Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 11

Chapter II Groveling in the Shadows

The room went silent.

No one dared to breathe. Only Cody’s screams and pleas echoed..

“I won’t, I won’t! Jasper, I won’t do it anymore! I’m sorry, I’m sorry…

Jasper pulled his foot back, his voice dripping with disgust. “Get out.”

Cody scrambled out on hands and knees.

Everyone exchanged looks. Had Jasper just stood up for Tatiana?

Impossible.

Wasn’t she the one he hated most?

As doubt spread, Jasper slowly turned toward her.

“If you like groveling so much, then stay down. Grovel until everyone sees you.”

Tatiana pressed her lips together and whispered, “Yes.”

+ Pearls

She pushed herself up with effort, shuffled toward the main entrance, and knelt in a corner where she wouldn’t block the way.

Her figure was frail, her oversized uniform hanging off her thin frame. She knelt stiff and motionless, like a statue.

Her dignity as a human being was trampled underfoot.

Some people looked away, unable to watch. A few even thought of pulling her up, but were stopped.

“Are you insane? That’s Mr. Jackson’s order. Do you want to get yourself killed?”

“Damn… so she offended Mr. Jackson? No wonder.”

“You must be new. You don’t know her? That’s Tatiana Lowell–oh no, now it’s Tatiana Steele. She used to be the Lowell family’s eldest daughter, but after her identity was exposed, turns out she was a fraud. She’s pissed off plenty of people. That’s why she’s down there now.”

“Pathetic.”

One by one, the club guests recognized her, their gazes dripping with ridicule..

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11:29 Sat, Oct 25

Chapter 11 Groveling in the Shadows

++ Pearls

But Tatiana stayed kneeling, quiet and obedient. Compared to what she’d endured in the reformatory, this humiliation was almost merciful.

Inside the private room, laughter and conversation slowly returned.

No one dared approach Jasper. The air around him was too heavy, suffocating.

He sat in the shadows near the floor–to–ceiling window, neon lights flickering outside. Colors spilled across his sharp profile, but his expression was unreadable.

No one noticed that from here, he had the perfect view of the main entrance.

The frail figure kneeling there burned into his gaze.

Jasper, look! Bianca’s here!”

Jasper pulled his eyes back and turned.

Bianca walked in, surrounded by people, and naturally slipped into the seat beside him. “Jasper, what are you looking at?”

“Nothing. Why are you here?”

“I came out for some air. Then Shawn said you were here too, so I dropped by.”

Someone joked, “Come on, don’t lie. You came because Jasper’s here, right?”

Bianca’s checks turned pink. “No, really, I just came to celebrate Shawn’s birthday.”

The birthday boy, Shawn Cooper, grinned from ear to ear. He was from the powerful Cooper family, and had grown up chasing after Jasper. To him, Jasper was everything. And Bianca came second.

She had once, by sheer accident, saved his life. From that day, Shawn had defended her relentlessly–and mocked Tatiana at every chance.

It had been his idea to bring Tatiana in as a janitor, to humiliate her.

And now, he egged the crowd on again. “Bianca’s blushing! Jasper, when do we get to drink your wedding toast, huh? I’ll bring the biggest gift envelope!”

The others followed his lead, laughing, coaxing, flattering.

Bianca lowered her eyes, then glanced sideways at Jasper, waiting for him to say something.

But Jasper seemed distracted.

11:29 Sat, Oct 25

Chapter 11 Groveling in the Shades

Pearls

His gaze was fixed downward.

Bianca followed his line of sight–and her smile froze.

At the entrance, a drunken man was pawing at Tatiana, tugging at her uniform until it was about to rip. No one moved to help.

Bianca quickly clung to Jasper’s arm. Jasper. I don’t feel well. I’m dizzy.

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