Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 457

Chapter 457 The Winner and the Loser

“Don’t send me off. I don’t need anyone to see me out.”

“Will you come back?”

“Maybe.”

“Alright. Safe travels, then.”

Rose laughed. It was a genuine, open laugh. She loved Tatiana’s way of handling things; this was the only person she truly acknowledged as a friend.

It was a pity she had to go. Once the contract expired, she had no choice but to leave.

When afternoon tea ended, Rose took little Morten home. Tatiana stretched and sank back into her rattan chair, swaying gently as she enjoyed a rare moment of personal leisure. Eventually, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

When she woke, she found a suit jacket draped over her shoulders. It carried a familiar, faint scent of cedar wood. The owner of the coat was obvious.

From nearby, the sound of Hubert’s cheerful laughter reached her ears.

“Daddy! You lost!”

She looked toward the source of the sound and saw Jasper playing tennis with the two little ones. It was a one–on–two match. From the looks of it, he was currently at a disadvantage.

Tatiana sat up, resting her chin in her hand, watching the game with interest. Both Hubert and Ann had undergone professional physical training and had been practicing tennis for a long time. Their technique was excellent, and because they were incredibly smart, they could calculate where the ball would land. They were formidable opponents.

She had played them before and lost miserably.

Jasper, however, looked entirely composed, showing none of the tension of someone about to lose. He bounced the ball–hit, bounce, hit, bounce–then suddenly tossed it high. His arm muscles bunched, revealing a powerful, sleek shape that reminded her of a leopard launching

an attack.

The small yellow ball spun through the air at high speed.

“Hey!”

“I’ve got it! The direction is… wait, what?”

1/3

+5 Pearls

The ball curved in mid–air, hit the ground, and zipped past them.

Point.

Hubert and Ann stood there, stunned. Jasper arched an eyebrow. “I win.”

The children immediately grew excited, tossing their rackets aside to swarm their father. they demanded to know how he had made the ball spin like that. Jasper had been an avid tennis player in his youth with skills that rivaled professionals; teaching two children was well within his capabilities.

He patiently guided their swings, corrected their posture, and demonstrated the proper power behind the stroke. It was a picturesque scene. Tatiana watched without blinking, forced to admit that as a father, Jasper was flawless.

Sensing her gaze, Jasper looked up. Their eyes met, and he slowly broke into a smile–one that was devastatingly handsome.

Tsk, such a flirt, she thought, looking away as she stretched.

Ann’s sharp eyes caught that her mother was awake. She waved happily. “Mommy! Come play!”

Tatiana stood and walked over, picking up a spare racket. She gave a small nod. “This isn’t fair. I’ll join in. How about a doubles match?”

The two little ones cheered instantly. “Yay!”

Jasper nodded. “Alright.”

They drew lots for the teams. Tatiana and Ann were paired up, leaving Jasper with Hubert.

The doubles match began. With a single serve, Tatiana took three points. Jasper looked surprised.

She curled her lips into a smirk. “Did you think I was a pushover?”

Hubert shouted at his father, “Daddy! Focus! We have to win!”

“Understood.”

The match began in earnest, with both sides evenly matched. Gradually, however, Ann and Hubert began to struggle. They were young and their stamina couldn’t keep up with such an intense rally. By the fifth set, they were exhausted and collapsed onto the grass.

They didn’t make a fuss, though. They sat dutifully outside the court to rest, watching their parents play. Their two little heads leaned together as they whispered.

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“Mommy is going all out! Poor Daddy.”

+5 Pearls

“Hehe, Daddy doesn’t dare play for real. If he wins, Mommy gets mad. If he loses, Mommy gets

mad too.”

“Being Daddy is harder than climbing to heaven!”

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