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Chapter 9
Without a second thought, Caroline rushed back to the team, quickly changed into her gear, and rejoined the operation.
This mission was incredibly tricky. The criminals had planted heavy explosives under the bridge, intent on bringing it down and taking lives with it.
The other explosives had all been found and dismantled, but the last few CT4, bombs, a new model, had everyone stumped.
The team turned to Caroline for hope.
In her bomb suit, she calmly worked to disarm the device. But the detonator had two wires attached, and she couldn’t tell which one to cut.
Time was running out. With a sharp shout, she cut the yellow wire.
The silence that followed was deafening. No explosion.
Just as everyone started to cheer, Marlene shoved past Caroline and ran toward Graysen.
But what she didn’t see was a shotgun shell lying on the ground.
The next second, a deafening bang rang out.
Without hesitation, Graysen leaped toward Marlene, throwing himself in front of her to shield her with his body.
It was as though he had forgotten that Caroline was closer to the bomb.
In a split second, Caroline saw his movement clearly but felt no pain or sorrow.
Her heart had already been broken too many times. Now it was just numb.
It was as if she had passed some kind of test and, in that instant, found her release. She made her final decision in silence.
The last time Graysen handed the bomb suit to Marlene right in front of her, Caroline had already suspected that, in the not–so–distant future, the person he would protect with his life wouldn’t be her anymore.
But when she first joined the bomb disposal unit, it was Graysen who had been willing to risk his life for her.
It turned out Caroline wasn’t his one and only–just one of many.
She closed her eyes, and the tears at the corner of her eyes flowed freely, as the sound of gunfire
echoed in her ears and the world faded to black.
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When Caroline woke up again, she was lying in a hospital bed, weak and with a sharp pain in her
abdomen.
The doctor told her that while she was physically fine, the baby she was carrying couldn’t be saved.
At that moment, Caroline felt like a statue, her spirit drained and numb.
Only the tears in her eyes betrayed her rare, fragile vulnerability.
She had originally planned to terminate the pregnancy before leaving, thinking that perhaps it was the best decision.
Wiping away her tears, her voice trembling as she said, “Please, just help me with one last thing…”
After the doctor left, Caroline covered her face with her hands and wept silently.
Suddenly, a noise came from outside the door. She quickly wiped her tears and tried to look as though she had just woken up.
Violet pushed the door open and, seeing Caroline awake, burst into tears of relief.
“Caroline, your eyes are so swollen! Have you been crying too?”
Caroline shook her head, her voice hoarse as she replied, “Maybe it’s an infection.”
Violet, oblivious, simply smiled with relief, while Caroline stirred her limbs, trying to shake off the
heaviness.
“Thank goodness for the new bomb suit; otherwise…”
She didn’t finish the sentence, but both of them knew it was a miracle that Caroline had both walked away from Death’s grip.
“That shotgun was light, and I was behind the sandbags, so I’m fine,” Caroline added, trying to make light of it.
Violet managed a small laugh. “You always say that.”
Just then, Graysen rushed in, visibly relieved when he saw Caroline was fine.
“Thank god, you’re okay. You have no idea how worried I was,” he said.
Violet scoffed, narrowing her eyes at him.
“You were worried? You were glued to Marlene this whole time and barely looked at Caroline! Anyone would think you were her boyfriend.”
Graysen smiled awkwardly, trying to explain. “But you were here, and she didn’t have anyone else. I
was just making sure she was fine. We’re colleagues, after all.”
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He looked at Caroline, asking, “You understand, right?”
She didn’t respond. Instead, she turned to Violet and said, “Go rest. I’m fine,”
Violet nodded and left, shutting the door behind her.
The room fell silent, thick with awkwardness.
Graysen opened his mouth to say something else, but Caroline had already closed her eyes, signaling she didn’t want to talk.
Graysen sighed, closing his mouth.
After two days of rest in the hospital, Caroline, feeling physically better, returned home.
She was leaving tomorrow, and she still had to pack.
Apart from a few changes of clothes and some essentials, there was nothing else she was taking
Carefully, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small paper bag, hesitating for a long while before not opening it.
Then she sent it off with some jewelry, a bank card, and a greeting card.
She typed a message that read, “You like him, don’t you? I’m sending him to you, along with tomorrow’s wedding.”
