Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 419

Chapter 419 Not a Falling Out

Finished

Jasper looked up, but he only saw the back of her head as she turned away, causing his chest to tighten.

Two other university students, seeing how out of line their companion was being, felt a surge of collective irritation. They quickly grabbed another bottle and handed it to Tatiana. “Here, have some water.”

Tatiana took the bottle, offered her thanks, and continued running while taking a sip.

Jasper, meanwhile, did not take the water from the first girl. He simply kept running forward.

“Hey! Don’t you want the water?”

The female student took a few steps to chase after him before being pulled back by her classmates.

“Lina! What are you doing? You’re interfering with the race!”

“I’m just giving out a bottle of water, don’t be so dramatic!”

“I’ve had enough of you! You say you’re handing out water, but you’re just hand–picking who you give it to. Do you even care about being fair? You’re a volunteer, not a scout for a dating show! If you don’t want to do the job, go home!”

Humiliated in front of everyone, Lina’s face burned. She turned and stormed off in a rage. “Fine! See if I care!”

Tatiana was unaware of this minor drama.

She held the half–finished bottle, preparing to discard it. She glanced back and noticed Jasper didn’t have any water in his hands.

Did he not drink anything?

The question surfaced briefly before she ruthlessly extinguished it. It wasn’t her concern.

Jasper’s eyes were fixed on the bottle in her hand. He was about to speak, but she tossed it into a trash bin and kept going without a backward glance. He let out a deep, heavy sigh and forced his legs to keep moving.

By the twenty–five–kilometer mark, Tatiana was nearing her physical limit. She kept her pace steady, not exerting herself to catch up to the leaders, but not falling behind either. Several professional marathoners, eyes on the prize money, began to make their move, surging past the middle pack.

Tatiana moved to the side to give them a clear path. She had no intention of competing for first place; she just wanted to finish this godforsaken course.

Her head throbbed so violently that every step felt like treading on cotton. She was surviving solely on raw willpower. She loathed leaving things unfinished, and that stubbornness was currently winning the war against her chronic pain.

Jasper noticed her face was deathly pale. He moved closer, his voice laced with caution. “Are you alright?”

She ignored him, lacking even the strength to speak.

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18:39 Thu, Jan 8 ở TheJ

Chapter 419 Not a Falling Out

“Don’t push yourself if you can’t go on.”

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Finished

“Shut up.”

Knowing her temperament, Jasper simply followed her more closely, staying alert for any sign of collapse. Tatiana didn’t have the energy to open the gap between them, so she let him shadow her.

As time ticked by, the final push began for many runners. One man, charging ahead, collided roughly with Tatiana.

Her center of gravity was already precarious. The impact sent her staggering, and she nearly hit the ground. Jasper caught her instantly. “Are you hurt?”

Then, his gaze turned predatory as he locked onto the runner. He had seen it clearly; the man had bumped her on purpose.

Jasper’s already unstable emotions boiled over into a murderous rage, especially when the man had the audacity to taunt them. “This is a marathon, not a place for your little lovers‘ spat! If you can’t run, go home. Don’t block the road!”

The words were abrasive, but it was the condescending look that ignited Jasper’s fuse. Once he felt Tatiana was steady, he shook his hand loose and threw a punch.

It was fast, precise, and brutal.

The man let out a pathetic cry as he hit the dirt, several teeth flying from his mouth. Jasper grabbed him by the collar and drove another fist into his gut. The man curled into a ball like a shrimp, the air knocked out of him so completely he couldn’t even scream.

Jasper narrowed his eyes. “What did you just say? Try saying it again.”

Meeting Jasper’s gaze, the man was paralyzed by terror. He realized for the first time that this man wasn’t joking–he was actually capable of killing him.

The runners nearby quickly detoured, terrified of being caught in the crossfire. Volunteers from a nearby station saw the commotion and came running over.

Fearing things would escalate out of control, Tatiana gritted her teeth and lunged forward, grabbing Jasper’s arm before a third punch could land. Jasper checked his strength immediately, terrified of accidentally hurting her.

“Let go,” he growled.

“Are you insane?” she hissed.

“He did it on purpose.” Jasper’s jaw was tight; he wasn’t ready to let this

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“Do you want to make a scene? That’s enough! I don’t want trouble!”

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