General and I

THE GENERAL’S LEGACY

In Country X, the Cole name carried weight heavier than gold.

It was carved into skyscrapers, engraved on plaques of global headquarters, whispered in political circles, and respected on battlefields.

At the center of it all stood Damien Alexander Cole the man everyone knew but few truly understood.

He was the face of the Cole legacy, the bloodline that had shaped both corporate power and military honor in the nation’s history. From the outside, he was perfection personified tall, impeccably groomed, and commanding. The world saw him as the kind of man who had everything: wealth, looks, discipline, and the unshakable composure of a born leader.

But behind that flawless image was a man molded by duty, not luxury.

It all began with General Raymond Cole, Damien’s grandfather a man of grit, brilliance, and unwavering honor.

After serving for decades in the military, General Raymond retired with more medals than he could count and a vision few could comprehend.

Instead of fading into comfort, he built something lasting Cole Industries, a defense conglomerate that began as a small armory and evolved into a multinational powerhouse dealing in security technology, aircraft, and industrial innovation. Within thirty years, the company’s reach stretched across continents.

But General Raymond’s real legacy wasn’t just business it was discipline. He believed that power, whether in war or wealth, meant nothing without principle. That was the code he passed down to his family.

Damien’s father, Richard Cole, inherited that empire but he didn’t share his father’s military zeal. Richard was a man of intellect and strategy, not combat. He expanded the company’s economic reach venturing into pharmaceuticals, real estate, and renewable energy. Under his reign, Cole Industries became a global leader, ranking among the top five conglomerates in the world.

He built skyscrapers instead of bases.

Yet, he often said one thing about his son:

“Damien carries my father’s fire not my patience.”

And he was right.

Damien Cole ,The Man Between Two Worlds

From a young age, Damien was different. While other boys dreamt of cars and parties, he was in the academy yard, pushing himself to exhaustion under the morning sun. His mother had begged him to join his father in the corporate wing but Damien’s heart belonged elsewhere.

At twenty-four, he joined the National Defense Academy, quickly rising through the ranks. His leadership was unmatched; his intelligence sharp as a blade. By thirty-two, he was among the youngest commanding officers in Country X’s military.

But unlike his grandfather, Damien didn’t leave the family company behind.

No he took both worlds and made them his.

While other men struggled to balance one empire, Damien commanded two.

He was the President of Cole Industries by inheritance a ruthless strategist in the boardroom and General Damien Cole by choice, leading strategic divisions under the Horizon Defense Council.

He lived between two realities: mornings spent in meetings with international investors, and evenings spent overseeing military training, strategy simulations, or humanitarian operations.

The media called him “The Iron Heir.”

But to those close to him a very small circle he was a man burdened by expectations he could never escape.

He had women throwing themselves at him, tabloids dissecting every move, and a nation expecting him to be the perfect reflection of strength. Yet, despite the fame, Damien was alone.

He had no time for romance, no patience for pretense.

But the image of a girl crying softly in an elevator… that had haunted him for days.

He didn’t even know her name, yet every time he closed his eyes, her voice, her trembling hands, the sorrow in her eyes it all came back. It was absurd, he told himself. He met thousands of people. Why her? Why that fleeting moment?

And yet… he couldn’t shake it.

The Morning at Cole Headquarters

“Sir, the meeting with the Southeast branch begins in twenty minutes,” Mason reminded, tapping lightly on the office door.

Damien stood near the tall glass window of his office, overlooking the bustling skyline of Country X’s capital. The city stretched endlessly highways like silver veins, skyscrapers glittering in the early sunlight.

He didn’t turn around. “I’ll join shortly.”

“Yes, sir.”

When Mason left, Damien exhaled slowly, setting down his tablet. On it was the file for the Horizon Program, the new military initiative designed to train and recruit women across the nation for specialized defense operations.

He had personally approved the final funding last week a fusion of military advancement and corporate investment. It was meant to empower, to give opportunity… yet he knew the rigorous standards would break most applicants before they even began.

Still, he believed in it.

Strength is not defined by muscle or rank. It’s the will to rise when the world pushes you down.

That was the motto he’d insisted be printed on the Horizon flag.

And somewhere, unbeknownst to him, the girl from the elevator had just signed up for it.

Two weeks later, at the outskirts of the city, the Horizon Training Base stood vast and commanding. Rows of tents and buildings stretched under the morning sky, guarded by steel fences and towering flags. The air buzzed with nervous energy as hundreds of young women lined up for their physical examinations.

Leah adjusted her backpack nervously, her hands clammy despite the cool air. She’d barely slept the night before the decision still felt surreal.

Maya had smiled weakly when she told her.

“Go for it, Leah. You’re stronger than you think.”

Those words echoed in her head now as she stepped through the base gates.

She wasn’t here for glory. She wasn’t here for adventure.

She was here for survival.

Her heart pounded as the officers shouted orders, directing recruits toward the registration booths. The atmosphere was tense but thrilling a mix of fear and determination hanging in the air.

“Next!” a stern voice barked.

Leah stepped forward, handing her ID. The officer glanced at her, then nodded toward the waiting area. “You’ll proceed to the endurance assessment in ten minutes.”

She nodded quickly and moved aside, adjusting her shoelaces. The sun had climbed higher now, the heat pressing down on the field. Around her, women were stretching, jogging, and whispering nervously.

That was when it happened.

Someone bumped into her or rather, she stepped back and accidentally landed her full weight on another girl’s pristine white sneakers.

“Ouch! Watch where you’re going!”

Leah spun around quickly. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry!”

The girl she had stepped on wasn’t like the others. She wore designer sportswear that probably cost more than Leah’s rent, her golden hair tied in a sleek ponytail. Her face, perfectly made up despite the heat, twisted in irritation.

“Do you have any idea how much these cost ,if you ruin them you’d spend your entire life saving for it” the girl snapped.

Leah blinked, caught off guard. “I said I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Oh please spare me that, why are you even here anyways,heard the Cole are sponsoring and many ladies rushing here thinking they can meet him,I’m sure you’re one of them,” Ann’s friend interrupted, crossing her arms.

Leah frowned slightly. “I don’t even know who that is ,” she muttered, turning to leave.

Ann gasped. “Excuse me?”

Leah stopped, her patience thinning. “Look, I said I’m sorry. It was an accident. Now if you’ll excuse me—”

Before she could finish, Ann scoffed “ Don’t bother her”she said turning to her friend Sarah,obviously there is a hidden meaning to that because Ann is known to be so petty and always make sure to get revenge .

Leah bit her tongue, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Then maybe you should step aside”

The nearby recruits exchanged glances, some stifling smiles. Ann’s cheeks flushed crimson. “You’ll regret that,” she hissed before strutting off toward her private tent yes, she had a private tent.

Leah sighed, rubbing her temples. Great. Day one, and I already made an enemy.

Hours later, the physical examination began. Leah pushed herself harder than she ever had sprinting across the track, scaling walls, crawling under wire fences. Sweat drenched her clothes, her lungs burned, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t.

Every drop of sweat was a step closer to Maya’s recovery.

Every ache was a promise she refused to break.

When she finally crossed the finish line, collapsing on the grass, an officer nodded approvingly. “Good stamina, recruit.”

Leah managed a faint smile, breathless but proud.

From a distance, Ann glared unimpressed, though her own performance had been mediocre at best. She wasn’t here to sweat. She was here to look good.

The sun began to dip, casting a warm hue over the camp. Leah sat near the fence, gulping water, her muscles trembling. Despite the exhaustion, something inside her stirred a spark she hadn’t felt in a long time.

For the first time since her parents died, she felt like she was taking control of her life again.

She glanced toward the Horizon flag flapping in the wind.

Because sometimes the only way to survive… is to fight.

Meanwhile Damien’s World Shifts

Back in the city, Damien stood in the private gym of his estate, punching through his morning routine. Sweat glistened across his chest as he struck the training bag, each hit precise, rhythmic, powerful.

His assistant entered quietly. “Sir, the new recruits for Horizon have been finalized. Training officially begins next week.”

Damien nodded, grabbing a towel. “Good. I want a full report on every candidate.”

“Yes, sir. There’s one more thing the Minister of Defense wants you to attend the orientation ceremony. They’d like you to address the recruits personally.”

Damien paused mid-swipe, his expression unreadable. “Fine. Schedule it.”

As Mason left, Damien’s gaze lingered on the window, his reflection merging with the distant horizon. He didn’t know it yet but among those recruits was the same woman who had unknowingly etched herself into his thoughts.

The girl who cried in the elevator.

And fate was quietly aligning their worlds once again.