‘Hello, miss, my name is Mark and I’m calling from Real Estate Investments. I wanted to share an exciting opportunity with you. We have a remarkable property available—a beautiful manor villa with street-side shops nearby. It’s located in a prime area, with great potential for growth and value appreciation…’Callie’s heart sank, her excitement dashed at the telemarketer’s voice.Frustration overwhelmed her, and she snapped at the caller before abruptly hanging up.Callie sank into the sofa, clutching a panda plush pillow, feeling lost and conflicted.She had always been independent, self-reliant, and unafraid of facing life’s challenges head-on.Yet, now she found herself deeply missing someone she had only known for a few weeks.She reflected on her upbringing in the orphanage, working tirelessly to support herself and the other children.It was this determination that had brought her to where she was now, a skilled surgeon with a bright future.But amidst all her achievements, she c
Callie explained with a grin, ‘Zack Mayo is the Aviation Officer Candidate from the movie “An Officer and a Gentleman” from the eighties. Played by Richard Gere, who’s so swoon-worthy!’Wendy gave her a blank look. ‘“An Officer and a Gentleman?” Seriously, Callie, you need to update your movie list. Watch something from this century.’Callie said a little defensively, ‘Hey, I love the old movies, the classics, the vintage charm.’Wendy gave her a teasing bump on the shoulder. ‘Is that why you fell for Lieutenant Colonel Westwood, who’s, what, ten years older than you?’Callie corrected her, ‘Eight years, thank you very much. And age doesn’t matter when it comes to, ahem, love.’Wendy laughed. ‘Oh, come on. Admit it, you have a thing for older men.’‘Maybe a little,’ Callie admitted. ‘But who knows, maybe you’ll find your own charming officer at the academy and finally settle down.’Wendy rolled her eyes. ‘Now you sound like my mom, and my dad, and the rest of my family.’Their friendl
Callie smiled kindly, feeling relieved that their travel arrangements were in capable hands.‘No worries at all. We’re just glad you’re here now,’ she said.Jonas nodded and gestured towards the vehicle. ‘May I help you with your luggage?’Callie and Wendy exchanged glances before nodding in agreement.‘That would be wonderful,’ Callie replied.Jonas swiftly took their luggage and stowed it in the back of the military vehicle.Wendy nudged Callie playfully and whispered, ‘Hey, can I ride shotgun this time?’Callie raised an amused eyebrow. ‘What’s the urgency? Are you that interested in our soldier friend, Jonas?’Wendy blushed slightly, but her eyes sparkled mischievously. ‘Maybe,’ she replied in a hushed tone. ‘He’s cute, and there’s nothing wrong with admiring from afar, right?’Callie chuckled. ‘You’ve got a point. But Jonas looks like he’s barely twenty. He’s practically a baby.’Wendy shrugged, undeterred. ‘Hey, age is just a number. If you can have a thing for older men, can’t
Angelia then turned her gaze to Jonas, her eyes wide and innocent. ‘Jonas, would you mind helping me with my bags?’ she asked, her voice soft and alluring.The young soldier blushed, flustered by Angelia’s request. ‘Of course not,’ he stammered, eager to assist her.Angelia’s smile deepened, revealing a pair of charming dimples.She then turned to Wendy and Callie. ‘Thank you both for helping. I really appreciate it.’Wendy sighed, taking in Angelia’s slender and almost frail build. ‘Fine, I suppose.’As the three women settled into their shared dormitory, they were informed by Jonas about the logistics of living at Valour Ridge Military Academy.They each received an expense card with a monthly credit of $500 to purchase provisions from the minimart on campus.Cash and credit cards were of no use within the academy.Jonas explained, ‘The minimart is your primary source for supplies. You can find its location on the map provided to each of you. If you can’t find what you need there, y
Inside the Spartan military communal shower room, the steam filled the air, creating an almost suffocating atmosphere.The lack of proper ventilation made the room feel like a sweltering sauna.Callie took a moment to appreciate the stark difference from the shower rooms she was used to back in college.Following the signs, she made her way to the locker room and put her belongings into an empty locker.The sound of running water coming from the shower stalls caught her attention, indicating that someone else was present.Then the water was shut off, followed by the sound of a door creaking open.Curiosity got the better of her, and Callie glanced around, expecting to see her first female officer cadet.However, her eyes widened in surprise when she saw a man’s bare chest before her.His body was marred with scars, but his physique was perfectly sculpted, and water droplets slowly cascaded down his chest, disappearing behind a loosely wrapped towel around his waist.Caught off guard,
Feeling the intensity of desire coursing through him, Elias looked away, trying to regain his composure.He shifted into work mode. ‘What are you doing here?’Her presence here was a surprise to him, though a pleasant one, and he couldn’t fathom how fate had brought them together once more.Callie, still a little out of breath, explained that she was sent here for a six-month rotation as a surgeon by Rosedale Hospital. ‘But what about you? What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be in the army.’Elias noticed the slightly wet uniform clinging to Callie’s curves, and he found himself getting excited again, his desire reigniting.He quickly pointed her towards the shower stalls. ‘You should go ahead and take a shower.’Callie was persistent. ‘But Elias, I want to know why you’re at the academy. Why aren’t you with the army?’Elias shifted his body. ‘Callie, it’s not important right now. Just go and take your shower first, and we can talk afterwards.’Callie, oblivious to
As Elias went on the hunt for the med kit, Callie couldn’t help but tease him. ‘It’s so much more spacious than my dorm. No wonder everyone wants to climb up the ranks, Lieutenant Colonel.’‘It’s Major General now,’ Elias corrected her.‘What?’ Callie was slack-jawed with wonder. ‘Major General, huh? You’re moving up in the world.’He looked back at her with a faint smile. ‘It’s just the way things worked out,’ he replied nonchalantly. ‘I never sought promotions, but I guess sometimes life has its plans.’Callie raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. ‘You’re still so young for a major general. It must be quite an achievement.’Elias shrugged. ‘Maybe. But rank and achievements aren’t what matter most to me.’It was about serving his country, protecting its people, and fighting for what was right.It wasn’t what drew him to the military in the first place, but it was what made him stay.Callie, though not a mind-reader, could see the fire in his eyes, the dedication that fuelled him to
Callie grinned, her playful spirit returning. ‘Well, I’m ready for whatever comes my way.’Then she added jokingly, ‘With you as the principal, I have the best protection.’On an impulse, she leaned in and pecked Elias on the cheek before rushing upstairs to her dorm.Elias stood there, slightly stunned by her bold gesture.He touched the spot where she had kissed him, chuckled to himself, before jogging away.In her dormitory, Callie lay in bed, a sense of elation coursing through her veins.Being reunited with Elias felt like a dream come true, and the prospect of seeing him daily for the next six months filled her heart with joy.Eventually, the fatigue of travel finally caught up with her, and she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.Angelia returned from lunch, her mind preoccupied with mischief.She had deliberately given Callie wrong directions earlier, expecting her to wander around the campus, lost and frustrated.However, when she entered the dorm, she was surprised to find
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