Against Cruelty, She Grew Strong (by Anastasia Glover) novel Chapter 613

Jasper was right by her side.

He followed her like a shadow, clinging to her every step, yet he flatly refused to show his face.

Instead of rushing back, she extended her stay. The moment the principal heard, she insisted that Tatiana move into the orphanage. The kids had grown absolutely attached to her.

Tatiana accepted the offer.

The principal allocated a private guest cottage for her stay, situated at a vantage point that commanded the absolute finest view of the entire facility. Opening the bedroom windows provided a clear, unobstructed sight of the children playing in the central garden.

She expressed her gratitude to the principal and immediately authorized a massive injection of capital to upgrade the children’s daily meals, personally guaranteeing their nutritional standards.

Later tha decid

her phone vibrated with an incoming call from Vivian. Upon learning that she had the facility for a few days, the older woman couldn’t resist a playful poke. “I thought or absolutely zero interest in that boy from the Langstrom family? How is it that the anaged to stay behind together?”

or a fraction of a second. “What?”

ressively volunteered for a half–month external assignment down there,” Vivian explained y. “He’s staying behind, too.”

na let out a heavy, exhausted sigh. “I share absolutely zero connection with him.”

vian let out a low chuckle on the other end of the line before abruptly delivering a quiet statement.

“But wasn’t your initial motive to close the distance to him anyway?”

Tatiana’s heart constricted with savage force, nearly stopping dead in her chest.

She gripped the mobile device, her throat locking as she failed to utter a single syllable.

Yet Vivian remained perfectly serene, openly teasing her silence. “Panicking already? Tatiana, my darling. you are still far too young.”

“Vivian…”

“Did you honestly believe I was entirely blind to your strategy? Relax, it is a minor variable. There is absolutely zere

Tatian

lungs, letting out a sharp exhale. “I am deeply sorry.”

p past the Langstroms‘ defenses. A family with that much

she’d come knocking directly.

nged everything.

Chapter 613 The Web of Truth

That had been her exact calculation.

..

Finished

The reality of the present, however, was that she had grown genuinely fond of Vivian, treasuring their connection as a real, authentic friendship completely detached from any underlying corporate ambition.

“Regardless of whether you choose to believe me, I no longer harbor a single intention of exploiting your influence.”

“Of course I believe you,” Vivian countered gently. “I can read a person’s true character flawlessly. If I sensed a single drop of malice in you, do you honestly believe I would still be sitting on this line conversing with you?”

A massive wave of pure relief washed over Tatiana’s chest.

Simultaneously, a sharp wave of humility hit her. She realized she had been incredibly naive to think her amateur maneuvers could escape the notice of a high–society veteran like Vivian, an elite evaluator who had spent decades cataloging every imaginable breed of corporate parasite.

Thank goodness her own lack of real malice had saved the dynamic.

“Consider the matter buried permanently; you have zero reason to lose sleep over it. I am far from a petty, small–minded woman. True nobility judges an individual by their actions, not their passing calculations.”

Vivian smoothly closed the chapter on the subject. But because she was entirely aware that Tatiana genuinely wanted zero remaining association with that household, she offered a parting, cryptic warning “Maintain a safe distance from Liam. That Langstrom family network is anything but simple.”

Tatiana’s expression turned into a mask of absolute seriousness. “I understand completely.”

“I can tell you’ve been carrying a heavy burden lately,” Vivian added, her tone softening. “Treat this extension as a quiet, well–deserved vacation. It will do you good. I will be waiting for your return to the capital.”

A genuine warmth bloomed in Tatiana’s chest. “Thank you, Vivian.”

The moment the call disconnected, her gaze drifted past the window drapes to lock onto the open courtyard, her voice dropping to a low mutter as if addressing the empty air.

“You better pray I don’t catch you, Jasper.”

Back at the mining compound, Tammy hummed a casual tune as she distributed a fresh portion of food to Sparky.

Sparky was a magnificent German Shepherd Xavier had delivered to her quarters–a muscular, incredibly sharp beast whose imposing frame was more than enough to terrify any intruder.

Tammy adored Sparky. Beyond his exceptional capabilities as a guard dog, he was incredibly intelligent and deeply intuitive. While the rest of the workers on the ground avoided the clearing out of sheer terror, she handled him without a single trace of fear, managing his feeding schedule entirely by herself.

Chapter 613 The Web of Truth

Naturally, Sparky was intensely devoted to her.

“Sparky! Sit!”

Emished

The massive German Shepherd, whose vertical height easily eclipsed a grown adult when standing on his hind legs, immediately dropped his weight onto the dirt, his tongue rolling out as he flashed a thoroughly goofy, adoring expression,

Tammy reached down to vigorously scratch the thick fur behind his ears. “Good boy!”

Suddenly, the dog’s focus snapped toward the perimeter fence behind her. The playful demeanor vanished instantly as he bared his fangs, a vicious rumble vibrating in his throat.

Sensing a shift in the wind, Tammy turned her head to scan the clearing, her eyes locking onto a highly familiar figure standing near the treeline.

It was Norman.

She straightened her spine, casually patting Sparky’s head to keep him anchored by her side.

24

“What exactly are you doing here?”

Norman was dressed in a loose, unbuttoned tailored suit, his tie completely discarded to project his standard air of reckless abandon, yet his features were written in a heavy, unmistakable layer of exhaustion.

A continuous distance of ten meters separated their positions.

Yet it felt exactly like a bottomless canyon.

Norman kept his eyes pinned to her face, his voice/tense. “Where the hell did you disappear to?”

“None of your goddamn business.”

Norman’s hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. “Did you choose to run back to him?”

Tammy tilted her head to the side, letting out a sharp, mocking click of her tongue.

“Wow. Seeing a look like that on your face is an absolute rarity. Don’t tell me you actually took that pathetic, brainless period of amnesia seriously?”

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