When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 400

Chapter 400 A Mother’s Plea Natalie was momentarily stunned by B….

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Chapter 400 A Mother’s Plea Natalie was momentarily stunned by Beth’s words

She hadn’t expected there to be such a cabin on the ship. What kind of place was this?

Beth saw the look on her face and lowered her voice. “Natalie, if–if you can get rescued, would you help me?”

Natalie froze. “Sorry. I can’t promise you anything. I can barely guarantee my own safety right now.”

She felt sympathy for Beth, but sympathy didn’t make her a saint. At first she’d assumed every woman on this ship had been kidnapped and was waiting to be sold like cargo. Hearing Beth mention a casino, she realized her assumptions were naive. This was a world she’d never known. If everything Beth said was true, the ship was crawling with danger. Baron might run into trouble coming here–she had neither the energy nor the means to promise to save someone else.

Beth hadn’t expected Natalie to refuse. She didn’t get angry; instead, she looked at Natalie with a newfound respect. “Natalie, if there’s a chance and I can get you away, would you try to find my son and take him with you?”

Natalie was taken aback. “What do you mean?”

Beth glanced at her wounded arm and forced a bitter smile. “My life is probably over anyway. Even if I earn a share and my son’s illness is cured, the boss won’t let us live together. I don’t even dare imagine what he’d do to my boy. My life is ruined, but he’s only five. I want him to live in the open sun like a normal kid. If not me, who will fight for him?”

Tears streamed down Beth’s face again.

Natalie thought of Susie and Sean. If her children were in danger, she might make the same choice. This place was no environment for a child to grow up in.

She asked quietly, “Do you know where your son is? Is he on this ship?”

Beth shook her head. “I know he’s on the ship, but I don’t know where. For four years I’ve longed to see him but never had the chance. We video–call every month, but he looks paler each time. Sometimes I hear the sea and the clatter of the casino. He’s definitely here—but I’m not allowed above the lowest decks.”

Natalie’s brow tightened. A five–year–old growing up in this chaos–who could be so heartless? Who was this boss?

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13:03 Thu, Oct 9

Chapter 400 A Mother’s Plea Natalie was momentarily stunned by B….

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Natalie was a mother too. She couldn’t outright refuse Beth this time, but she didn’t make any promises either. Beth seemed to sense she’d asked too much; she gave a self–mocking smile and didn’t press.

Silence filled the cabin, thick enough to choke. Natalie thought of her own children–how long had she been gone? Had Baron comforted them? She missed Susie’s coquettishness and Sean’s stubbornness until her chest ached. Four years apart might break her.

Natalie inhaled slowly. “What’s the man’s name–the one you loved?” she asked.

“He’s James. If I get out alive, I’ll make him pay.”

Hatred flared in Beth’s eyes; she bit her lip until it bled and didn’t care. Natalie understood that fury–any man who abandoned his child was an animal. James was a common name, though, and Natalie had never heard it before, so she had nothing to say.

After a while, Beth took a small wallet from her pocket and opened it. A one–inch photo of a child slid into view. She wiped it with her finger and handed it to Natalie.

“Look. This is my son. His name is Donovan Alora.”

“Alora?” Natalie repeated, puzzled.

Beth nodded. “My full name is Beth Alora. But after my parents disowned me, I stopped using my surname. When my son was registered, I couldn’t find James, so I put him on my ID—so he took my name. In hindsight, I’m glad I did. Otherwise I’d have gone mad.”