Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 371

Chapter 371 A Fabricated Fairy Tale

There was still no reply.

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound at the door made her jump. “Who is it?”

“It’s me.”

Jasper!

What was he doing here? Bianca scrambl rushed to open the door.

“Jasper? Is something wrong?”

+5 Pearls

to find her mask, enduring the stinging pain as she

Jasper looked at her masked face. Her eyes were darting around, thick with guilt and a desperate need to hide. His expression darkened slightly. “What happened?”

“I… I have a bit of a cold. I was worried I might pass it on to you or the children.”

“Is it serious? Should I call a doctor?”

“No, no, no! There’s no need for that. I’m fine,

ally.”

As she spoke, she couldn’t stop her hand from twitching, desperately wanting to scratch the skin beneath the fabric. Jasper noticed faint, fresh blood blooming through the surface of the mask.

“If you’re unwell, tell me. You don’t have to endure it alone.”

“I know. Oh, Jasper, you’re so good to me.” She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

He suppressed a surge of revulsion, perfectly playing the part of the devoted lover. “Ann and Hubert want to go to the beach,” he whispered. “I promised them we’d head out the day after tomorrow. Do you want to join us?”

Bianca’s eyes lit up. A trip to the coast? This was the perfect opportunity! “I’d love to!”

“Good. Get your things ready, then.”

“Aren’t you staying tonight?”

“I have several high–stakes meetings regarding a few partnerships. I won’t be able to stay. I’m

1/4

10:27 Sat, Jan 3

Chapter 371 A Fabricated Fairy Tale

sorry.”

0:0

$78

+5 Pearls

Bianca breathed a private sigh of relief. Her face was itching so violently she didn’t dare let him see her without the mask. She forced a look of saintly patience. “It’s okay. Your work is important. Just don’t overwork yourself.”

“I won’t. Get some rest.”

The moment the door closed, Bianca began clawing at her face while simultaneously relaying the “good news” to her superiors.

Outside, the second Jasper turned the corner, his tenderness vanished. His eyes turned cold as stone. “Proceed as planned,” he commanded a subordinate in a low voice. “Don’t let a single detail slip.”

“Yes, sir.”

Now that he had found the real Tatiana, his patience for the imposter had reached its breaking point. He wasn’t going to wait any longer; he was taking the offensive. He would leave a “vulnerability” in his defenses to lure the big fish out of the shadows.

But before he could execute the plan, he needed to leave for a short while–which was proving to be the hardest part.

The seventeen–year–old Tatiana was more clingy than she had ever been.

Case in point: in the middle of the night, a soft knock came at his door. He opened it to find her standing there clutching a pillow, her eyes wide and expectant.

“It’s thundering. I’m scared. Can I sleep in here?”

Jasper sat up in bed and let out a long, weary sigh. “Come in.”

Tatiana didn’t hesitate. She shut the door, scrambled onto the bed, and laid down her pillow with a blush. The covers were already warm, carrying the faint, crisp scent of cedar–his scent. Being under the blankets felt like being enveloped by him.

Her cheeks began to burn, and she lay perfectly still, her mind racing with a hundred different thoughts.

Suddenly, the covers shifted. He was getting out of bed.

She instinctively reached out and grabbed his hand. “Where are you going?”

“You take the bed. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

Jasper was no saint–Ann and Hubert were proof of that. But he wasn’t a predator either. The

2/4

10:27 Sat, Jan 3

Chapter 371 A Fabricated Fairy Tale

78

+5 Pearle

current Tatiana was vulnerable and confused; taking advantage of her now would be a betrayal of her trust. He wanted to give her the respect she deserved.

He didn’t realize that in her eyes, his “respect” looked an awful lot like rejection.

“You’re lying to me, aren’t you?” Her eyes welled with tears, the large, beautiful orbs shimmering with moisture.

His heart tightened. “Lying about what?” Had she remembered something?

“You’re lying! We aren’t really a couple! If we were, why would you leave? Husbands and wives don’t sleep in separate places!”

So, that was it. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. “I’m not lying to you.”

“Then why are you leaving? I don’t care! If I’m your wife and you’re my husband, then we sleep together. It’s only natural!”

“Tatiana…”

“We’re sleeping together! Don’t you dare leave!”

A long silence followed before he finally lay back down. She didn’t let go of his hand, so he shifted his grip, his large palm enveloping her small hand in a firm, protective hold.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify