Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 154

**Even the Night Couldn’t Silence Her Light**

Tatiana felt an overwhelming urge to retreat, to hide away from the memories that clawed at her heart like a persistent shadow. The act of recalling those moments now felt akin to standing in a public square, baring her soul for all to judge, confessing sins she had long buried.

Yet, Jasper was relentless. He leaned in, his gaze piercing through her defenses, his voice rough and demanding, “Continue.”

She averted her eyes, turning her face away from his penetrating stare, and with her teeth clenched, she muttered, “There’s nothing left to say. It’s all in the past!”

But Jasper, with an unsettling calmness, filled in the silence for her. “You couldn’t accept that I was gone. You went to the Protestant Church, searching for a heavenly lantern to guide me. You climbed all 309 steps, one by one, each step a testament to your faith. In that smoke-filled room, thick with incense, you risked burns just to capture the flame. Your wish was a prayer for my safety, for my well-being.”

Each word he uttered drained the color from her face, leaving her feeling as if she were being flayed alive.

Wasn’t this akin to beating a dead horse?

Finally, he delivered a statement that hung in the air like a heavy fog, “Tatiana, you love me.”

At that, she erupted into laughter, a sound that echoed with disbelief and bitterness.

Her laughter rolled on, uncontrollable, as Jasper stood frozen, caught off guard by her reaction.

With eyes glinting with mockery, she finally managed to speak between gasps of laughter, “Jasper, are you just now figuring this out? The whole world knew, and you’re only realizing it now?”

How tragically ironic!

After all these years, it was only in this moment that Jasper finally grasped the truth.

“I love you, so I deserve to die!”

With a forceful shove, she pushed him away, her hand brushing her mouth as if to erase the very essence of his touch.

Jasper’s lips pressed into a thin line, his hands balling into fists as he struggled to articulate a response, “It’s not like that.”

Tilting her head, a self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips. “Everyone thought I was overreaching. So many women like you. In all of Dalliston, there were scores of women who adored you, lining up from the east side of the city to the west, all yearning for just a fleeting glance from you. I was one of them. But I was the most foolish of all—foolish enough to dream of marrying you.”

Every word sliced through the air like a razor, each syllable laced with venom.

“Jasper, have you had enough? Because I can keep going.”

“Were you truly moved just by the heavenly lantern?”

“What I did for you was far beyond that!”

“I was terrified you’d get hurt, so I earned my nurse certification. You have a weak stomach, and you’re such a picky eater, so I sacrificed my piano practice to learn how to cook for you. I read every book you liked, every single one. I tried my utmost to understand the work you did. I desperately sought to keep pace with you, just hoping you’d spare me a single glance.”

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, her voice thick with emotion. The more she spoke, the more she realized the extent of her own foolishness.

Utterly, irrevocably foolish.

“Jasper, if you had ever turned back to look at me, even just once, you wouldn’t be able to utter something so revolting.”

With a fierce swipe, she wiped away her tears and turned on her heel, striding away with purpose.

Jasper remained rooted in place, his dark eyes staring into nothingness, lost in a storm of thoughts.

When Gordon emerged from the side room, he was taken aback by the sight of Tatiana’s swollen eyes. “Girl, what happened? Why are you crying? Who hurt you?”

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