‘No worries,’ Angelia replied casually, ‘Your mind seems preoccupied right now. I’ll fill you in after you’ve had a break.’With that, Angelia left the consultation room and headed to the pharmacy.Her fists were clenched so tightly that her nails bit into her palms, but this pain was nothing compared to what she’d endured.Memories of those painful days flooded back, and Angelia couldn’t help but hug herself, trembling as if she’d been plunged into icy water.She crouched down against the medicine cabinet, her eyes filled with fear.She felt a terrible mix of emotions – hatred, helplessness, and hurt.It was as if she were a beached fish gasping for air, a voice in her head screaming for something to fill the void.Suddenly, Angelia rose from the floor, her palm gripping the cabinet of controlled drugs.Through the glass, she gazed at the tightly regulated medications – substances so addictive that they could turn someone into an addict with just one use.Angelia’s body felt empty, a
At dawn, the sound of gunfire echoed at the border, plunging the entire area into a state of emergency combat.An illegal organization was locked in a fierce battle with the Kurtazagg government, and the impact was felt in the villages along the Engalia border.The villages descended into chaos, filled with the anguished cries of people and the lowing of cattle.Inside the headquarters, Carl stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on Dylan and Elias.He spoke in a hushed tone, his brows knitted in concern, ‘Elias, dispatch a team immediately to support Merton Village. Take the medical unit with you and do everything in your power to aid the injured civilians. I’ll accompany you. Dylan, you and Harriet will remain here and await further orders.’‘Understood,’ both Dylan and Elias replied in unison before setting off to execute their orders.In a hurry, Elias contacted the infirmary, assembling a medical team to accompany his soldiers to Merton Village.Thanks to th
‘What is it?’ Elias asked.Callie pointed towards the rubble and said anxiously, ‘Elias, help me lift that beam. I heard a sound earlier.’Without hesitation, Elias lifted the heavy beam, and Callie joined him.Together, they cleared the rubble until Callie spotted a tiny kitten nestled among the stones.It was meowing weakly.‘Oh, I thought it was a baby.’ Callie breathed out a sigh of relief.Carefully, she picked up the injured kitten, noticing a wound on its right paw that was bleeding. ‘It’s hurt.’The kitten, a fragile newborn, was clearly in distress.Callie gently treated its wound, wrapping a bandage around it.The kitten seemed grateful and stuck out its tiny tongue to lick the back of Callie’s hand.‘It tickles,’ Callie chuckled as she looked at the kitten, gently placing it on the ground.The tiny creature struggled to stand properly.‘It’s too young,’ Callie mused, concern in her eyes.She decided to tuck the kitten into her medical bag, leaving its head out.The kitten p
Callie breathed a sigh of relief.She had been so preoccupied with her work that she had forgotten about the kitten.Seeing its ravenous appetite, it was evident that the little one was genuinely hungry.‘Where did this kitty come from? Did you adopt it?’ Dylan asked.‘No, I found it in Merton Village and brought it back,’ Callie replied, but as the words left her mouth, she regretted revealing so much.Dylan was neither an enemy nor a friend, and his true motives remained unclear.‘I brought you food.’‘You don’t have to—’‘Otherwise, you would’ve starved to death,’ Dylan remarked, glancing at the lunchbox nearby. ‘This is the life of a military camp. It’s tough. You have to sacrifice everything for the army.’Dylan hugged the kitten with one hand and opened the lunchbox with the other.The faint aroma of food wafted out, and it wasn’t the tastiness of the meal that caught Callie’s attention.She had gone without food for an extended period, and the scent of freshly cooked food made
‘What am I supposed to find out?’Harriet wanted to press for more information, but suddenly, Dylan leaned in closer.Their proximity dwindled to a mere sliver, and though Dylan might have looked charming and seductive, there was a seriousness in his eyes that had an almost hypnotic effect.Harriet’s eyes widened, her heart pounding in her chest.She instinctively took a step back, but her nerves got the better of her, and she stumbled.Cursing herself internally for her lack of composure, she, a seasoned soldier who’d faced countless battles, found herself faltering before Dylan, who had ventured too close for comfort.In that moment, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, providing support as she regained her balance.Harriet was surprised by the strength of the arm and instinctively grasped it.But before she could say anything, the arm retreated.Harriet’s cheeks tinted with a faint blush, embarrassed by her overreaction to the brief physical contact.In truth, she’d encountered m
Callie was no longer the inexperienced, wide-eyed doctor when it came to military matters, but this alarm was still new to her.The urgent alarm set the atmosphere on edge.Jamison cast a quick glance at Callie. ‘It means an urgent mission, Callie. The army needs to be battle-ready in just five minutes.’Callie’s heart tightened with worry.Was Elias about to step onto the battlefield once more?This mission felt especially pressing and out of the ordinary.‘Callie,’ Jamison noticed her sudden change in expression, ‘Are you okay?’Callie placed her pen down and rose from her seat. ‘I’m sorry, Jamison, but I need to step out for a moment.’Before Jamison could respond, Callie had already dashed out of the room, her thoughts racing.‘Callie!’ Jamison wanted to convey that Elias might have already left by the time they heard the alarm, but Callie left abruptly, not giving him a chance to speak.He lowered his gaze, his smile tinged with bitterness.Though he didn’t want to accept it, Eli
Callie asked Lemuel, her voice faint, ‘Can you donate blood?’‘I can,’ Lemuel nodded resolutely. ‘I can give 400 cc.’Callie shook her head. ‘No, 200 cc will do. Find two more soldiers with blood type O and take 200 cc from each.’Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she whispered to Elias, who couldn’t respond, ‘Elias, don’t leave me...’Elias didn’t answer.Neither did she need one.For Callie, the choice was clear.She was an orphan with no one but Elias.In the worst-case scenario, if she couldn’t save him, she would rather share his fate.Callie had the medical team wheel Elias into the operating room.Once inside, she donned a surgical gown and a mask.After meticulously going through the sterilization procedure, she approached Elias’s side.The bright green surgical light cast an intense glow over Elias’s body.Callie’s mind was a whirlwind, but she couldn’t afford to lose focus.With gloved hands, she carefully used scissors to cut away Elias’s camouflage clothing to ensure
‘Lieutenant Colonel Daniels, I hope you make a speedy recovery and get back to the army soon,’ Dylan said before adjusting his military cap and heading out.Dylan made his way to the entrance of Elias’s operating room.Elias’s surgery was more critical than Harriet’s, so it was expected to take a longer time.Inside the operating room, the constant decline in Elias’s vital signs set off alarms from various medical instruments.Panic welled up in Callie.‘Callie, Elias is—’ Wendy began.‘No, it can’t be!’ Callie interrupted, her voice quivering.She shook her head, attempting to regain her composure as she took deep breaths. ‘Wendy, get me a high-frequency electric knife. Bring another bag of blood.’She refused to let him die.She was determined to save the man she loved.Callie’s hands trembled, and tears threatened to fall.She couldn’t bear the thought of being so helpless and unable to save him.But she couldn’t afford to lose her cool now.Callie inhaled deeply, attempting to ste
Callie, weakened but resilient, looked up as Elias entered the ward.A soft smile played on her lips despite the pain that lingered in her eyes. ‘I was wondering where you disappeared off to.’Elias took a moment to absorb the sight of her, the woman he loved, fighting her way back to health.The bandages on her abdomen marked the physical toll of the recent events, but the warmth in her eyes brought a sense of calm to Elias’s troubled soul.‘Hey, Bunny,’ Elias greeted, his smile genuine as he approached her bedside.He gently took her hand, mindful of her injuries. ‘How are you feeling?’Callie’s eyes sparkled with gratitude. ‘Getting there. The doctors say I’ll make a full recovery with time.’Elias nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of recent events. ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’As Elias shared the shocking truth about General Conway’s betrayal and the revelation about his parents’ deaths, Callie’s expression shifted from concern to disbelief and, ultimately, sorrow
Callie felt herself falling into his trap, struggling to maintain a hardened heart as his doting gaze softened her resolve.‘Callie, you’re my wife. We are supposed to share a bed,’ his voice, deep and intoxicating, whispered in her ear.He embraced her tightly, a possessive need evident in his hold.‘Callie, I want you to love me like before. I lied to protect you. But now I realise I was wrong. I promise, no more lies. Please, at least don’t ignore me. It breaks me...’ His eyes, full of affection, revealed vulnerability.Elias, usually so strong, trembled in his plea.His voice carried a hint of regret. ‘I messed up, and damn it, I know it. Are you willing to forgive me?’Callie sighed. ‘Elias, just promise not to pull something like this again.’‘I won’t hurt you with lies anymore,’ he vowed.‘No more lies, Elias. Not even one,’ she declared.‘I swear.’ To seal his promise, he planted kisses on her forehead, eyes, and nose, soothing her turmoil.Dylan’s knock shattered Elias’s plan
Callie drifted in and out of a dream-laden slumber, the ebb and flow of consciousness gently pulling her into the waking world.The enticing fragrance of chicken soup teased her senses, coaxing her from the depths of sleep.Elias had returned, a culinary saviour armed with a thermos of steaming chicken soup. ‘I used the mess hall kitchen to make this for you,’ he announced with a quiet pride.Drawing in a deep breath, Callie’s stomach couldn’t contain its eagerness, emitting a low growl that echoed through the room.‘Callie, tell me, what’s that sound?’ His question, though not a direct accusation, draped her in a blanket of embarrassment.‘Ahem!’ Callie, determined to maintain her composure, responded with a feigned nonchalance.‘I didn’t hear any sound,’ she declared, though the rumblings from her stomach suggested otherwise.She fought to suppress the impending growl, hoping Elias wouldn’t witness this audible betrayal.‘No sound?’ Elias’s raised brow and assertive tone exposed her
Elias’s eyes snapped open the moment he heard someone coughing.He sat bolt upright in the chair and turned towards Callie.Her eyes were open.‘Callie! You are awake!’In a haze, Callie recognised Elias’s voice.Struggling, she forced her eyes open, greeted by the familiar sight of a white ceiling—a hospital room.Elias’s hand held hers, his calloused palm brushing against her skin.‘Elias,’ she whispered weakly, her eyes glistening with tears.Her voice, frail, held a hint of disbelief. ‘Am I still dreaming?’The last she knew, Elias was in custody.The Elias before her now felt like a dream, and she doubted her reality.Elias, red-eyed and exhausted, held her hands tightly, reassuring her, ‘Bunny, what are you talking about? Of course I’m real.’Callie sighed. ‘Good…’Relieved, she closed her eyes, slipping back into sleep.‘Callie!’ Elias’s heart skipped a beat, fear gnawing at him.He rushed outside, calling for Jamison and the medical team. ‘Quick, take a look at her. She woke u
The puzzle of Mindy’s escape persisted, leaving Dylan in the dark, grappling with the mystery that allowed her to slip away undetected.A knock came on the door.‘Come in.’Dwight entered, settling gracefully into a chair opposite Dylan.He produced a pack of cigarettes, extending it toward Dylan.Dylan accepted it, extracting a cigarette, igniting it with a flick of his lighter, and indulging in the smoke that soon enveloped the room.Dwight, sensing Dylan’s foul mood, asked, ‘General Sheppard, not in the best spirits today?’Dylan retorted, ‘Aren’t you in the same boat?’A subtle smile played on Dwight’s lips as he selected a cigarette from the pack.His slender fingers expertly lit it, the room filling with the fragrance of tobacco and a haze of smoke.‘Any updates on Mindy?’‘Not yet,’ Dylan replied after a brief pause. ‘Which is a problem for you. That woman is more cunning than her father. I think she’s the one behind your assassination plot, not Carl. By the way, when do you pl
‘I planned everything single-handedly. This has nothing to do with my daughter Mindy,’ Carl pleaded. ‘I only had her run a few errands for me. She didn’t know what she was doing.’‘Do you think your excuse is convincing?’ Dwight retorted. ‘Mindy isn’t seven years old. She’s twenty-seven, an adult fully responsible for her own actions.’Dylan, acting on Dwight’s orders, directed his subordinates to arrest Mindy and release Elias.Carl, comprehending the depth of his miscalculations, lashed out at Dylan.He felt betrayed by the very person he trusted.‘Dylan, you ungrateful scoundrel! I trusted you so much, yet you did this to me! You even took advantage of my daughter. You are going to hell for this!’ Carl screamed, blaming Dylan for their downfall.Dylan was unfazed.Nothing Carl said mattered, not any more.Dylan exchanged a look with Dwight; there would be time to celebrate later.However, their joy was short-lived.About twenty minutes later, a soldier returned, reporting that they
Inga was supposed to be dead, but Dylan assured him that he’d killed her, even brought back her charred corpse.And the witness secured by Mindy couldn’t be Inga.Dylan must have made the switch.Carl was right to suspect him; his protégé had betrayed him.Carl glared resentfully at Dylan, at the culprit who crushed his dream of presidency.Dylan leaned against the wall, hands in pockets, unfazed.‘Dylan!’ Carl bellowed.The general seemed to have aged in a matter of minutes.Dylan gave him a mischievous smile. ‘Did I do something wrong, General Conway?’‘You—’ Carl yelled, ready to tear into Dylan for the betrayal.But glancing around the room, he halted.Others were present—Harriet, Dwight, and the three cabinet ministers.To reprimand Dylan would be akin to admitting to his own crimes.Fury painted his face as he contemplated his next move.Dwight glanced at Carl.The situation resembled a chess game, with Carl in the inferior position.He should sense his disadvantage, understandi
Carl waited in his office, too worked up to sit still.A knock on the door, and then Mindy entered. ‘Dad, it’s done. We have the witness and evidence. Everything will unfold just as you want.’Joy sparkled in Carl’s eyes, grateful for his daughter’s assistance. ‘Good, Mindy. Get Dylan here immediately. I want Elias’s trial to begin ASAP.’Mindy nodded, a wicked smile on her face, and left to find Dylan.She brought Natee along, with the woman’s face veiled to conceal her identity.Meeting Dylan, Mindy relayed Carl’s instructions.Dylan’s eyes lingered on her earlobes, adorned with the pink pearl earrings. ‘You did an excellent job. Your dad is right to be proud of you. I am, too.’Mindy shrugged. ‘It was easy.’Dylan shifted his focus to Natee. ‘Mindy, go get changed. I’ll handle your witness. We’ll gather everyone in half an hour.’‘Alright!’ Mindy nodded.***The Kurtazagg border weather was frigid, and the air threatened to freeze.Dwight, draped in a wool coat, moved towards the m
But Dylan’s eyes remained ice-cold as he swiftly secured the earrings onto her earlobes. ‘Done.’Standing on her tiptoes, Mindy gave him a quick kiss on the lips. ‘Thank you.’Dylan didn’t reciprocate the kiss.He just looked at her with a smile, concealing the disgust he felt.Duty called, and Dylan left the dorm shortly after.Usually, Mindy would have been disappointed.But tonight, she had other plans—meeting the leader of Kurtazagg’s largest militant group and collecting the evidence framing Elias.Once the trial was over, Elias’s fate would be sealed, and her father would be one step closer to the presidency.Mindy shed her luxurious coat for a sleek black suit and donned a plain black mask.She examined her reflection in the mirror and noticed that the pink pearl earrings seemed a bit conspicuous.About to take them off, she remembered Dylan’s words and kept them on.These were Dylan’s gifts, and she’d wear them always.Ready, she stepped out of the dorm and found two men in bl