When She Rose From the Ashes (Natalie and Jensen) novel Chapter 448

Chapter 448 Snack Therapy

Chapter 448 Snack Therapy

Natalie went on, her voice trembling. “But, Dad… I really, really wanted to eat them.”

Waylon’s heart shattered.

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“Those damn Summers parents! If they couldn’t treat you like their own, why take you back at all? Over a single chip–they starved you for two days? What kind of people do that? They’re not human; they’re monsters! My daughter, Waylon’s daughter, should’ve been cherished and loved beyond measure; and those wretches–what the heck did they think they were doing?”

Furious, Waylon grabbed his phone and dialed without hesitation.

“Tell the Stone family to spare no expense–destroy everything the Summers family owns.”

Natalie didn’t stop him. Every trace of her miserable childhood had come from the Summers family; when she was eighteen, she’d nearly been beaten to death by them.

Now that they wanted to reconcile, it was only because she was a Stone.

To be honest, Natalie had wanted to see the Summers family ruined for a long time; she just hadn’t had the time to make it happen. Now that Waylon was taking action, she was more than happy to let it unfold.

In a low voice, she added, “Dad, tell someone to inform the Summers family that Sharon’s body was lost at sea.”

Even though the Summers parents had long been disappointed in Sharon and no longer pinned any hopes on her, she had still been their beloved daughter once–the one they’d nearly killed Natalie over. How could parents like that not be told their real daughter is dead?

Natalie had never thought of herself as kind.

In the past, the Summers‘ strict control had forced her to repress herself; later, with Jensen, she’d been afraid he would see her darker sides and stop loving her. For years, she’d lived for other people, not for herself–and all it brought her was pain.

But now, she was done pretending.

When she’d almost died in Ocevaris, Natalie had asked herself a question. If I really die here, would I have any regrets? She realized–she would.

More than she could count.

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18:23 Tue, Oct 14

Chapter 448 Snack Therapy

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All her life, she’d been like a marionette, her strings pulled by the Summers family. Whatever they wanted, she did; she’d rarely had thoughts of her own, and even when she did, she was never allowed to act on them.

After she left them and stayed by Jensen’s side, the greatest joy she’d found was in being able to study and create designs however she pleased—something the Summers family would never have permitted.

Her parents had wanted her to learn flower arranging, to be the perfect wife and mother. To them, her only worth was in strengthening the Summers family’s alliances and bringing them more wealth.

Natalie used to believe any Summers child would’ve been treated the same way–but when Sharon returned, their favoritism had slapped her right across the face.

All the resentment, all the fury, all those years of suffocating under control–they burned through her like molten fire.

But she’d been powerless to fight back. After being cast out, she had no family, no influence, nothing.

If not for her gift in design, Natalie knew Loretta would never have let her stay by Jensen’s side for five

years.

For over two decades, she had lived with constant restraint.

And she was tired of it.

After all, no one ever knew what would come first–tomorrow or disaster.

Natalie understood now what it meant to be a Stone; the title carried danger. She didn’t yet know why, but she knew this much, her life could end at any moment. If that was the case, why keep holding myself back?

With that thought, everything seemed to click into place. Suddenly, the snacks before her didn’t feel so heavy with meaning anymore.

They were food–meant to be eaten; it didn’t matter how old she was,

And they were from her father.

One by one, Natalie placed the chips on her tongue, savoring their flavor; it was rich, comforting–almost as if it bridged time itself, bringing her face–to–face with her five–year–old

self.

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Chapter 448 Snack Therapy

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The little girl looked at the snacks with wide, longing eyes but didn’t dare touch them; even as drool glistened at the corner of her lips, even as her gaze lingered on every bright, crinkling wrapper, she still forced herself to resist.

Natalie sat across from her younger self, eating one chip after another.

“Natalie,” she whispered, “if you were to die tomorrow, wouldn’t you regret never tasting a chip in your whole life?”

Her words made the five–year–old pause, eyes flickering with hesitation.

“Go on. It’s just one chip. You’re your own person–you should live for yourself. Natalie, you’re good; you’re such a good girl. Really.”

Five–year–old Natalie… ten–year–old Natalie… even eighteen–year–old Natalie–none of them had ever once heard words like that from the Summers family.

All they’d ever said was, “Natalie, you have to work harder. There are so many talented people out there do you want to be laughed at?”

How she had longed to hear just one word of praise, one bit of encouragement. But that, too, had always been out of reach.

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