Chapter 5
760 Words
The military commendation ceremony arrived as scheduled.
Only this time, I was no longer the honored officer.
I stood outside the grand hall, wearing a plain black uniform without insignia, while inside, applause thundered endlessly for Seraphina.
Massive screens displayed her achievements.
Every mission she had merely assisted in had been rewritten as her personal triumph.
And the highest honor that once bore my name was now engraved with hers.
I stood quietly at the edge of the crowd.
No one acknowledged my presence.
Some avoided me.
Others pointed, whispering behind their hands.
“Isn’t that the one from the scandal?”
“She looks so calm. Shameless.”
“General Cross is really pitiful, married to someone like that.”
Each word pierced deeper than the last.
Then the hall lights dimmed.
A soft melody filled the air.
Adrian walked onto the stage.
In his immaculate general’s uniform, he looked dignified, restrained, and noble.
When his gaze swept across the audience, it paused briefly on me.
Only for a second.
Cold.
Detached.
As if I were nothing more than a stranger.
“Today,” he announced solemnly, “we honor a hero who embodies loyalty, courage, and sacrifice.”
Spotlights converged.
Seraphina stepped forward in her pristine uniform, her posture perfect, her eyes brimming with restrained emotion.
Applause erupted.
Flowers rained down.
She bowed, one hand pressed to her chest.
“For the nation,” she said softly, “I am willing to give everything.”
The crowd surged to its feet.
Thunderous clapping shook the hall.
My vision blurred.
Ten years.
Ten years of blood, sweat, and sacrifice.
Reduced to someone else’s glory in a single ceremony.
Just as the award was about to be presented, a staff officer hurried up to Adrian and whispered urgently.
His expression shifted slightly.
He nodded.
Then he raised his hand, signaling for silence.
“There is one more matter,” he said calmly.
A massive screen behind him flickered.
Suddenly, images filled the hall.
My breath stopped.
It was footage.
Surveillance footage from my private quarters.
Clothes scattered across the floor.
A half-open wardrobe.
And—
A lace undergarment lying on the bed.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Before I could react, another image appeared.
A close-up photo.
It was unmistakably mine.
My hands trembled violently.
I turned toward Adrian in disbelief.
But he simply looked at me, his gaze steady and cold.
“As a warning,” he said slowly, “any military officer who violates moral conduct will be punished severely. No matter their rank or past achievements.”
The hall exploded.
Shocked murmurs.
Condemning whispers.
Disgusted stares.
I stood frozen, my entire body shaking.
This wasn’t discipline.
This was public execution.
They stripped away my dignity.
My honor.
My identity.
Right in front of thousands.
And he did it himself.
Seraphina’s lips curved subtly.
Only I saw it.
After the ceremony, reporters swarmed toward me.
Microphones shoved into my face.
“Captain Voss, are those photos real?”
“Did you betray your marriage?”
“Do you feel ashamed?”
My ears rang.
My chest felt tight.
I couldn’t breathe.
Suddenly, someone grabbed my wrist.
Adrian pulled me through the crowd, his grip iron-tight.
He dragged me into the car and slammed the door shut.
“Why?” My voice trembled. “Why would you do that?”
He loosened his tie slowly, his expression indifferent.
“Because you won’t behave.”
“So you destroy me?”
“I warned you,” he said coldly. “You should have stayed quiet.”
Tears streamed down my face.
“You humiliated me in front of the entire nation.”
“That was mercy,” he replied flatly. “At least I let you live.”
Something inside me shattered completely.
I laughed.
Softly.
Brokenly.
“You’re cruel,” I whispered.
His eyes darkened. “Cruel? If I were cruel, your brother would already be dead.”
Silence fell like a blade.
I stared at him, my blood turning ice-cold.
He had always known exactly where to strike.
When we arrived home, I went straight to the study.
The divorce papers were gone.
Signed.
My lips curved faintly.
Good.
Very good.
That night, I packed only a small bag.
At exactly midnight, I slipped out of the house without looking back.
Outside, a black car waited.
The window lowered.
A pair of sharp, dangerous eyes met mine.
“Get in,” the man said calmly.
I stepped forward.
From that moment on—
My life truly began.
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- Writer
