General and I

A PROMISE IN SILENCE

The morning light seeped into Damien’s office like a shy visitor, soft and pale. The General sat motionless behind his desk, eyes locked on the folder in front of him Leah Sanders’ file, spread open like a wound.

He had asked Mason to dig into her background, but he hadn’t expected the weight that came with each page.

Birth certificate.

Guardianship transfer.

Medical bills.

Debt records.

Police reports ;a legal battle over property ownership, won by her uncle.

Damien’s jaw tightened. The report read like a tragedy, each line colder than the last. Her parents had died in an accident when she was barely a teenager. Their estate a small business and two properties had been seized by her father’s brother, under the guise of “management.” Within months, everything was gone.

And Leah barely sixteen at the time had been left with nothing but a younger sister to raise and an ocean of unpaid hospital bills.

He ran a hand down his face.

Twenty-two years old.

Barely an adult, and already carrying more than most seasoned soldiers.

He leaned back, the chair creaking under the tension in his shoulders. The folder stayed open before him, a silent reminder of just how unfair the world could be.

“Her uncle,” Damien muttered, his tone low, almost dangerous. “He stole everything.”

For a moment, the mask of calm authority slipped. His eyes darkened, sharp and unyielding the same eyes that had commanded troops in war zones and stared down corruption without flinching.

He hated injustice. Always had.

And now, knowing what Leah had endured the humiliation, the struggle, the desperation something inside him hardened.

He wasn’t just her General anymore. Somewhere deep within, a promise formed quiet but fierce.

He would get it back for her.

Every last thing that man stole.

A knock interrupted his thoughts.

“Enter,” Damien said, voice returning to its composed tone.

Mason stepped in, holding a tablet in one hand. His crisp uniform reflected his efficiency. “Sir, the report you requested has been fully compiled,” he began, unaware his superior had already read it cover to cover. “There’s also a message from your secretary You’re due at the Cole Firm headquarters in an hour. The board meeting you postponed last week they’ve rescheduled it to this morning.”

Damien exhaled slowly, closing the folder. “Right.”

He stood, straightened his jacket, and crossed to the window overlooking the camp. The recruits were already out on the field, small figures moving in formation. Somewhere among them was Leah the girl who’d begged him for another chance, the girl whose life had been nothing but one long, uphill battle.

For the first time, he wished he could stay and watch over them.

“Tell Sergeant Louis to oversee training today,” he said finally.

Mason was his personal assistant at work and he’s supposed to head out together with him,but Damien had brushed it off and ask him to take care of things in his absence .

“Sir?”

Damien’s eyes hardened again, though his voice remained calm. “Keep this file confidential. No one else sees it.”

“Understood, General.”

As Mason saluted and left, Damien lingered for a moment longer. His reflection in the glass looked composed, but the thoughts behind it were anything but.

He turned sharply, grabbed his coat, and left the office.

Out on the training field, the air felt strangely lighter that morning.

Word spread fast General Cole isn’t coming today.

A wave of relief swept through the recruits. The atmosphere that had always felt like steel suddenly seemed breathable.

Leah wiped sweat from her brow, almost not believing it. For once, she didn’t feel that piercing gaze burning holes into her back.

“Can you believe it?” Natasha whispered, her face bright with mischief. “No Damien today! Maybe we’ll survive without dying.”

Leah forced a small smile. Her muscles still ached, but she wasn’t trembling anymore. “Let’s not celebrate too soon. You know how Louis is he’ll probably make us do extra laps just for existing.”

Natasha snorted. “Still better than the General.”

Their laughter was short-lived as Sergeant Louis approached, his boots crunching over the dirt.

“Listen up, recruits!” he barked. The chatter died instantly. “Today, we’ll be running team drills until sunset. You’ll work in assigned groups. The last group to finish their field course doesn’t go to tonight’s celebration.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

“Celebration?” Natasha whispered.

Louis nodded, scanning their faces. “You heard right. Command’s approved a social night a little morale boost. There’ll be music, food, and a few drinks. But only those who earn it will be allowed in. So, I suggest you give your best.”

Cheers erupted. The idea of a break even for one night felt like heaven.

But among the recruits, Ann Parker stood quietly, arms folded, a faint smile playing on her lips.

So, Damien wasn’t here.

Perfect.

No commanding eyes to restrain her. No cold authority to ruin her fun.

She tossed her hair and turned to her friends, two girls whose expressions mirrored her sly amusement. “We’re not just earning that party,” she said softly. “We’re going to win first place. VIP section.”

“How?” one of them asked.

Ann’s smile widened. “By making sure Leah’s team comes last.”

Her friends exchanged looks then smirked in unison.

The day dragged on under the heavy sun.

Leah’s team which, by cruel coincidence, included both Natasha and two of Ann’s followers worked tirelessly on obstacle runs and tactical challenges. Each task demanded precision, speed, and endurance.

But Leah couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Every time they were close to completing a task, something went wrong a misplaced rope, a broken handle, a missing piece of equipment.

“Didn’t we have all our gear earlier?” Natasha whispered suspiciously after their third setback.

Leah frowned, scanning the supplies. “We did. Someone switched them out.”

She didn’t need to guess who.

Across the field, Ann’s laughter carried on the wind. Her group was performing flawlessly almost too flawlessly.

By afternoon, the rankings were becoming clear. Ann’s team was at the top. Leah’s was slipping lower and lower.

Leah wiped the sweat from her forehead, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. Every failure felt like a personal attack a reminder that no matter how hard she tried, someone always found a way to pull her down.

But quitting wasn’t an option. Not anymore.

“Let’s finish this,” she told her team, voice firm despite her fatigue.

Natasha nodded, grim but determined. “Let’s show them what we’ve got.”

They gave everything they had in the final drill crawling through the mud, climbing the last wall with scraped palms and bruised knees. By the time they crossed the finish line, Leah’s uniform was soaked, her breath ragged.

Sergeant Louis blew the whistle, ending the exercise.

He glanced at his clipboard, expression neutral. “Results will be posted shortly. Dismissed.”

As the recruits dispersed, Ann’s group gathered nearby, smug and glowing with satisfaction.

Leah caught a glimpse of Ann’s smirk as she walked past, her words barely a whisper but sharp enough to cut. “Some people just aren’t meant to win.”

Leah said nothing. She simply turned away, holding her silence like armor.

Later that evening, the announcement board confirmed what everyone already suspected.

First Place: Group A — Ann Parker’s Unit.

Second to the last Place: Group D — Leah Sanders’ Unit.

A collective groan came from Leah’s team. Natasha kicked at the dirt. “Figures. She must’ve bribed half the field.” At least she could attend the party

Leah just stood there quietly, her chest tight. She wasn’t angry not really. Just tired. Tired of losing, tired of being the target, tired of always fighting uphill.

She turned away from the chatter, gazing toward the horizon where the sun dipped behind the hills. Somewhere, beyond that line of gold, her sister was waiting. That thought alone kept her standing.

Back in the city, Damien was far from the peace of his office.

Cole Firm’s boardroom buzzed with voices, numbers, and projections. The man everyone in Country X admired the untouchable General, the ruthless president sat through it all, but his mind wasn’t on mergers or profits.

He found his thoughts drifting again to the girl in the uniform too big for her frame, standing beneath the camp lights with tears in her eyes.

Leah Sanders.

A soldier by need, not ambition.

And yet, she carried herself like someone who refused to surrender.

As the meeting dragged on, Damien’s gaze dropped to his clasped hands. He hasn’t been bored in a meeting before but this felt like eternity and he wished for it to end while still thinking about Leah ,You’ve suffered enough, he thought silently. You won’t have to fight alone anymore.

It wasn’t a command.

It was a promise.

After what seems Like hours the meeting finally ended and though it was late,Damien still drive himself back to the camp