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Chapter 4: Whispers of the Past
Huling Na-update:
2025-03-13 11:53:19Natalie awoke to the soft glow of morning light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows of her penthouse. It took a moment for reality to sink in—that she was no longer waking up in the cold, cavernous Sinclair mansion. No longer bound by a loveless marriage. No longer waiting for a man who would never truly see her.
Stretching beneath the silky sheets, she let out a slow breath. Today was the first full day of her new life.
A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Slipping into a satin robe, she made her way through the spacious apartment and peered through the peephole.
Ava.
With a grin, she opened the door to find her best friend holding two oversized coffee cups and a bag of croissants. “Morning, divorcee,” Ava chirped, stepping inside with a dramatic flair. “I figured you’d need caffeine and carbs. Big changes require fuel.”
Natalie chuckled as she closed the door behind her. “You know me too well.”
As they settled onto the plush couch, Ava handed her a cup. “So… how does it feel?”
Natalie exhaled, staring into her coffee as if the answer would swirl to the surface. “Strange. Liberating. A little terrifying.”
Ava nodded knowingly. “Makes sense. You spent years being ‘Mrs. Sinclair.’ Now you’re just you. That’s bound to feel weird.”
Natalie took a sip of her coffee, the rich bitterness grounding her. “It is weird. But it’s also… exhilarating.”
Ava grinned. “That’s what I like to hear.”
For a few moments, they sat in comfortable silence, the only sound being the distant hum of the city below. Then, Ava’s expression shifted, her playfulness dimming slightly.
“I hate to bring up the devil, but…” She hesitated. “Has Adrian tried to contact you?”
Natalie’s fingers tightened around the coffee cup. “He called last night.”
“And?”
“I didn’t answer.”
Ava whooped, nearly spilling her drink. “That’s my girl!”
Natalie laughed at her friend’s enthusiasm, but the truth was, she wasn’t as unaffected as she wanted to be. Adrian’s call had stirred something deep inside her—a sense of unfinished business, of an inevitable confrontation she wasn’t sure she was ready for.
Ava seemed to sense her turmoil. “Look, I know it’s not that simple. But you don’t owe him anything, Nat. Not your time, not your attention. He made his bed. Let him lie in it.”
Natalie nodded, forcing herself to push away the lingering thoughts of her ex-husband. “You’re right. I have more important things to focus on.”
Ava smirked. “Like getting back into the dating pool?”
Natalie groaned. “Can I breathe first?”
“Sure, sure,” Ava said with a teasing glint in her eye. “But don’t be surprised when the suitors start lining up. Trust me, men love a woman with a little mystery and a whole lot of independence.”
Natalie rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. A part of her did wonder what came next. Love? A second chance at happiness? For now, she would take things one step at a time.
As they finished their coffee, Natalie’s phone buzzed on the table. She glanced at the screen and froze.
Unknown Number.
Ava leaned over. “Do you think it’s him?”
Natalie hesitated before answering, her voice steady. “There’s only one way to find out.”
With a deep breath, she picked up the phone and pressed answer.
“Hello?”
A pause. Then, a deep, unfamiliar voice. “Miss Evans, this is Alexander Carter. I believe we need to meet.”
Natalie’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry, who?”
“The lawyer handling the Sinclair estate.”
Her heart clenched. Of course, Adrian wouldn’t let go that easily.
Ava watched her closely, concern flickering in her eyes. Natalie inhaled deeply before responding. “Fine. Let’s meet.”
As she ended the call, a sense of foreboding settled over her.
Adrian wasn’t done with her yet.
But she wasn’t the same woman he had once controlled.
And this time, she would be ready.
---
Later that day, Natalie found herself in an upscale law firm, the pristine glass walls reflecting her own composed but wary expression. The receptionist had led her to a private meeting room, where she now sat, waiting.
The door creaked open, and a tall, well-dressed man stepped inside. Alexander Carter was younger than she expected, perhaps in his early forties, with sharp blue eyes and an air of quiet authority.
“Miss Evans,” he greeted, offering his hand. “Thank you for coming.”
She shook it, her grip firm. “I didn’t have much of a choice, did I?”
His lips curved into a small smile. “That depends on how you look at it. But I assure you, I’m only here to relay information.”
She crossed her arms. “Then relay it.”
He pulled a folder from his briefcase and slid it across the table. “Mr. Sinclair wishes to discuss the terms of your divorce settlement.”
Natalie arched a brow. “The terms are clear. We signed a prenup. He keeps his wealth, I keep my freedom.”
Carter hesitated before replying, “That’s… not entirely why he asked me to contact you.”
A chill ran down her spine. “Then why?”
He met her gaze evenly. “Mr. Sinclair believes there are unresolved matters between you two—matters he insists need to be addressed.”
Natalie scoffed. “Unresolved? The only unresolved thing between us is his ego refusing to accept that I walked away.”
Carter remained silent for a moment, then sighed. “Look, Miss Evans. I’m not here to take sides. But I can tell you this—Adrian Sinclair isn’t used to losing. And he certainly isn’t used to losing you.”
Her jaw clenched. “Well, he better get used to it.”
Carter slid another paper forward. “Just… read this before you decide anything. If you still want nothing to do with him, I’ll deliver your response.”
She hesitated before picking it up. As her eyes skimmed the words, her heartbeat quickened.
Ava’s voice echoed in her mind from earlier that morning. *You don’t owe him anything.*
She clenched her fists. No, she didn’t.
Looking up, she met Carter’s gaze and exhaled. “Tell Adrian my answer is still no.”
Carter nodded, but the flicker of intrigue in his eyes told her this wouldn’t be the last time they spoke.
As she walked out of the firm’s doors and into the bustling city streets, she knew one thing for certain:
Adrian Sinclair wasn’t done fighting for her.
But neither was she.
Kaugnay na kabanata
Rising From The Ashes Chapter 5: The Unfinished Battle
Natalie had barely taken a step into her penthouse when her phone rang again. She sighed, her muscles already tense from her earlier encounter with Adrian’s lawyer. Tossing her purse onto the marble counter, she glanced at the screen.*Adrian Sinclair.*She clenched her jaw. It had taken everything in her to keep her cool in that law office, to make it clear that she was done with his games. And yet, here he was, trying to pull her back into his orbit.Her finger hovered over the decline button, but something inside her hesitated. If she ignored him now, he’d only keep pushing. She needed to make her stance crystal clear.Taking a steadying breath, she answered. “What do you want, Adrian?”Silence. For a brief second, she thought he might have hung up, but then his voice came through, smooth and unreadable. “We need to talk.”“We did talk. Through your lawyer,” she shot back. “And my answer remains the same.”“This isn’t about the divorce settlement.”Her grip on the phone tightened.
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Rising From The Ashes Chapter 6: Shadows from the Past
Natalie sat in her office at *Evans Holdings*, staring at the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling window. The sun had long since set, and the glass reflected her own contemplative expression. She was no stranger to power plays, but the revelation Adrian had dropped on her last night at the gala still gnawed at her.*Madeline.*She had always known the woman was dangerous, but to go as far as sabotaging her? It wasn’t unthinkable. The woman had been desperate to claim Adrian, to ensure Natalie was nothing more than a forgotten footnote in his life. Now, with her rising from the ashes, Madeline must have felt threatened.A knock at her office door pulled her out of her thoughts.“Come in,” she called, straightening her posture.The door opened, and Henry stepped in, his face unreadable. “We have a problem.”She raised an eyebrow. “That’s never a good way to start a conversation.”Henry shut the door behind him and placed a folder on her desk. “I received a call from our PR team th
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Rising From The Ashes Chapter 7: A Game of Power
Natalie sat at the head of the long, gleaming conference table in *Evans Holdings*, her hands folded neatly in front of her. The air in the boardroom was thick with tension, the kind that wrapped around the lungs and squeezed. Seated around her were men twice her age—investors, board members, and executives who had built their careers in the shadows of her father. They had never taken her seriously. Today, that would change.Across the table sat Leonard Evans, her cousin. He was the picture of ease, leaning back in his chair, a smug smirk playing on his lips as if he hadn’t just been exposed for selling company secrets. “We have a problem,” Natalie began, her voice calm but sharp. “A problem that needs to be handled today.”Murmurs rippled through the room. Some board members exchanged wary glances, others leaned forward, intrigued. Leonard chuckled, shaking his head. “You make it sound so dramatic, Natalie. Care to enlighten us?”Her sharp gaze pinned him in place. “Don’t play dum
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Rising From The Ashes Chapter 8: The Cost of Defiance
Natalie sat in her office at *Evans Holdings*, her fingers rhythmically tapping against the polished mahogany desk. A sense of unease twisted in her stomach, though she refused to let it show. She had already made her first decisive move against Leonard, and now the dust was beginning to settle. But in this game of power, she knew the next strike would come soon.A knock at her door broke the silence. "Come in," she said, her voice steady.The door swung open, and Marcus, her ever-reliable assistant, stepped inside, his usual calm demeanor laced with something else today—concern."Miss Evans, there's something you need to see," he said, sliding a tablet across the desk.Natalie picked it up, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the news headlines flashing across the screen. *Evans Holdings in Crisis—Family Feud Spills into the Corporate Arena.*She exhaled sharply. Leonard wasn’t wasting any time. The article painted her as a ruthless opportunist, accusing her of orchestrating his down
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Rising From The Ashes Chapter 9: The Battlefield of Business and Betrayal
Natalie stepped into the boardroom of *Evans Holdings* with calculated confidence, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor. Every set of eyes in the room shifted to her, some filled with admiration, others with doubt. But she didn’t care. She had worked too hard to let their judgment shake her. She had fought for this moment, clawed her way up from the abyss of betrayal and heartbreak. And she wasn’t about to let anyone take it from her now.The long conference table gleamed under the soft lighting, lined with the company’s top executives and shareholders. At the head of the table sat Richard Caldwell, an influential board member whose allegiance still teetered between loyalty and self-interest. His expression was unreadable, but Natalie knew better than to trust appearances. He, like many others in this room, was a shark in tailored silk, waiting for the scent of blood in the water.Natalie took her seat, placing her hands firmly on the table. “Let’s begin.”Richard clea
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Rising From The Ashes Chapter 10: The Game of Power Begins
### **Chapter 10: The Game of Power Begins**Natalie sat in her office, the glow of the city skyline reflecting off the floor-to-ceiling windows. It was past midnight, but sleep had become a luxury she could no longer afford. Spreadsheets, reports, and confidential files cluttered her desk, each one another piece of the puzzle she was assembling. The battle for *Evans Holdings* was only just beginning.She took a sip of her now-cold coffee, her mind racing through the events of the past few days. The board had shown signs of hesitation, Leonard was still lurking in the shadows, and now Adrian had inserted himself into the picture once again. She knew better than to trust him, but something about the way he had warned her last night lingered in her thoughts.A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in," she called, rubbing her temples as the fatigue settled into her bones.The door opened to reveal Oliver Grant, her most trusted legal advisor and one of the few people she k
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-13Rising From The Ashes Chapter 11: Unfinished Business
The tension in the air was thick as Natalie sat in her office, reviewing the reports from last night’s investor meeting. She had managed to win over key stakeholders, but she knew better than to let her guard down. Leonard wouldn’t take this loss lightly, and the war for *Evans Holdings* was far from over.Her fingers tapped rhythmically against the mahogany desk, her mind racing with the possible counterattacks Leonard could mount. A hostile takeover was still on the table, but she had made sure her allies were firmly in place. She would not allow him to dismantle what her father had built.A sharp knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. "Come in," she said without looking up.The door opened, and her secretary, Laura, stepped inside, her expression unreadable. "Ms. Evans, you have an unexpected visitor."Natalie glanced up, her brow arching. "Who?"Before Laura could respond, Adrian Sinclair strode into the room with his usual air of confidence. Natalie inhaled sharply but
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-16Rising From The Ashes Chapter 12: The Price of Power
Natalie stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of her penthouse, looking down at the city lights that stretched infinitely beneath her. The skyline was breathtaking, a sprawling jungle of steel and glass, but tonight, it felt suffocating. The weight of Adrian's proposal still lingered in her mind.Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft chime of her phone. Glancing down, she saw Daniel Carter’s name flash on the screen. The financial mogul had been relentless in his pursuit of a business partnership, and she knew he wouldn't stop until he got an answer.She answered, her voice composed. “Daniel.”“Natalie,” came his smooth baritone. “I trust you’ve had time to consider my offer.”“I have,” she said, turning away from the window. “But before I make a decision, I need to know one thing—what exactly do you want out of this partnership?”A chuckle echoed through the receiver. “Straight to the point. I like that about you.” He paused before continuing. “I see potential, Natalie.
Huling Na-update : 2025-03-16
Pinakabagong kabanata
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
