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Chapter 16: Alliances and Agendas
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2025-03-19 11:04:49
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Rising From The Ashes Chapter 17: Shifting Tides
Natalie Evans had always been a woman of calculated moves. Every decision she made, every alliance she forged, had a purpose. But as she left the high-stakes meeting between Adrian Sinclair and Daniel Carter behind, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had stepped onto a chessboard where she was no longer just a player—she was the queen.The moment she exited the lavish lounge, her phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, she saw Chloe’s name flashing.“Mommy! Are you coming home soon?” Chloe’s cheerful voice filled the car as Natalie slipped into the back seat of her waiting black Mercedes.A warm smile spread across Natalie’s face. “Yes, sweetheart. I’ll be home soon. Did you have fun with Aunt Lisa today?”“Yes! We baked cookies, and she let me help mix the batter! But I miss you.”Natalie’s heart clenched. Chloe was her world, the one thing in her life that remained pure, untouched by betrayal or ambition. “I miss you too, baby. I’ll tuck you in tonight, okay?”“Okay! Love you, Mo
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-19Rising From The Ashes Chapter 18: The Art of War
Natalie Evans had spent years underestimating the lengths to which Adrian Sinclair would go to maintain control. She wouldn’t make that mistake again.The morning sun streamed through the tall windows of her penthouse, casting golden hues across the marble floors. Dressed in an elegant but sharp navy-blue suit, she sat at the breakfast bar, sipping her espresso while scrolling through the latest reports from her businesses. Everything was thriving. Every strategic move she had made since the divorce had led to this moment—complete autonomy.But something gnawed at her.Last night’s cryptic call still lingered in her mind. You’re playing a dangerous game, Ms. Evans.Whoever had called her knew something. But was it a warning or a threat?She had barely set her cup down when Lisa walked in, tablet in hand, her expression unreadable.“You’re not going to like this,” Lisa said, placing the tablet on the counter in front of her.Natalie arched a brow, sliding it closer. The screen displaye
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-20Rising From The Ashes Chapter 19: The Counterstrike
The city skyline stretched before Natalie as she stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of Pierre Laurent’s private office. The glass walls of the towering skyscraper reflected the setting sun, bathing the room in hues of amber and gold. But Natalie had little time to appreciate the view. Her mind was preoccupied with the man sitting across from her—one of the most influential figures in global finance, Pierre Laurent.The French businessman exuded an air of effortless dominance. His silver hair was neatly combed back, and his tailored suit bore the unmistakable mark of wealth and power. He studied her with sharp, calculating eyes, his fingers steepled beneath his chin.“I must say, Ms. Evans,” Pierre finally spoke, his deep voice tinged with amusement. “I was wondering when you’d finally make your move. It seems you have quite the storm brewing.”Natalie crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. “You’ve already heard?”Pierre smirked. “News travels fast in our circles, ma chérie. Ad
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-20Rising From The Ashes Chapter 20: The Battle Lines Are Drawn
Natalie’s grip on her wine glass tightened as she stared at Adrian. The air in her penthouse was thick with tension, the kind that settled deep into one’s bones. She had expected retaliation from him, but not this soon, and certainly not this bold intrusion into her personal space.“I don’t recall inviting you in,” she said, taking a slow sip of her wine, her voice deceptively calm.Adrian smirked, stepping further into the dimly lit living room. “Since when do I need an invitation?”Natalie’s eyes flashed with defiance. “Since the moment I signed those divorce papers.”Adrian let out a humorless chuckle. “You think a piece of paper changes anything between us?” His voice was low, almost taunting, as he slowly approached her. “You can play this game, Natalie, but you and I both know the truth—you’re still mine.”She laughed, shaking her head. “That possessive arrogance of yours is outdated, Adrian. I don’t belong to anyone.”He reached out, his fingers grazing her jawline before she s
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-20Rising From The Ashes Chapter 21: The Vanishing Act
Natalie Evans vanished without a trace.The moment she walked away from the confrontation between Adrian Sinclair and Daniel Carter, she had known there would be consequences. The weight of their gazes had followed her long after she exited that lounge, but she had never once looked back.Now, she was gone.Gone from the lavish parties that once whispered her name. Gone from the elite circles that had built her up and tried to tear her down. Gone from the headlines that once speculated about her next move.In her absence, rumors ran wild.Some claimed she had crumbled under the weight of everything—the divorce, the business world, the pressures of high society. They whispered that she had fled in disgrace, a woman who had bitten off more than she could chew.Others insisted she was merely biding her time, plotting in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike back. That she was gathering power, securing alliances, and ensuring that when she returned, she would be unstoppabl
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21Rising From The Ashes Chapter 22: Whispers in the Shadows
The world had not forgotten Natalie Evans.Rumors about her abrupt disappearance spread like wildfire through high society, each more outrageous than the last. Some whispered she had fled the country, broken and humiliated. Others insisted she was secretly plotting a grand return, more powerful than ever. There were those who pitied her, believing she had finally succumbed to the overwhelming pressure of rebuilding her life in the public eye. And then there were the cynics, scoffing at the idea that she had truly left at all.Adrian Sinclair listened to all of it in silence, his sharp gray eyes scanning the latest article dissecting her whereabouts. The media vultures had latched onto her disappearance with an insatiable hunger, eager for any shred of information.He had seen headlines speculating everything from an exotic retreat in the Maldives to an emotional breakdown that had landed her in some exclusive, hidden rehab facility. None of it was true. None of it fit the Natalie he k
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21Rising From The Ashes Chapter 23: The Gathering Storm
The weight of the past never truly disappears—it lingers, waiting for the right moment to resurface.Natalie Evans sat in the dimly lit cabin, the flames from the fireplace flickering against the stone walls. The air smelled of burning wood, crisp mountain air filtering in through the slightly open window. She listened in silence as the person before her detailed everything she had missed since her disappearance."They’re getting desperate," said Evelyn Carter, her voice laced with urgency. Her dark brown eyes flickered with a mix of concern and intrigue. "Adrian's been searching for you like a man possessed. He’s holding private meetings with people he never would have trusted before. The board is restless. They think you're coming back to take everything from him."Natalie exhaled sharply, her fingers tightening around the warm ceramic mug in her hands. "Good. Let them squirm."Evelyn smirked. "You always did love making men uncomfortable. But Adrian isn’t your only problem. Daniel
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21Rising From The Ashes Chapter 24: The First Step Back
The air in the secluded mountain retreat was crisp, the silence broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves outside. Natalie sat by the window, her eyes tracing the jagged edges of the distant peaks. It was time to return, to step back into the world that had once tried to break her.Evelyn watched her from across the room, her expression unreadable. "So, you’ve made up your mind?"Natalie nodded. "I have.""Good," Evelyn said, crossing one leg over the other. "Because the moment you step foot back in the city, all hell will break loose. Adrian won’t sit back and watch. Daniel will try to use you to his advantage. And the vultures in high society? They’ll be circling, waiting for you to stumble."Natalie’s lips curled into a smirk. "Let them. I’m not the woman they remember."Evelyn exhaled sharply, shaking her head with a grin. "That’s what I wanted to hear."By the time Natalie arrived at the private airport, she had already mapped out her next moves. A luxury jet waited on the
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-21
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Rising From The Ashes Chapter 33: The Entwined Strings of the Past
There was tension in the air. Natalie Evans sat next to the top window of the library at the estate, her gaze drifting away as the rain beat softly against the glass. Outside, the sky was a deep grey, a reflection of the storm brewing within her mind. She had spent the past days trying to put together the fragments of her life that had so spectacularly fallen apart. Her history—once buried beneath glamour, deceit, and silence—was fighting its way back to the forefront, demanding attention.A pile of documents rested on the table beside her, brought by the mysterious visitor who had shown up at her mountain retreat days before—Isabel Dorne, a woman she had not seen in years but once trusted with her life. Isabel was wading deep now in whatever secrets had been uncovered during Natalie's disappearance from the public eye. She bore with her information, threats, and ghosts of the past."They never got through with you," Isabel stood silently in the room, arms folded. "You intended to wip
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 32: The Calm Before the Storm
The sun barely touched the edge of the horizon when Natalie Evans stood on the balcony of her isolated mountain home, looking out into the endless ocean of pines and the dense fog that blanketed the valley. There was a stillness in the air that morning—a silence so deep it felt as if nature itself was holding its breath.Natalie exhaled slowly, her arms crossed over her chest, wrapped in a thick woolen shawl. Her breath came out in soft white wisps in the chilly mountain air. The stillness was deceiving. The world had irrationally spiraled out of control the past few weeks, gossiping and speculating while she silently plotted. She had added one brick each day to the foundation of her renaissance—a new life, not built on the money of a man or on the sympathy of the world, but upon her own value, mind, and fire.The fire in her had not burned out. It had simply grown hungrier.Behind her, the older friend who two nights ago had found her, Evan Hart, came into the living room with two cu
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 31: Echoes of a Fallen Queen
The wind moaned through the naked branches of the trees, carrying the scent of snow and pine. Natalie Evans walked along the shoreline of a frozen lake, her breath misting in the cold morning air. The winter landscape stretched out before her, stripped bare and unmoving, as if the world itself was waiting with bated breath.She drew the thick woolen shawl closer around her shoulders, watching as dawn painted the sky with strokes of red and gold. Each morning here was like a dream of peace, but inwardly her mind churned like the icy water trapped beneath the frozen lake.It was three months since she vanished from the city—three months of silence, of scheming, of healing the wounds that ran much deeper than the world ever saw. The woman the world had known as Natalie Evans, the poised and polished socialite, was no more. In her place was someone darker, harder, and far more dangerous.In the cozy log cabin that had served as her home, a fire crackled to life as her visitor, Olivia Hast
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 30: Ripples in the Empire
The sun streamed softly through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Manhattan skyscraper. Natalie Evans walked to the edge of her brand-new office, a glass citadel that dominated the center of the city she'd lost and was determined to regain.The skyline stretched out to infinity in front of her, a men-made horizon that had previously misjudged women like her. But now, she was not just a name used with sympathy at society galas or glossed over at boardroom tables. She had returned, not with only vengeance—but with a purpose.The clack of designer heels echoed across the polished floors. Her assistant, Julia Marks, entered with a sleek tablet in hand and a knowing look. "Ms. Evans, the final list of candidates for your executive team is ready for your review. Also, the press has picked up on your re-emergence. You’re trending. Again."Natalie twirled with a half-smile. "Let them gossip. I want them to know I'm back. No more hiding in the shadows."Julia handed her the tablet. "There's
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 29: The Rebirth Begins
The wind howled over the mountains, a choir of whispers hurtling over the drifts of snow. Inside the solitary lodge, a fire spat into flame in the hearth, sending dancing shadows up the stone walls. Natalie Evans leaned at the tall window, her arms tight around herself as she looked out at the swirling snow outside. Her shadow was tranquil, but in her eyes glowed a flame that would never be doused.The silence was at an end.Weeks had passed since she vanished from the world, from the acrid glow of scandal and betrayal. While the world wondered, however, Natalie had been planning. Each day had been a step in preparation to take back not just her name, but her power. She was not the same woman who left Adrian Sinclair's life. She'd shed that skin like a snake emerging from hibernation—deadlier, more breathtaking, and utterly unremorseful.Her refuge was now her haven. The lodge, located on a remote slope away from civilization, had been her father's preferred sanctuary. It was hers now
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 28: Shadows of the Past
The chill in the mountain breeze was sharper than usual that morning, as if the earth itself prepared to witness the revelation of something historic. Natalie stood at the wide bay window of her isolated refuge, arms crossed over a cashmere shawl wrapped around her shoulders. Her breath frosted the glass ever so slightly as she looked out at the snow-shrouded woods, mind racing with a thousand frantic thoughts.Her unexpected visitor—Eva Monroe, her former legal advisor and once a trusted friend—sat at the rustic oak table behind her, leafing through documents that Natalie had carefully compiled over the past several weeks. Eva's brow furrowed deeper with every page she turned."You’ve been busy," Eva said finally, her voice laced with both admiration and concern. "This isn’t just a comeback. It’s a full-on declaration of war."Natalie slowly turned around. Her eyes, which had previously been soft and innocent, now held an edge that had been honed through pain and betrayal. "I didn't
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 27: Flames That Cannot Be Tamed
The moon was low over the hills like a guardian, silver light covering the mountain sanctum. The light filtered through the giant pine trees, falling in shadow upon the stone cabin where Natalie Evans had just settled. The night was quiet, save for the susurrus of breeze through leaves and the creak of weathering wood. But inside Natalie, a storm had flared anew.The moment her guest—Amara—had walked into her sanctuary, the impenetrable wall Natalie had built around herself had started to break.Amara was more than a former friend. She had once been Natalie's best friend in the corporate world, before Natalie had married into money and abandoned her own entrepreneurial aspirations. Their friendship had been forged in ambition, determination, and late nights scheming to start their own company, only to be broken when Natalie opted for love over professional advancement.Now, years after that, Amara faced her, radiating the same fire that had once bound them."You're not safe here any l
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 26: Embers of a New War
The wind howled outside Natalie Evans' isolated mountain cabin, rattling the windowpanes as snow enveloped the dense forest in a muffled quiet. It was warm within, thick with the scent of pine and crackling wood, but the spitting flames could not thaw the growing tension that had gripped the room. The unexpected guest from only hours earlier, Marcus Vance—a close friend from her past corporate life—now leaned against the fireplace, arms folded, watching Natalie pace."You've been quiet for too long, Natalie," Marcus said, his voice low and steady. "They think you're weak. They think you ran away."Natalie stopped mid-stride, her back to him. Her black hair fell down her shoulders like an inky waterfall, shining in the firelight. She turned slowly, her expression unreadable."Let them think what they will," she said, her voice steel wrapped in velvet. "I didn't disappear. I changed.".Marcus’ lips curved into a half-smile. “I’m glad to see the fire’s still there. But you’ll need more t
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 25: The Return of the Phoenix
Natalie Evans had always been a woman of resilience, but this time, she was returning with more than just determination—she was returning with power.For weeks, she had been watching, waiting, preparing. The whispers of her disappearance had only fueled speculation, but what no one expected was the storm she was about to unleash. The old Natalie—the woman who had been humiliated, underestimated, and discarded—was gone. In her place stood someone far more dangerous.She adjusted the cuff of her tailored suit, standing in front of the full-length mirror of her penthouse. The reflection staring back at her was unrecognizable from the broken woman who had walked out of Adrian Sinclair’s life. Her hair was sleek, her posture commanding, and her eyes carried an unshakable resolve. She had spent months crafting her next move, and now, the moment had arrived.A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts.“Come in.”The door opened, and Daniel Carter strode in, his usual smirk in place. “Y
