Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 119

119 The Extortion

Perry’s face lit up with genuine pleasure, and without hesitation, he agreed to help. Tatiana, too, had no objections—after all, he had come to her aid, and she felt a strong need to repay that kindness. She headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal after picking up some groceries, while Perry took the initiative to tidy up the scrap metal scattered across the small yard. His movements were purposeful, almost as if he wanted to silently prove his worth. Jaime watched him with satisfaction, engaging him in conversation for quite some time. The small courtyard seemed to glow with a warm, comforting atmosphere, the kind that made even the coldest days feel a little less harsh.

Meanwhile, across the street, Jasper remained hidden in the shadows, his gaze fixed intently on Perry. After a long, tense silence, he finally spoke in a slow, deliberate voice. “Find out everything about that man.” Felix glanced at Perry, then nodded silently. “Understood,” he replied.

Once Perry had left, Jaime took Tatiana’s hand gently in hers, a soft smile playing on her lips. “See? He’s a good man—he likes you, he’s hardworking, and he has a skill. Your life with him could be steady, even comfortable.” Tatiana lowered her eyes, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her face. “Let’s wait and see,” she murmured quietly.

In truth, Tatiana had already mapped out her escape plan. She was determined to leave after receiving the last batch of ‘medicine’ from Baron. Her goal was clear: to take her grandmother away with her and start anew, far from the shadows that now surrounded them.

At the hospital, Dr. Harlow observed her carefully, his tone professional yet reassuring. “The healing is progressing well. Keep applying the ointment to speed up recovery. When the time is right, I’ll perform the skin graft surgery. Trust me—I’m confident in my skills.”

Tatiana stared at her reflection in the mirror. The wound was definitely less grotesque than before, but the scars remained deep and unforgiving. She doubted the surgery could restore her skin to perfect condition. After collecting the ointment and other prescribed medications, she left the hospital under Felix’s watchful eye. Jasper had insisted that Felix oversee her medication schedule to ensure she didn’t miss a dose.

Returning home with her supplies, Tatiana was shocked to find her grandmother missing. Suddenly, her phone rang. She answered, only to be met with a harsh, threatening voice. “Hello? Are you the relative of that old hag? Get over here now! Pay up! She broke our property. If you don’t come and settle this, I swear I’ll beat her to death!”

Her heart plummeted. Panic surged through her veins. “Where are you? Please don’t hurt Grandma—I’m coming right now!” The man barked out an address before abruptly hanging up. Tatiana was about to rush out the door but stopped to grab every last bill she had on hand.

When she arrived, the scene was all too familiar—the Funland Club. Her fragile grandmother was trapped in the middle of several burly men, their voices rough with curses. “Why hasn’t your granddaughter shown up yet? Are you lying to me? If I find out you’re lying, I’ll kill you, you useless old woman!” one of them spat.

Jaime’s face drained of color as she stammered, “I—I’ll pay you. Please don’t hurt my granddaughter. I have money…” She fumbled in her pocket and pulled out a small, neatly folded wad of bills, the largest note a mere ten-dollar bill. The men laughed cruelly and slapped the money away. “Stop joking! That vase is worth thirty thousand dollars! Not a penny less!”

Fear overtook Jaime’s expression. “I—I don’t have that kind of money!” she pleaded.

Tatiana stepped forward quickly, placing herself between the men and her grandmother. “Don’t touch her!” The men turned to face her, grinning wickedly. “So, you’re here to pay up?” one sneered. “Cindy, you should go home. Don’t get involved.”

They were muscle for the club, and with nothing better to do during the day, they had targeted Jaime while she collected bottles. Frustrated from being scolded and having their wages cut by the manager, they had deliberately knocked over the vase and now demanded an exorbitant sum as compensation—a windfall they weren’t about to let slip away.

Tatiana’s mind raced. She knew this was extortion, but these men were big and violent. Any resistance would only lead to disaster. Struggling to keep her voice steady, she said, “We will pay, but we don’t have that much right now. I can give you three thousand dollars as a deposit. I’ll go home and raise the rest.”

The men laughed mockingly, their tone dripping with contempt. “Little girl, are you stupid? Or do you think we’re fools? If you walk away, you won’t come back. Either leave the money now, or neither of you leaves.”

They closed in, blocking any chance of escape. Tatiana only had three thousand dollars on her. There was no way to produce more immediately. “I’ll pay,” she insisted. “But if you don’t let me go, how will I get you the rest?”

One of the men growled, “One of you stays behind.”

Jaime shook her head, desperate and trembling. “Cindy, you go! Don’t worry about me. I’m old—I’m not worth thirty thousand dollars!”