Against Cruelty, She Grew Strong (by Anastasia Glover) novel Chapter 626

Chapter 626-Shadows of the Past

Finished

“Tammy.”

“Hmm?”

“Tomorrow, I need to return home for two days.”

Tammy blinked in surprise. “Why the sudden trip back? Is something wrong?”

“Yeah. My father passed away.”

He delivered the news with such complete levelness that it sounded exactly like a casual comment about the weather, rather than a statement about his own father’s demise:

Tammy was at a temporary loss for words, managing only a hesitant response. “Then… please accept my condolences?”

Lucas didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “There’s no need to worry. I held no genuine affection for him. However, there are a few outstanding matters I wish to settle properly before my own time runs out.”

Seeing that he genuinely harbored no grief, Tammy’s tension fully dissolved. “Alright. In that case, I’ll return home with you.”

“There’s no need to go through all that trouble.”

“I miss Tatiana, Ann, and Hubert.”

Fine, he had completely flattered himself.

“Understood. We’ll head back together then.”

Lucas quickly secured the airline tickets.

While Tammy’s desire to see Tatiana and the children was entirely genuine, she also harbored a subtle inclination to put some distance between herself and a certain individual.

Determined to give Tatiana a wonderful surprise, she explicitly chose not to breathe a word of their plans, keeping the secret completely secure.

Tatiana had never once imagined that her next encounter with Jasper would unfold under these specific

circumstances.

She was seated inside her vehicle, waiting out a red light, when a casual glance out the window brought her face-to-face with the very individual she had spent months searching for to no avail.

He was dressed in a casual black jacket and jeans, a cigarette clamped tightly between his fingers. His entire bearing radiated a deeply disheveled, detached aura, a stark contrast to the immaculate, dignified presence of the prominent CEO she once knew.

For a split second,

But a second, deliberate book confirmed beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was truly him.

“Stop the car!”

The driver responded in a panic, “Miss, the light has turned green.”

“Unlock the door!”

Daring not to defy her command, the driver immediately unlocked the cabin.

Tatiana vaulted from the vehicle instantly, navigating her way through the bustling flow of traffic, narrowly avoiding several oncoming cars as she ran toward the sidewalk without a single shred of hesitation.

As she closed the distance, she called out, “Jasper.”

Suddenly, two construction workers carrying a massive wooden plank stepped directly into her path, blocking her line of sight.

Frantic, she nimbly skirted around the obstacle, but the moment she cleared the path, the figure standing by the wall had completely vanished.

She froze in her tracks, staring blankly at the completely empty space.

A single, smoldering cigarette butt lay on the concrete.

It stood as the sole confirmation that she hadn’t merely hallucinated the encounter.

How could she possibly describe the sudden wave of emotion hitting her chest?

The rims of her eyes turned hot and the bridge of her nose tingled, yet the fierce pride she had cultivated over the years kept her expression from crumbling entirely. Only a faint flush of crimson remained at the edges of her eyes.

After a long silence, she turned to leave.

The driver had already maneuvered the vehicle to the curb, waiting quietly.

The moment she stepped back into the cabin, the driver inquired with absolute caution, “Where would you like to go, Miss?”

She lowered her head, her voice thoroughly exhausted. “Take me back.”

The luxury sedan slowly glided away from the curb.

Deep within the shadows of the alleyway, the man remained standing, his eyes quietly tracking the vehicle as it disappeared from view.

“Do you know that girl? It looked like she was running directly toward you just now.”

Jasper offered no response.

Chapter 625 Shadows of the Past

Finished

The group of street thugs surrounding him, however, began to chatter enthusiastically among themselves. “She is remarkably stunning, exactly like a major celebrity! Her skin is so fair it practically radiates light!”

“Didn’t you catch the vehicle she stepped out of? A Bentley! Incredibly expensive! I’ve only ever seen those in luxury magazines!”

“Damn, a gorgeous heiress with that kind of wealth. Seducing a woman like that means you could skip thirty years of hard labor entirely. What an absolute dream! If it were me, I’d make sure to completely satisfy her in bed.”

The remarks grew increasingly crude.

Before the rest of the crew could laugh, the speaker was violently struck across the face, collapsing heavily onto the dirt.

The laughter died instantly.

Jasper rolled his knuckles, a smear of fresh blood coating his skin, indicating he hadn’t held back his strength in the slightest.

The thug who had spoken lay with a mouth full of blood, two of his teeth entirely dislodged.

‘Jasper…”

‘Go clean your mouth out.”

‘Yes, yes, of course! My apologies, Jasper! I crossed the lime!”

Jasper’s voice dripped with absolute disgust. “Get lost”

The remaining thugs scrambled to drag their injured companion away, leaving the area in a hurry.

The only individual left behind was Foster.

With a completely blank expression, Foster observed, “Beating them to a pulp doesn’t change the underlying reality.”

Jasper lowered his eyes, a trace of visible irritation surfacing.

“There is no need for change.”

୮

‘You are utilizing these sketchy, low-life networks to gather intelligence, intentionally embedding yourself in their world. Have you never once stopped to consider the consequences?”

290

Even in Darkness, Shc Chose to Rise

Chapter 626 The Invisible Net

“If I don’t take this step, the threat will always hang over us.”

He pulled out a cigarette and struck a match.

Finished

He had never been one to indulge in a smoking habit. For the sake of Tatiana and the children, he had rarely touched tobacco in the past.

Now, a faint scent of smoke constantly clung to his clothes.

This is the only method available to suppress my agonizing impulse to return to her side.

But it was entirely impossible.

As long as the Langstrom family remained active, everything Tatiana built would inevitably suffer the exact same fate as the Jackson family.

Since ancient times, private citizens could never prevail against entrenched authority; even a fortune vast enough to rival nations meant absolutely nothing when pitted against absolute power.

He refused to gamble with her safety ever again.

Foster crossed his arms, offering a cynical observation. “She has absolutely no knowledge of this master plan of yours. To her, you are simply a coward who is intentionally hiding away, turning a blind eye and running from reality. Furthermore, she is by no means short on persistent suitors. You are on incredibly thin ice.”

Jasper snapped the cigarette cleanly in half under his fingers.

Foster wisely shut his mouth.

If he pressed the matter any further, there was no guarantee the man wouldn’t lose his temper and strike him.

Jasper turned on his heel to depart, tossing a final remark over his shoulder. “It won’t be much longer.”

Yet, he remained completely unaware that the brief encounter today had completely shattered the final shred of tolerance lingering in Tatiana’s heart.

When she returned to the estate, a heavy cloud of oppressive tension blanketed her entire presence.

Ann and Hubert sensed the shift instantly. Exchanging a brief glance, they carefully trotted over to her side.

“Mommy, what’s wrong? Did someone out there dare to make you angry? Tell us, and we’ll help you give them a thorough lesson!”

Looking down at the exceptionally sweet, well-behaved little ones, and then thinking back to that miserable coward, Tatiana let out a cold, bitter laugh. “Would you two like to pick out a new father?”

Chapter 6261The Invisible Net

am delighted. How could I not be?”

“You’re lying.”

The older generation truly possessed a sharper eye.

It was completely impossible to deceive Vivian.

Finished

Tatiana pressed a hand against her brow, biting her lower lip gently before finally forcing the request aloud. “Could you assist me in investigating a certain matter?”

“Tell me what it is first.”

“The case files regarding the Jackson family. I want to review the exact details.”

Vivian’s expression shifted instantly. “What exactly are you planning to do?”

“Nothing at all. I simply wish to understand.”

Vivian didn’t buy the explanation for a second, but looking at her thoroughly exhausted demeanor, and considering how effectively Tatiana had helped her resolve a few tricky situations recently, she ultimately

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