When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 583

**TITLE: HereSelf 583**
**Chapter 583 A Desperate Bargain**

“Yes, Madam.”

The bodyguard’s voice was steady, but a wave of relief washed over him when he noticed that Natalie had no intention of stepping outside into the chaos. Her resolve to stay put was a small comfort amidst the tension.

They left two of their number to guard Natalie, while the rest of the team moved swiftly toward the alley, their senses heightened, ready for confrontation.

“Stop! Let her go!”

The urgency in the air was palpable as the bodyguards’ sudden appearance took the assailants by surprise. For a fleeting moment, confusion flickered across their faces, but it quickly morphed into hostility. They shot daggers with their eyes at Natalie’s men, growling, “Mind your own damn business! Or we’ll kill you!”

“Save me! I’m Yulia, the Gunn family’s lady! As long as you save me, I’ll give you any amount of money!”

Yulia’s voice rang out, desperate and frantic, as she recognized the figures rushing in, clearly there to rescue her. The moment she uttered her name, she hoped it would sway the tide in her favor.

Natalie had suspected it was Yulia the moment she heard that familiar voice, but her decision to intervene stemmed from something deeper than mere recognition. It was a fundamental human instinct—she couldn’t simply stand by and watch someone in peril.

However, the bodyguards, resolute and unmoved by Yulia’s pleas, stared down the men who had been holding her captive.

“This is Gunn family business. Stay out of it, or else…” one of the captors warned, his tone dripping with menace.

“We told you to let her go. Cut the crap,” one of the bodyguards shot back, his patience wearing thin.

Without wasting another moment, the bodyguards surged forward, and chaos erupted. Fists flew, and shouts filled the air as the two sides clashed.

In the midst of the turmoil, Yulia seized her chance and darted out, her heart racing as she spotted Natalie standing at the alley’s entrance.

She hesitated for just a heartbeat, but then clarity washed over her.

“Are those bodyguards yours?” she asked, her voice laced with urgency.

“Yes. You should go,” Natalie replied, her tone firm as she turned to leave.

But Yulia, feeling a mix of fear and desperation, grabbed onto Natalie’s sleeve.

“What are you doing?” Natalie’s brow furrowed, irritation creeping into her voice.

Yulia quickly linked her arm with Natalie’s, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I’m going with you. If those men see me alone, they’ll definitely come after me again.”

Natalie’s frustration bubbled to the surface. “You can call the police!”

“If the police were useful, I wouldn’t be in this situation,” Yulia shot back, her voice tinged with bitterness. “Those people were sent by the Gunn family. If I report this, they’ll just say the family wants me to return home. No one will believe me!”

Natalie’s frown deepened, her mind racing.

“This has nothing to do with me! Yulia, I would have helped anyone in your position, but that’s where my obligation ends. You have the chance to escape now, so please, stop clinging to me. I’ve already made it clear that I have a strong aversion to you Gunn family members.”

“But you saved me. Shouldn’t you see this rescue through to the end?” Yulia’s voice was almost pleading, a mix of desperation and entitlement.

Yulia fell silent for a moment, contemplating her next move.

The bodyguards approached Natalie, their expressions serious.

“Madam, those men have left.”

“Send two men to take Yulia wherever she wants to go. The rest of you, back to the studio with me,” Natalie commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

“Yes, Madam.”

The bodyguards obeyed without hesitation, their loyalty clear.

Yulia opened her mouth to protest, but Natalie didn’t give her the chance, turning her back and walking away with purpose.

Watching Natalie’s decisive departure, Yulia felt a surge of urgency. “I want to go to your studio! I told you, I want to commission custom jewelry.”

Natalie’s brows knitted tightly together, impatience rising within her. “Yulia, I’ve told you, I do not do business with the Gunn family.”

“Don’t be so hasty. Or perhaps… you don’t want to know the truth about being switched at birth more than twenty years ago?”

The weight of Yulia’s words hung in the air, and Natalie’s eyes narrowed sharply, a flicker of alarm crossing her features.

“You know?”