughts, she swiftly lifted her knee and delivered a sharp kick to his most vulnerable area.

“Aaargh—”

The man crumpled to the ground, his body curling up like a shrimp in boiling water, wracked with pain.

Natalie seized the moment to release him, watching as he clutched his groin, hopping around like a wounded animal. His face was pale, and beads of cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

“You filthy scoundrel! You—”

But before he could finish his threat, Natalie cracked her knuckles, her expression as cold as ice, and took a step closer. The man stumbled backward, fear etched across his features.

“A gentleman doesn’t fight with a woman! Just you wait!”

With that, he fled, not even aiming for Grant International Holdings but away from her, as if she were a force of nature he could not withstand.

Natalie shook off her hands in disgust, her heart still racing.

If Baron hadn’t insisted on teaching her those self-defense moves, she might have been a victim today.

The thought of Baron’s unique methods of teaching—his system of rewards and punishments—made her cheeks flush a deep crimson, reminiscent of a ripe apple, as memories of their “discussions” in bed flooded her mind.

Who would have imagined that her lessons in self-defense would stem from those intimate moments shared between them?