Even in Darkness She Chose to Rise (Tatiana and Jasper) novel Chapter 556

Chapter 556 The Trap

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Finished

Xavier initially thought about declining, but since he needed to dig for information, he changed his mind and agreed.

He changed his clothes and stopped by Tammy’s room to let her know he was heading out.

“Go ahead,” Tammy said. “Don’t worry about me, I’m fine. If you’re scared, I can come along and protect you!”

Xavier didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I’m not doing anything dangerous, so why would there be trouble? You’re a girl, Tammy. You don’t always have to talk about protecting people; you’re the one who needs a bit of looking after.”

Tammy spaced out for a second. She suddenly thought of someone who used to say he’d protect her. Her mood instantly tanked.

“Yeah, yeah. I got it.”

“I’m heading out then. Get some rest. I ordered dinner for you; it should be up soon. Make sure you eat.”

“Mhm.”

Tammy closed the door, walked over to the sofa barefoot, and curled up. she flipped through the channels on the TV, picking a movie at random and watching it with zero interest.

She wasn’t even following the plot. Her head was a mess.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

“Room service.”

“Coming,” Tammy called out.

She assumed it was the dinner Xavier had ordered. She was actually pretty hungry. Maybe a good meal would fix her mood.

She opened the door, and a waiter pushed a cart inside. “Enjoy your meal, Ma’am.”

“Thanks.”

As soon as the door closed, she dove into the food. It was delicious.

But as she ate, she started feeling incredibly drowsy. By the time she realized something was wrong, it was too late. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she slumped into a deep sleep.

A few minutes later, the door was pushed open again. Someone walked in.

Custom–made leather shoes stepped silently across the carpet. The figure approached her, leaned down, and scooped her up. He carried her out one step at a time.

At the doorway, he glanced back one last time. Seeing no signs of any man’s belongings in the room, his lips curled into a satisfied smirk.

The door clicked shut. The room was empty.

Chapter 556 The Trap

Xavier arrived at the designated bar.

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Finished

A few of his colleagues were already there. When they saw him, they waved him over enthusiastically.

“Over here! We’ve been waiting forever! You’re the last one!”

“Sorry.”

“Where have you been lately? We haven’t seen you in weeks.”

“Just handling some personal business.”

“Life’s been rough without you, man.”

Xavier’s medical skills were legendary among them. No matter how sick or injured an animal was, it usually survived if it ended up in his hands. It helped that he was good–looking, too; clients and officials always gave him an easier time.

A colleague joked, “If you don’t come back soon, we’re going to fold. Even our sponsorships have dried up lately.”

On paper, they were all volunteers. But free labor only went so far, especially when the work was dangerous. They didn’t get a salary, but they got stipends and the size of those stipends depended on how much funding the association brought in.

Funding had been pathetic lately. They were barely hanging on, which was why they were so eager to see Xavier tonight.

“The quarterly sponsorship hasn’t come through yet?” Xavier asked.

“Man, don’t even get me started. The higher–ups keep dragging their feet. Every time we ask, they say the books aren’t cleared yet. No timeline, no nothing.”

Xavier frowned. “They’ve never been late before. Why now?”

He stopped mid–sentence as a thought hit him.

If someone suddenly needed a massive amount of cash, they might skim from the sponsorship funds. Like, for instance, to buy a mine.

The people behind those dirty tricks really were from the association. And they held a lot of power.

He had suspected it, but confirming it made his heart heavy. He had stayed with the association to seek redemption and because he loved the work. He thought he was doing something good, but the organization was rotten to the core.

People who were supposed to save animals were using them to commit murder. It was a joke.

“A biotech company offered me a job. I probably won’t be staying here much longer,” said Icarus, Xavier’s closest friend. “Tonight is basically my farewell party. Let’s drink!”

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