Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 181

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

**I’ll Wait for You**

Marilyn’s heart stumbled in her chest, a sudden, unwelcome rush of memories flooding her mind. The past, with its shadows and echoes of pain, crept back, and in an instant, her confidence dissipated like mist in the morning sun. “Jasper, you can’t keep acting like this,” she urged, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and frustration.

Jasper, his expression unreadable, took a deliberate step back, preparing to leave the tension-laden space. But before he crossed the threshold, he turned his gaze back to Bianca, his eyes narrowing with a fierce intensity that sent a chill down her spine. It was a look that spoke volumes, a clear warning laced with a hint of menace. “There won’t be a next time. If I ever find out you’ve said anything strange to her again, you will pay back everything she suffered, one hundred times over.” His voice was low, each word dripping with a promise of retribution.

And then he was gone.

Bianca felt her legs buckle beneath her, and she crumpled to the floor, a cold wave of despair washing over her. That look—he knows. He knows everything. Not just about the impersonation, but the rehab center, too. Panic surged through her, twisting her stomach into knots. Her mind raced, grappling with the weight of his gaze, her face pale as if all the color had been drained from her.

Meanwhile, Jasper was on a mission. He had pulled the surveillance footage, his mind set on finding Tatiana. She hadn’t left the hotel; he could see that clearly. With a steely resolve, he locked down all the exits and combed through every inch of the place. Finally, he stumbled upon her in the laundry room, curled up in a tight ball, her soft sobs echoing in the otherwise silent space.

He hesitated for a moment, signaling to his men to stay back. This was a moment he needed to handle alone. Approaching her, he removed his suit jacket and gently draped it over her shivering frame, hoping to provide some comfort.

Tatiana’s shoulders, which had been trembling, grew rigid under the weight of his gesture.

Slowly, she lifted her gaze, revealing eyes swollen and rimmed with red, a haunting reflection of her sorrow. The dependence that once colored her expression was replaced by a raw, unfiltered grief.

Jasper crouched down to her level, trying to meet her gaze with tenderness. He reached out, intending to comfort her with a gentle pat on the head, but she flinched away, his hand meeting nothing but empty air. His heart tightened in response.

“I hate you!” she cried, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her cheeks once more.

In that moment, he felt a painful ache in his chest, a sensation that was all too new to him. “Don’t cry,” he managed to whisper, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion.

“You… you promised… that when I grew up… you’d marry me! You lied! You tricked me!” Her sobs grew louder, each word laced with betrayal and hurt.

Jasper’s expression turned distant as memories rushed back to him, unbidden.

In those early days, he hadn’t harbored any hatred toward her. In fact, he had found her endearing, a little silly, always trailing behind him like a shadow. He remembered teasing her, laughingly agreeing to her innocent “request” to marry him when she grew up, never once realizing the weight of those words.

But she had taken him seriously. She had clung to that promise for fifteen long years.

And now, he had forgotten. He had treated her like an afterthought, causing her pain without a second thought. The past was a tapestry of regret, and he couldn’t undo the damage he had wrought.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, the words barely escaping his lips.

Without thinking, he reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly despite her struggles against him.

“Let me go!” she protested, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

“Shh, don’t cry,” he murmured, his heart breaking at her distress.

In a moment of defiance, Tatiana opened her mouth and bit down hard on his neck. The sharp pain shot through him, but even then, he didn’t release her. It hurt, just as much as it had before, but he remained resolute.

“Don’t cry, Tati,” he said softly, almost tenderly.

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