Chapter 12
Graysen’s eyes were bloodshot, his fingers trembling uncontrollably as he held the blood clots. His
cries grew louder, tinged with a raw, aching despair.
With each sob, he hammered the ground with his fists, each blow like a punch to his own heart- sharp, dull pain gnawing at him.
Cold, slippery liquid oozed between his hands, the faint scent of blood creeping into the air.
But he seemed oblivious to it, continuing to strike the ground relentlessly as if each blow might somehow bring her back.
The room echoed with Graysen’s muffled, shattered sobs. He regretted everything. He wanted to apologize.
But she was gone.
Caroline had gone to the hospital, requesting that the doctor preserve the embryo and take it with
her.
Even though the child would never see the world, she had still chosen to tell Graysen.
She intended for him to feel the heart–wrenching pain she had suffered, whether as punishment or
as a final farewell.
From now on, they would have no more ties.
As the plane touched down, Caroline, well–rested from her nap, felt surprisingly energized.
Upon seeing the sun in Noredge, she breathed a deep sigh, as if the weight she had been carrying lifted with the breeze. The oppressive weight in her chest seemed to vanish, leaving her feeling
lighter.
She followed the directions and finally arrived at the base’s command center just before nightfall.
Her superior didn’t say much; instead, he handed her over to a squad leader, introducing him as
Beckham Roach.
Beckham, standing across from her, was unexpectedly young–only a couple of years older than
Caroline was.
He was clad in camouflage, his face painted with war paint, hiding his true features.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Caroline,” Caroline said.
“Call me Beckham. I’ve read your file. You’re an elite bomb disposal expert. Starting tomorrow, be your spotter. We’ll work as a team.”
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Beckham spoke with precision, immediately guiding her through the layout of the base.
Since she was a rare woman in the field, the leader had assigned her a single room.
After showing her to her room, Beckham gave a few more instructions and told her to rest up for
the next day.
Caroline nodded, thanking him, and they agreed to meet in the morning before parting ways.
Perhaps because she had caught up on sleep during the flight, Caroline found herself wide awake in bed, unable to fall asleep.
Caroline kept replaying Beckham’s words in her head.
Starting tomorrow, they would form a bomb disposal team. She’d handle the bombs, he’d handle
security, working together to complete their missions.
It was a completely different setup from what she had in Maruland, and Caroline couldn’t help but wonder if she’d be able to adjust.
But then, she thought, “I’m already here, so I might as well embrace it.”
With that thought, she pushed the worries aside and forced herself to close her eyes, soon falling
into a deep, restless sleep.
While Caroline was adjusting to life abroad, Graysen was once again stuck in the bomb disposal unit
for failing his training tests.
Kieran looked at Graysen, who seemed like a ghost of himself, and sighed. “At this rate, you might
have to retire from the bomb squad.”
Graysen froze, then quickly shook his head, pleading, “Kieran, give me one more chance. I’ll get my act together and be back on the team.”
Kieran said nothing, staring at Graysen’s pleading eyes. After a long pause, he replied, “Rest for a few days. We’ll talk later.”
Without waiting for Graysen to respond, he turned and walked away.
Graysen watched Kieran’s retreating figure, stunned, as a bitter smile crept onto his lips.
Without Caroline, he couldn’t do anything.
After she left, Graysen felt like he’d lost his soul. He couldn’t eat or sleep well. Even when Eleanor tried talking to him, he ignored her.
Back at the bomb disposal unit, even his usual expertise in circuit training failed him.
The bomb simulation exercises were a mess, and his teammates began to gossip about him, their
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words dripping with sarcasm.
On the surface, they congratulated him, saying, “No Caroline? No problem, now you’ve got
Marlene.”
But behind his back, they cursed him, calling him a selfish bastard who pushed out a valuable team
member.
Every time Graysen thought of Caroline and remembered that child, his heart felt like it was being torn apart. The pain gnawed at him, relentless.
He pressed his hand to his chest, feeling the weight of it all.
Lately, everything seemed to be going wrong. Not only had Caroline abandoned him and gone abroad, but Eleanor wasn’t helping either, constantly pressuring him to marry Marlene.
Ever since Marlene had stepped in as the bride at the wedding, she had been making subtle moves
in front of Eleanor, signaling her willingness to marry Graysen.
Eleanor, who had always been disapproving of Caroline, saw this as a golden opportunity and kept
pushing for the two to get together.
She insisted Marlene come over to his house for dinner–something he couldn’t refuse without
causing tension.
Recently, things had escalated. Eleanor even invited Marlene to live with him. The entire unit started gossiping, assuming they were a couple, calling them “the married pair.”
It was only then that Graysen realized how much he had crossed the line.
He had to get back to the team, go to Noredge, and explain everything to Caroline. He believed that once they talked, she would forgive him, and they would return to Maruland together.
With clenched fists, Graysen swore to himself that he would make it right, his heart brimming with
determination.
Lost in thought, he didn’t notice Marlene walking past him until they nearly bumped into each
other.
Used to Graysen’s attention, she couldn’t stand the cold shoulder he was giving her. With a pout,
she grabbed his arm.
“Graysen, why have you been so distant lately? Caroline’s gone, but you still have me. She doesn’t want you, but I do. Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of you,” Marlene said.
Marlene, reverting to her clingy self, gazed at him with wide, wet eyes, tugging at his arm.
But Graysen, who used to do anything for her, remained unusually distant. He subtly stepped back, creating space between them.
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“Marlene, I’m going to find Caroline. Let’s keep some distance, Okay? We’re just teammates, and
it’s not good if people get the wrong idea,” Graysen said.
