Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 548

Chapter 548 A Natural Talent

She had shown this gift back on the island.

There was a reason they called her a natural born animal trainer. If anyone could fix the gorilla problem, it was Tammy.

Once Tammy got settled, Tatiana took her back to the mine and explained the situation.

Tammy listened, then asked with genuine curiosity, “Do you want me to wipe out the whole troop? It’s a bit of a hassle, but I can do it. The fastest way is to track down their water source and…”

“Stop!” Tatiana cut her off before she could finish that terrifying thought. “We aren’t killing them. We just need to drive them away.”

The foreman standing behind Tatiana looked horrified. He stared at Tammy like she was a monster. He hated those gorillas, but even he had never considered exterminating the entire species.

“Oh. You just want them gone?” Tammy asked, looking a little disappointed.

Tatiana nodded, not sure whether to laugh or cry. Tammy had spent the first half of her life on a remote island with primitive weapons. To her, dealing with wild animals was always a life–or- death struggle.

“That’s actually harder. Gorillas are smart.”

“I know. I’m not in a rush.”

Tammy cocked an eyebrow. “You seem pretty sure I can handle this.”

“Can’t you?”

“Of course I can!” Tammy flashed a wide, confident grin. “This is nothing.”

Standing there in the wild, she looked far more captivating than she ever had in that

underground fighting ring where Norman tried to keep her safe. Tammy belonged to the wilderness. She was meant to be free.

That was the one thing Norman got wrong from the very beginning.

While Tatiana and Tammy focused on the mine, Jasper took the kids to finish their construction projects.

10:17 Wed, Apr 22

Chapter 548 A Natural Talent

Finished

The school Ann wanted was finally finished, thanks to a massive injection of cash. They named it Vivian Academy. Vivian was Ann’s full name, and the school was her legacy.

To help the local children as soon as possible, they opened enrollment immediately.

Ann thought about it for a long time before she grabbed her father’s hand. “Daddy, can I start school with them?”

It was a bold, risky request. Jasper didn’t say no right away. Instead, he asked, “Why?”

“I want to know what their lives are like. If I live like them, I’ll know what they actually need and what works for them.”

“It’ll be hard, Ann. This isn’t like your old school. Can you handle that?”

Because of their high IQs, Ann and Hubert had always attended elite private schools or had specialized tutors. They had never stepped foot in a normal school, let alone one in such a rough environment.

Ann nodded seriously. “I can do it. I want to go to school here.”

Hubert overheard and came running. “I want to go too! I’ll protect Ann!”

Jasper pinched his cheek. “Worry about yourself first. Ann doesn’t need your protection. I’ll be the one watching over both of you.”

Ann beamed and kissed her father on the cheek. “Thank you, Daddy!”

“Don’t thank me yet. Convincing your mother is going to take some work.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

Tatiana glared at him. “Are you out of your mind? How can you let them go to school here? It’s too dangerous. Extremists could attack at any second!”

“Tatiana, take a breath. Don’t get worked up.”

“Who’s the one working me up?”

“Right. My fault.” Jasper gave in immediately. He knew when to fold.

Tatiana’s anger cooled slightly, and she rubbed her temples. “Ann is just a kid. But

you

aren’t.”

“She’s young, but she isn’t immature. She must have thought about this for a long time before

10:17 Wed, Apr 22

Chapter 548 A Natural Talent

she told me.”

Finished

That gave Tatiana pause. She knew her daughter. Ann was much more mature than Hubert. If she was asking for this, she had probably spent weeks working up the

courage.

Jasper saw her softening and pressed his advantage. “Her last psych evaluation showed she’s still a bit unstable. She hasn’t fully moved past what happened. One of the doctor’s suggestions was for her to spend more time around kids her own age.”

Tatiana stayed silent, taking that in.

“We’re going to be at this mine for a while. If we send them back home to study, we’ll be even more worried. Might as well keep them here. Besides, Ann built this school. She really wants to be part of it.”

Tatiana was wavering. Finally, Jasper dropped the final hammer.

“I’ll replace the entire security team with my own people. Everyone from the teachers to the janitors will be our staff. I’ll make sure they’re safe.”

Tatiana didn’t say yes or no. Instead, she went to find Ann.

“Sweetie, tell me the truth. Why do you want to go to school here? I want to know your real

reason.”

290