When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 384

Chapter 384 A Fabricated Escape

Chapter 384 A Fabricated Escape

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“Alright, let’s move. I’ll handle Sharon. You clean up here. Do you still have any strength left?”

Natalie’s strength had already returned, but she lowered her eyes and answered weakly, “I used everything carlier. Can you give me some antidote?”

“I don’t have any. Figure it out yourself.”

Beth left without another word.

Natalie knew that wasn’t true. Beth must have had the antidote, but she wasn’t about to hand it over. Not when there was the risk she might try to escape.

And truth be told, if that message hadn’t been sent out, Natalie would have taken her chances with the sea–even if survival was nearly impossible.

Better to gamble for life than wait for certain death.

But she also knew Beth would never leave a living witness. Sharon’s fate was proof of that. Out here in the open sea, countless bodies must have already been fed to the waves. With sharks prowling these waters, Natalie had no illusions of making it to safety alive.

So for now, she had to bide her time.

Slowly, she pulled back the blood–soaked blanket covering Sam.

Sam’s bulging, lifeless eyes stared back, and Natalie nearly screamed.

She clamped a hand over her mouth, gasping silently, her chest heaving as if invisible fingers were wrapped around her throat.

Her

eyes

burned.

She had never wanted to kill.

But if she hadn’t acted, Sam would have killed her.

It was self–defense. She repeated it in her mind, but the reassurance rang hollow.

Shaking, she covered Sam’s face again and used the rest of the blanket to wipe up the blood on the floor. The warm, sticky red smeared across her hands, and she trembled so hard she felt like she might shatter into pieces.

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15:46 Wed, Oct 8 M…

Chapter 384 A Fabricated Escape

257

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When Beth returned, she saw Natalie hunched on the ground, pale and shaking, and for a moment she saw herself from a year ago.

She too had once been like this–fragile, horrified, human. But for her son, she had taken the same path.

Beth swallowed her emotions, dragged Sharon’s limp body next to Sam’s corpse, bound them together with the blanket, and hauled them out.

Blood trailed in bright streaks across the floor.

Natalie bit down hard, forcing herself not to scream as the sound of bodies hitting the sea echoed-“plunk“-loud and final.

Beth returned quickly, helping her scrub away the last traces before snatching the porcelain vial from her hand. She scattered the powder into the air.

“Hold your breath.”

Natalie obeyed instantly, pressing a wet towel tight over her mouth and nose.

Beth didn’t notice her extra caution. Within seconds, the metallic tang of blood dissolved from the air as though it had never been there.

She glanced at Natalie. “It’s time. I’ll go call the others. Use that awl to slash me–deep enough to bleed.”

Natalie froze, immediately realizing what Beth intended.

“I… I don’t have the strength,” she stammered, still pretending weakness.

Beth studied her, then nodded. “Fine.”

She snatched the awl, drew in a sharp breath, and sliced her own arm. Blood welled instantly, and a muffled groan escaped her throat.

Pressing her hand over the wound, she staggered into the corridor.

Bright red drops stained the floor near Sam’s cabin door.

“Help! Sam took her cargo and jumped overboard!”

Beth shouted, tossing the prepared items–and the awl itself–into the sea with a heavy splash.

The thud of the objects hitting the water overlapped with her cries.

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15:46 Wed, Oct 8 M

Chapter 384 A Fabricated Escape

Inside the cabin, Natalie lay still, her mind spinning.

One thought cut through the haze:

420

10 Free Cong

If Beth dared stage this so openly… then the corridor outside must not have surveillance

cameras.

Otherwise, Beth was already signing her own death warrant.