Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 450

Tammy emphasized her point firmly. “I am not joking!”

Finished

Realizing she might not actually be able to beat him in a fair fight yet, she added, “Even if I die, I’ll drag you down with me!”

Jasper nodded solemnly. “I understand. You have nothing to worry about.”

He didn’t need a reminder; he would never allow himself to hurt Tatiana again.

Having delivered her warning, Tammy turned on her heel and marched away. Norman’s gaze followed her until she vanished into the treeline, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.

“What, can’t bear to let her go?”

Foster’s voice came out of nowhere. He had approached Norman without a sound, his question loaded with implication.

Norman arched an eyebrow and threw an arm over Foster’s shoulder. “Stop talking out of your ass!”

“Really? You’re looking at her the way a thief looks at a diamond.”

“Was it that obvious?” Norman didn’t bother denying it. He let out a low chuckle. “She’s incredibly interesting.”

Foster snorted, glancing at the purple bruise already forming on Norman’s face. “Still haven’t been beaten enough? She’s a rose with some serious thorns. Aren’t you afraid of getting pricked?”

“Getting pricked is half the fun. A woman who’s too obedient is boring. Like yours–she’s like a little kitten. Too well–behaved. There’s zero challenge in that.”

Foster roughly shoved Norman’s arm off his shoulder, his expression turning to one of pure disgust. “I should have let her beat you to death.”

Norman knew he had crossed a line by mentioning Foster’s wife, so he wisely shut up. “Consider it unsaid.”

The two men separated to prepare for the evening’s campfire.

Tammy stomped back toward her own camp, her composed exterior masking the fact that she was currently cursing Norman’s entire existence. Yet, beneath the annoyance was a flicker of respect. She had always admired strength, especially in someone who could best her. If he weren’t so insufferable, she might have actually asked him for some pointers.

But he was an arrogant prick. He didn’t have a single drop of Dr. Lucas’s refined elegance.

Tatiana noticed Tammy’s fuming expression as she returned. “What happened?”

Looking closer, she saw the marks of a scuffle and her gaze sharpened. “Who did this to you?”

Tammy shook her head, her voice muffled. “It’s nothing. I lost a fight. I accept the defeat.”

“A fight? With whom?”

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20:49 Fr

Chapter 450 A Thorny Rose

“That one.” Tammy pointed a finger at the lounging Norman.

Finished

Tatiana understood. It was Norman. She knew his background; his combat skills were on par with Jasper’s. “Is it bad?”

“It’s annoying, but I’m just going to train harder.” A fire of defiance burned in Tammy’s eyes, and she immediately dropped into a horse–stance to begin her training.

Seeing her resolve, Tatiana didn’t push. Tammy wasn’t the type who needed coddling.

Since they were stuck here for a few days, Tatiana decided to make the best of it. Considering the local insect population, she went out to forage for medicinal herbs to make a repellent. She didn’t call for Tammy, choosing to wander the immediate perimeter on her own.

The moment she left, a figure detached itself from the camp and followed her. Catching the movement in her peripheral vision, a small smile played on Tatiana’s lips. She quickened her pace.

As she sped up, the shadow behind her matched her stride. But when he rounded a corner, she was gone. He froze, his expression turning frantic as he scanned the dense foliage.

“Why are you following me?”

Tatiana’s voice came from behind him. After a short pause, she added, “Mr. Jackson.”

The name carried an unreadable weight. Jasper turned to find her leaning against a tree trunk, a playful smile on her face.

“I’m just heading the same way.”

“Doesn’t your conscience hurt when you lie like that?”

“Not at all. I don’t have a heart.”

Tatiana went silent, refusing to take the bait. “How can you say something so cheesy with a straight face?”

Jasper chuckled. “Because when it comes to you, I have nothing to hide.”

Tatiana crossed her arms and started walking again, brushing past him. “I’m looking for herbs. Since you’re here, you can make yourself useful.”

“I’d be honored.”

For the first time in a long while, they walked side by side. Jasper couldn’t stop his gaze from drifting to her, watching every small movement she made. Tatiana ignored him entirely, focusing on the ground until she found the plants she needed.

She didn’t lift a finger herself, instead pointing and directing him to dig. “Deeper. Don’t damage the roots. Be careful.”

Jasper had never done such delicate manual labor. He looked more focused than when he was signing a billion–dollar contract. By the time he had dug up a few clusters, sweat was beading on his forehead. Tatiana held back a laugh, intentionally making the work difficult for him.

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Chapter 450 A Thorny Rose

They returned only after they had gathered a full basket.

Finished

Norman watched them walk back into camp and nudged Foster with his elbow. “Look at that. Have they reconciled then?”

Foster ignored him, continuing to calibrate his radio signal. He had been too busy to contact home for days, and he was starting to worry about Rose. Now that there was a lull, he wanted to call.

The lack of signal was a problem, so he was manually trying to boost the frequency. Norman, seeing he was being ignored, couldn’t help but mock him. “Seriously? You’ve only been gone a few days. Is she really going to run off if you don’t call?”

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