Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 421

Chapter 421 The Taste of Victory

Finished

With Jasper gone, Tatiana felt visibly more relaxed, but the intensity of her headache became more pronounced. She gritted her teeth and pushed forward.

By the time she reached the final two kilometers, her vision began to blur. She was running on nothing but sheer willpower. As she neared the end, she felt as if there were people standing beside her, their faces indistinct, murmuring things she couldn’t understand. She couldn’t hear them; her focus was entirely locked on the finish line ahead. A single thought consumed her: cross the line.

Tammy and Lucas were right by her side. Seeing Tatiana’s stumbling pace and hollow eyes, Tammy reached out to support her, but Lucas caught her arm.

“Don’t touch her.”

“But she’s…”

“She’s in a state where interrupting her now would be disastrous. Let her finish.”

As worried as she was, Tammy didn’t dare interfere. She followed closely, ready to catch Tatiana if she truly collapsed. Lucas watched with hawk–like precision.

Almost there. Just a little more.

Her breath came in heavy, ragged rasps. Her heart hammered against her ribs, threatening to burst from her chest. Every step was a challenge to her absolute limits. Her body was spent, screaming for her to stop, yet a voice in her mind refused to let go.

Finally, the finish line was within reach. She bit down hard and made one last, desperate surge. But on that final step, her knees buckled. Her body pitched forward.

Both Tammy and Lucas reached out to catch her, but a figure even swifter appeared in front of her. Jasper caught her in his arms, pulling her into a tight embrace. Tatiana was nearly unable to stand, gasping for air, her legs feeling as if they no longer belonged to her.

“You did amazing,” a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

It was Jasper. He had caught her. “Tatiana, you made it.”

One cannot sit down immediately after such intense exertion. Jasper supported her as they walked slowly, helping her regulate her breathing. Lacking the strength to resist, she didn’t push him away. It took several laps before she finally began to recover.

Tammy promptly stepped in and snatched Tatiana away from Jasper. “I’ll take over!”

Jasper said nothing. He stepped back and handed her a bottle of water. Lucas checked her over, confirming she was merely exhausted but otherwise stable. Only then did he truly relax. Every one of them had finished the marathon.

Tatiana suddenly realized that the unbearable headache had been momentarily pushed aside, her focus redirected by the physical struggle. She offered a rare smile, her face beaded with sweat but radiant

nonetheless.

18:39 Thu, Jan 8 đ

Chapter 421 The Taste of Victory

She asked casually, “Did you take first place, Tammy?”

450

Finished

Given the circumstances, Tatiana assumed Tammy, with her superhuman stamina, was the obvious winner. But Tammy shook her head. “Dr. Lucas twisted his ankle. I stayed to help him.”

Lucas looked away, his expression awkward.

Tatiana frowned. “Then who won?”

The looks on Tammy and Lucas’s faces turned strange. Tatiana had a sinking feeling. Before Tammy could answer, an event staff member hurried over, speaking in a deferential tone. “Excuse me, sir? We’re ready for the award ceremony. Everyone is waiting for the first–place winner.”

Well. Now she knew who it was. Her expression turned sour, as if she had swallowed something bitter. She couldn’t fathom how Jasper had managed to pull it off.

“I’m ready,” Jasper said. He glanced back at Tatiana with a faint, expectant smile in his eyes. Tatiana pointedly looked away.

The award ceremony began. The crowd gathered below the stage, eyes full of envy. After all, the prize money was a staggering sum. More importantly, this year’s marathon had been a complete shocker. The winner wasn’t a local favorite but a complete stranger.

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