All Chapters of Soldier, Billionaire, and Contract Husband: Chapter 161 - Chapter 170

‘Because he doesn’t approve of my choice for a wife, just like he doesn’t approve of your choice of boyfriends.’ Elias’s smile faded. ‘I submitted the marriage application to Uncle Hershel months ago, but it was denied repeatedly. After my deployment to Valour Ridge, I took it to General Wyatt.’Harriet pulled a face. ‘You know Uncle Hershel and General Wyatt don’t get along. If he finds out you went behind his back, he’s going to blow a gasket.’Elias shrugged. ‘It couldn’t be helped. General Wyatt approved my application. Callie has been my wife for about a month now.’Harriet glanced around.Seeing no bench nearby, she sank onto the floor. ‘That’s a lot of information to take in.’‘Take all the time you need.’ Elias sat down next to her. ‘I would have told you on the first day if I had the time.’‘I understand.’ Harriet plucked up a blade of grass and twirled it around her finger. ‘Does this mean I’ll have to find another husband?’‘I’ll keep an eye out for suitable candidates.’ El

A small smile tugged at Elias’s lips. ‘Silly girl, next time, try to understand the whole picture before jumping in to help, okay?’‘Yes, sir!’ Callie nodded vigorously. ‘I won’t try to play matchmaker again.’Noticing her tear-streaked face, Elias lifted her into his arms.He carried her to the bathroom, setting her on the counter.He took a fresh towel, ran it under the tap, wrung it out, then gently wiped her face clean.Callie enjoyed his attentiveness. ‘So, um, did you reject Harriet tonight?’Elias pinched her cheek. ‘If I didn’t, would I be here right now?’‘Sorry, stupid question.’ Callie’s thoughts wandered to Harriet. ‘Did you let her down gently? Will she be okay?’‘Her feelings for me are not what she believes to be. She thought she loved me, but she doesn’t.’Callie nodded. ‘I sort of got the same feeling when she talked to me earlier. She called it a date, but it was like she was carrying out a mission. She went through all the necessary prep work, you know, the dress, t

‘That’s why I thought of asking her out for a drink,’ Lemuel mumbled. ‘You know how alcohol loosens tongues.’‘Not her. She can drink three of you under the table.’ Elias tapped a finger on his thigh. ‘So, you are not romantically interested in her?’Lemuel shook his head vehemently. ‘Absolutely not, sir. Any interest I might have had in her was crushed when she broke two of my ribs. Besides…’ Lemuel cleared his throat. ‘I’ve already got my sights on someone.’A knowing glint danced in Elias’s eyes. ‘I think I have an idea who you are talking about.’‘Sir, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage to sway Callie?’‘Sway?’‘Apologies, wrong word choice. I meant, how did you get her to marry you? What was your secret?’Elias contemplated, a smile tugging at his lips at the memory of Callie’s blushing reaction to his impromptu proposal. ‘I think it was a mix of timing and charm...’‘Charm?’ Lemuel glanced at his own face in the rearview mirror. ‘I think I’ve got some of that.’‘But

Elias’s voice cut through in the tense air, his tone low, his gaze reflecting the storm inside. ‘The danger there is real, Callie. I can’t let you go.’‘Real danger?’ Callie’s lips twisted in defiance, her words dripping with stubbornness. ‘So, Kurtazagg’s border is a threat, but it’s okay for you, huh? Why the double standard?’‘Callie!’ Elias’s eyes bore into her, frustration etched on his face. ‘I’m bound by duty as a soldier. I follow orders, no questions asked. But you...’ He sighed, a touch of vulnerability slipping through. ‘You’re different.’‘Different how?’ Callie’s voice sharpened, her eyes locking onto his with determination. ‘Elias, you can’t just use your authority to keep me from Kurtazagg.’‘Yes, I can.’ His response was sharp, the word slicing through the charged atmosphere. ‘You’re not going. End of story.’That finality struck Callie like a slap, stoking a fiery anger within her.She wrenched her hand away from his grasp, taking a step back.Why did she want this mi

Elias felt a tug in his chest, witnessing the tear-stained visage of Callie.With a reckless abandon, he bent down and claimed her lips with fervour.Salty tears mingled with the bittersweetness, turning the kiss into a poignant collision.‘Callie, look at me.’ Elias tilted her chin gently, coaxing her gaze towards him.He wiped away her tears with his thumb. ‘It’s a treacherous terrain out there. Explosions and combat could erupt anytime. Lives could be lost in a heartbeat. Someone chatting with you one moment might breathe their last beside you the next. I can’t vouch for my safety, let alone yours.’He wasn’t taking any chances, not when it came to his beloved.The thought of losing her was unfathomable; it’s why he dug in his heels, forbidding Callie from venturing to Kurtazagg, even if it meant wielding his authority like a weapon.Callie’s tears welled, yet she managed a smile. ‘Elias, who’s gonna have your back when you’re wounded? You’re tough, true, but you’re also flesh and