Chapter 18
The instant Allison closed her laptop, a deafening explosion shattered the air behind her.
The next instant, her wrist was seized and pulled into a broad embrace
Without hesitation, she gasped out, “Now, two o’clock position!”
After leaving the hospital to escort the hostages home, they’d met resistance en route. Allison deciphered the jamming signals and found an opening.
As her words faded, Markus’s command snapped into action.
The speedboat tore through the encirclement like lightning, leaving the gunfire behind.
A voice crackled over the comms: “Reporting to David Johnson, extraction complete! Welcome back!”
“Welcome home!”
Allison panted, drained of strength, before slumping onto the deck and collapsing flat.
The sky was azure, the smoke of battle was dissipating.
A rustle sounded beside her–Markus had lain down next to her.
“Never expected so many twists. I’m applying for a long leave from the courthouse after this!” He sighed, turning to Allison.
Chapter 1
The sea breeze felt soothing. Having survived a narrow escape, their emotions were in turmoil. As tension melted away, they burst into laughter.
“My hands wouldn’t stop trembling today,” Allison confessed, voice still shaky.
Markus countered, “But your mind didn’t waver. That computer in your hands proved more potent than missiles. Allison, you’re every bit as remarkable as your father and Rafael.”
Allison paused, her eyes suddenly glistened.
She recalled Mother’s words: “Pearls born of pain may be beautiful, but we aren’t soft creatures hiding in shells. We can always press on, and pearls hardly matter.”
Just as she’d abandoned that hollow romance–though outwardly glittering, she knew its core was entirely rotten.
Though reluctant and anguished, she’d never been one to wallow in the past.
She could always keep moving forward, and ‘she wouldn’t look back.
The boulder weighing on her these days suddenly began to crumble at that moment, drifting away with the sea breeze and waves.
“Thank you,” she finally managed–two words that carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
The two fell silent for a long time, so long that Allison grew drowsy, when Markus’s slightly tense voice broke the silence.
27881
Chapter 18
“Well… after we go back, can I take you out on a date?”
The straightforward words jolted Allison awake, her eyes wide open, unable to react for a moment.
“A… a date?”
“I…”
The commander, usually decisive in battle, suddenly seemed to become mute, stammering for a while as if realizing his abruptness, then changed his words, “Well… I mean, have a meal together. You can refuse, I can wait.”
So clumsy, like a young man falling in love for the first time.
Allison suddenly felt like laughing, and she curved her eyes.
Markus, if you knew my past, you’d understand I’m not good enough for
you.
As her words faded, Markus abruptly rose and left. Sarah sat stunned, a sudden hollowness spreading through her chest…
Before she could process it, hurried footsteps returned.
Markus carried in a small box, opened it, and began laying items on the table one by one.
“Medals, bankbook, property deed, salary card…” He slid each toward Allison while counting. “Everything I own.”
Allison sat up bewildered. “What are you doing?”
“Giving them to you.” Markus’s jaw tightened, tension radiating from his
Chapter 18
profile. “You seem insecure. Though these mean little, they prove you can walk away anytime.”
||
“The choice is yours.”
Allison’s lips parted slightly. Gazing at the gleaming medals and
documents, something stirred deep within her.
