Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 35

35 A Temporary Reassurance

“Bianca!”

H

Finished

Jasper, ignoring his injuries, rushed forward to help her up. “Bianca, are you all right?”

But when she looked up, revealing a tear–streaked face, she forced out one aggrieved word: “It hurts!”

He looked down and saw that her knee was scraped and bleeding.

A heavy sense of guilt washed over him. Jasper’s voice softened. “Be more careful next time. Don’t hurt yourself. I’ll have a doctor come and treat it.”

Bianca grabbed his sleeve, looking like she was about to burst into tears, and said in a choked voice, “Jasper, you still haven’t answered me.”

“I don’t care about her.”

“Then why are you searching for her like this?”

Jasper lowered his gaze and gave the reason that best fit his actions: “The divorce cooling–off period ends in half a month. She needs to be present.”

Bianca froze. “Really?”

“Yes, really. There’s no other reason.”

She reached out and hugged him tightly. “Jasper, don’t leave me, okay? I can’t live without you.”

He put his arms around her gently. “I won’t leave you.”

Bianca’s tears dampened his collar, steadying his previously wavering heart.

He solidified his conviction. The only reason to find Tatiana was for the divorce.

To give Bianca a sense of security, he promised they would get engaged after the divorce was finalized.

He even arranged for a professional team to prepare for the engagement ceremony.

Bianca’s tears turned to smiles, unable to hide the smugness in her heart.

At this point, 16 hours had passed since Tatiana’s disappearance.

She was curled up inside a cardboard box, clutching the suitcase, afraid to move.

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Chapter 35 A Temporary Reassurance

She was thirsty, hungry, and exhausted, but she didn’t dare move recklessly.

The food and water Lilian had bought for her were all gone.

D

Finished

After enduring half the night, at the first light of dawn, she finally moved her stiff body and cautiously headed out.

She had thought for a long time and finally found a way to leave safely.

Avoiding the crowds, she pulled her suitcase to a seedy street corner.

Many unlicensed taxis were parked there, waiting in line for passengers.

She picked the most inconspicuous car, walked over, and asked:

“I want to go… to Yalvoria. How much?”

The driver looked Tatiana up and down, his expression immediately turning to disgust. “How long has it been since you showered? You stink! Go, go, I’m not driving you!”

Tatiana pressed her lips together, said nothing, and moved to ask another driver.

But almost no driver was willing to take her.

Just as she was bordering on despair, someone called out to her: “Hey, sis, where are you headed?”

She turned her head and saw a kind–looking, heavy–set woman. Next to her was a small car that clearly looked ready for the junkyard.

“Yalvoria.”

“Alright, I’ll take you. Those men are just a bunch of trouble, so picky! Get in!”

“How… how much?”

“They’ll charge you six hundred. My car’s a bit run–down and not as fast, so I’ll give you a discount. Four hundred.”

She nodded repeatedly, letting out a huge sigh of relief.

The woman helped her lift the suitcase into the trunk, expressing surprise. “Oof, this is really heavy! What do you have in here?”

A trace of panic flashed in her eyes, and she found an excuse: “Textbooks.”

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Chapter 35 A Temporary Reassurance

“Oh, you’re a student?”

She nodded vaguely.

“What are you studying?”

“History.”

She was just making things up.

2 Finished,

But the woman was clearly very talkative. Once in the car, she chatted the entire way, about everything under the sun, and even pried into her personal affairs.

Tatiana was very guarded. She mostly gave vague, evasive answers. Coupled with her slow, halting speech, she revealed almost no information.

The woman noticed. “Young lady, do you have a stutter?”

“No, I don’t. I just… talk a little slowly.”

“You don’t look very old, young lady. Why are you traveling out of town all by yourself?”

“Visiting… relatives.”

To avoid more chatting, she simply closed her eyes and pretended to sleep.

The woman had to shut up, driving on with an awkward expression.

The smell of gasoline filled her nose, mixed with the stench of old, rotting leather that even the air conditioner couldn’t disperse. It made her feel sick.

Her stomach churned, and she felt faintly nauseous.

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