Married to a military officer for six months, we had only truly been intimate once. On our wedding night, I was flushed with shyness, and he, flustered, got a nosebleed and fumbled, completely lost. It was a first for both of us, and we struggled until dawn, unable to consummate our marriage. It wasn’t until four months ago, when he came home for the holidays. He proudly declared he’d learned a lot from his buddies, swearing he wouldn’t hurt me. That night, we were at it until dawn. As daylight broke, I was half-asleep but he woke me again, and I whispered, begging: “Officer, I really can’t go on…” He held me tight, his scorching breath hot on my ear: “What did you call me? Hmm?” He was thrusting so hard, I was almost in tears, and weakly managed: “Husband…” That only fueled his passion further, and we didn’t leave the house for five days straight. After he returned to his unit, I discovered I was pregnant. I decided to tell him in person, but instead, I walked right into him passionately kissing his lover by the lake. Reeling from the devastating blow, I collapsed onto the bed and cried all night. Then, I wrote out the divorce papers.
I submitted the divorce papers to military headquarters. The first person to come looking for me was my mother-in-law, Eleanor. She was usually stern and efficient, but now her face was etched with embarrassment and shame. She sat before me, her voice unusually soft: “Chloe, my son made a mistake, he got carried away for a moment!” “But Richard and I, and your parents, share a bond that’s thicker than blood, a friendship forged in the toughest times. And now you’re pregnant, being a single mom is incredibly tough. Please, think it over.” My expression was firm. “Please, I beg you as a mother. I promise I’ll make sure he changes! How about this: give him half a month. If he’s still making a fool of himself, I’ll personally agree to the divorce.” My hand instinctively went to my still-flat stomach, and my mind drifted back to my first encounter with Hunter Stone. I was eight years old. My parents were stationed in a remote border region when a dangerous incident involving criminals broke out. During the sudden outbreak of violence, the perpetrators grew enraged and took many hostages. Hunter and I were among them. Those five hours felt like five years. In my fear, Hunter held my hand tightly and comforted me: “Don’t be scared, little sister, the adults will definitely come and rescue us!” When the criminals came to pick hostages to beat and coerce the outside world, he bravely shielded me, hiding my small frame behind him. He ended up getting his face smashed by a rifle butt. He was still bleeding when we were rescued. I threw myself onto him, crying inconsolably, but he just smiled and playfully tapped my nose: “I told you big brother would protect you, and I kept my word. Don’t cry, you silly goose.” The flutter I felt from that single sentence still echoed in my heart to this day. I agreed to my mother-in-law’s request. Hunter didn’t return until midnight. He seemed oblivious to the whirlwind of gossip and speculation that kiss, witnessed by everyone, had caused. He acted as if nothing had happened, telling me: “Still awake? We’re preparing for drills these next few days, so I might not be back. You don’t have to wait up for me.” “Once this period is over, I’ll take a day off, just for you.” I looked at his indistinct features in the moonlight and said, “Okay.” When his leave came, Hunter kept his promise and focused entirely on me. He personally bought groceries and cooked, feeding me and even carefully picking out fish bones. He was incredibly patient, as gentle as water. Just like when we first got married. After nightfall, he took me hiking. I put on my jacket, first wondering why he’d like mountains when he was always out on training drills. Then it hit me: it wasn’t the mountains he disliked, it was *me*. I had once mentioned wanting to watch the sunrise from a mountaintop. Once we reached the summit and set up our tent, Hunter pulled me into his embrace. I felt his intense heat and quickly said: “Hunter, I’m pregnant.” He kissed my hair, his breath burning, and chuckled: “I consulted a doctor. It’s been four months. I’ll be careful, it’s fine. Don’t you miss me?” I remained silent, neither responding nor resisting. The tent was small and dark, and the man pressing down on me felt like my only salvation. Passion burned until sunrise. As we descended the mountain and headed back, the military compound was bustling with noise. Hunter suddenly froze. I looked in the direction he was staring. It was Veronica. She was wearing an expensive, beautiful shirt, completely unwrinkled, her ponytail draped over one shoulder, gleaming black in the sunlight. She gazed at Hunter, as if wanting to say something. Hunter’s hand, which had been resting on my waist, suddenly dropped. His entire body instinctively turned towards Veronica. His knee lifted, then froze in mid-air, only to be lowered again. Finally, his hand once more clasped my waist, urging me to walk faster. I remained silent throughout, yet despite being the “victor,” my heart felt heavy.
Hunter poured two cups of hot water, staring grimly at the rising steam. I didn’t touch my cup. “You sit for a bit, I’ll be back after a short walk.” He didn’t move, as if I were invisible. I slowly walked downstairs, along the shade of the trees, and met Veronica at the corner. I couldn’t be bothered to argue with her and tried to walk past, but then I heard her say: “Chloe Anderson, you won, you must be very happy, right?” I paused. She walked in front of me, her eyes glinting with jealousy: “I turned Hunter down for an undercover mission. Congratulations, you swooped in at just the right moment and snagged him.” My heart gave a painful lurch, but I calmly looked at her: “And then?” She slightly lifted her chin, haughty and sharp. “You’re just a thief. I’m back now. Do you think Hunter will file for divorce?” Her eyes were full of jealousy and obsession. My desire to argue vanished. I just curled my lips into a small smile: “Veronica, you’re supposed to be a hero, protecting people. Are you really going to play the role of a mistress, hiding in the shadows? Hunter and I are bound by military marriage, which isn’t something you just casually break!” Veronica’s face went white, and she stepped back, her lips trembling as she said: “Who was here first? Who’s the real mistress?!” “The law decides that.” I calmly walked past her and left. Back home, the living room was empty. I quickly called out Hunter’s name, opening one room after another. He wasn’t in any of them. When I reached the window, I finally saw Hunter. At some point, he had also gone downstairs and was standing by a tree, one hand gently placed on Veronica’s shoulder. No one else was around. I don’t know if he heard my calls from upstairs, or if he was just hesitating, but he eventually embraced Veronica. And Veronica, she hugged him back and looked up. They kissed passionately again, just like they had by the lake a few days earlier. The scene pierced my eyes and heart. I stumbled back, gasping for air, overwhelmed with pain. A long time passed. When dinner time came, Hunter finally returned. “Honey, you haven’t cooked? Never mind, your health is more important now that you’re pregnant. How about we go out to eat?” I looked up at him and asked softly: “Eating out, how luxurious… Is it out of guilt?” His gaze faltered, and he frowned, raising his voice: “You’re overthinking again! I told you, there’s nothing going on between Veronica and me!” He walked over and pulled me to my feet. “Don’t worry about it. You’re eating for two now, can’t go hungry.” His hand was still so warm, but it could no longer warm me. We walked in silence to the intersection, where we ran into a group of women gossiping about Veronica: “Veronica, wasn’t it you that Commander Stone jumped into the lake to save? How did CPR turn into kissing?” “Doing such disgusting things in broad daylight, so shameless! Our Hunter is a married man!” “Interfering with a military marriage is a serious offense, Veronica. Have you considered the consequences?” One accusation after another, Veronica was surrounded and her eyes slowly welled up. Hunter couldn’t stand it. He let go of me and walked over. He stood in front of Veronica, earnestly refuting them: “Ladies, don’t believe the rumors! Veronica accidentally fell into the water, and it was my duty to save her. Spreading false rumors about military personnel is a serious matter and could have consequences!” The women’s faces turned awkward, while Hunter gently protected Veronica, escorting her home. He left me standing there alone, watching their retreating figures walking hand-in-hand. Why was the late spring wind still so biting? After a long time, I woodenly went upstairs and made myself a bowl of noodles. “You said you were saving her, fine. But why were you hugging and kissing Veronica right outside our building? Do you think everyone else is blind?!” Eleanor Stone glared at her son, furious and disappointed, and slapped the coffee table. “Hunter Stone, have you lost your mind?!” Hunter sat opposite her, his military uniform crisp, his face calm. “I’ve already notified people to clarify things. A few arrests for spreading rumors, and things will quiet down.” “Is that the point?” Eleanor pointed at me and continued, “Your wife is pregnant! You talked about taking her out to dinner, but the moment you see Veronica, you’ve apparently lost your appetite and abandoned your pregnant wife to escort her home?!”
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