When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 601

**Chapter 601: The King of Ocean City**

Rumors had begun to swirl like the tides of the ocean surrounding Hayes’s final moments. It was said that just before his execution, he had sought an audience with Baron, a desperate plea for connection that fell on deaf ears. Baron, currently miles away on foreign soil, had flatly refused the call, his heart hardened by years of estrangement.

From the fateful day Hayes had cast him out of the Gunn family, Baron had severed all ties, no longer recognizing the man who had once been his father. The whispers suggested that, in the end, it was a distant relative from the collateral branch of the Gunn family who claimed Hayes’s remains, a stark reminder of the fractured legacy that lingered like a shadow over their lives.

Natalie, ever the nurturing soul, sensed the weight of Baron’s mood and had taken it upon herself to shower him with affection. Recently, her doting nature had intensified, as if she could somehow shield him from the emotional fallout of the past. Baron found himself basking in the warmth of her love, yet he could feel the creeping lethargy settling in, a growing disinterest in the demands of work that once fueled his ambition.

Upon their return to Ocean City, Natalie felt a strange sense of dislocation, as if the familiar streets had shifted in her absence. Yet, her heart soared at the news of Moses’s remarkable recovery. Holt, too, was on the mend, his spirits lifted by the return of Sean and Susie. In a burst of creativity, he had taken to drawing, pouring his joy onto the page for everyone to see.

Natalie’s heart swelled with pride as she watched Holt’s artistic endeavors flourish, a testament to his resilience. The family was abuzz with excitement as they prepared for the much-anticipated recognition dinner, and the news of Natalie’s arrival had reached Jensen, stirring a whirlwind of emotions within him.

As he gazed at Natalie’s radiant smile on the screen, a pang of longing struck Jensen deep in his chest. That smile, once exclusively his, now belonged to Baron. The sight of Baron, exuding an air of ownership as if he possessed the very essence of the world by simply having Natalie at his side, filled Jensen with an unsettling sense of discomfort.

Driven by a mix of desperation and nostalgia, Jensen managed to track down Natalie’s current phone number, his fingers trembling slightly as he dialed.

Meanwhile, Natalie had succumbed to a much-needed slumber, fatigue wrapping around her like a comforting blanket after their long journey. When the phone rang, Baron, ever protective, quickly stepped out onto the balcony to take the call, careful not to disturb her rest. He tucked a cigarette behind his ear, an old habit that lingered despite his promise to quit for Natalie’s sake. The familiar scent still held a strange allure for him, and he found himself inhaling the faint aroma, lost in thought.

The moment he recognized Jensen’s name on the screen, a cold snort escaped his lips.

“Hello?” Baron answered, his tone laced with disdain.

“Natalie, is that you? You’re back? Can we meet? Please, I just need to see you!” Jensen’s voice crackled through the line, filled with a desperation that felt almost palpable.

Baron couldn’t help but chuckle darkly. “My wife is pregnant, and you still haven’t moved on?” His words dripped with provocation, a calculated jab aimed at Jensen’s heart.

“What did you just say? Baron, you dared to get her pregnant?” Jensen’s voice rose, disbelief mingling with anger.

“We are legally married, Jensen. We have a marriage license. It’s only natural for us to start a family. Or do you still think you have a chance? Let me save you some time: you and my wife have no future together in this lifetime.” With that, Baron ended the call, a smirk playing on his lips.

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