My girlfriend was one of the top mercenaries in the world. Three years ago, she took on an S-class emergency mission. Before she left, she told me: “The day I return safely is the day I marry you.” I believed her with all my heart. And so, I waited for over a thousand days and nights. Until a month ago, when she finally returned. I thought my three long years of waiting had finally paid off. But just last night, I overheard her conversation with her second-in-command outside the study. “Ma’am, are you really planning to marry Mr. Cole? What about Marcus and Finn? Finn’s already over two, and he’s your own flesh and blood. You can’t hide this forever.” “Back then, you were pregnant with Marcus’s child, so you made up the story about a three-year mission to go have the baby. If Mr. Cole finds out now…” My girlfriend shot her second a sharp glance. “He must never know! He’s the only one I’ll marry! Tell Marcus Vance to keep himself and the kid in line!” Finn? Two years old? Her own flesh and blood? So, while I was eagerly waiting for her to come back and marry me for three years, she already had someone else, and even a child over two years old. My legs felt like jelly as I stumbled back to the bedroom and dialed my grandpa’s number. “Grandpa, is the Hayes family’s ‘simple’ eldest daughter still… available? I’m willing to go through with the marriage alliance with the Hayes family.” 1 “What’s wrong, Ethan? Weren’t you set on marrying only her, waiting for three years? What happened?” “Sophia Hayes has never made public appearances because of her… condition. If you don’t want to, Grandpa will fight tooth and nail to protect you, you…” I desperately wanted to confide in Grandpa, but the moment I tried to speak, tears streamed down my face. It was true. Everyone in Seacrest City knew I, Ethan Cole, had fallen in love with my mercenary bodyguard, Raven Blackwood. From eighteen to twenty-three, I had loved her for five whole years. Until three years ago, when she took an S-class emergency mission and promised me before leaving: “When I return, I’ll marry you.” Just that one sentence. I believed it and waited bitterly for three years. During these three years, rumors were rampant. Everyone speculated that Raven must have died on the mission, or had long since fled and wouldn’t be coming back. I turned a deaf ear to these rumors, just counting the days, hoping she would complete her mission soon and return to marry me. Now, everyone in Seacrest City knew that Ethan Cole, the young heir of the Cole family, was decisive and ever-victorious in the business world. His only weakness was my bodyguard, Raven Blackwood. I understood Grandpa’s confusion. Even I hadn’t expected Raven’s three-year mission to be such a colossal lie. Although I said nothing, Grandpa on the other end of the line seemed to sense my mood. After a long silence, he said softly, “If you’ve really thought it through, Grandpa supports you. The Hayes family is incredibly powerful; you won’t be wronged in the future.” “The day after tomorrow, I’ll send a car to pick you up. Get your affairs in order first.” After hanging up, I remained frozen, still holding the phone. The conversation between Raven and her second replayed endlessly in my mind. My heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles, the pain instantly shooting through my whole body, making it almost impossible to breathe. Raven had betrayed me three years ago. She fabricated the lie of a three-year mission just to be with another man and their child. At this thought, I could no longer hold myself up. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor. For these three years, because of her special profession and her being on a mission, I couldn’t contact her freely. I could only passively wait for news from her – sometimes for days, sometimes for tens of days. On days without news from her, I often couldn’t sleep at night, both afraid of hearing news about her and afraid of not hearing anything at all. Countless sleepless nights, I relied on the memories of our five-year relationship to get through, until she finally completed her mission and returned to my side. Just as I was lost in despair, Raven walked into the bedroom and saw me sitting on the floor. “Ethan, the floor’s cold. Why are you sitting here? Are you not feeling well?” 2 Raven’s face was full of concern, her beautiful eyes reflecting my image, just like any other day. Whether it was the five years we spent together before she left, or this past month since she returned, Raven had always been good to me. I truly didn't want to believe this reality. I quietly locked my phone and forced a smile. “Maybe a bit of low blood sugar, I just lost my footing. I’m fine.” Raven breathed a sigh of relief and carefully helped me up. “Let’s go to Hawaii tomorrow. I’ll have my second book the tickets. Don’t you always love the ocean? How about we take our wedding photos by the sea?” Raven was still as considerate as ever, but after what I’d just learned, hearing these words now only made me feel sick to my stomach. “No.” Raven paused for a moment, then gently took my hand. “What’s wrong, Ethan? Why are you unhappy? Didn’t we agree not to hide anything from each other, no matter what?” Hearing her say this, I finally couldn’t hold back any longer. I looked straight into her eyes. “Raven, are you really not hiding anything from me?” Raven flinched, then smiled faintly and spoke softly. “What could I possibly hide from you?” I fought back the stinging in my eyes and nodded lightly. “That’s good then. Let’s go to sleep, Raven. I’m a bit tired.” Early the next morning, Raven and I were awakened by a knock on the door. Raven opened it to find a man with bloodshot eyes standing outside, holding a little boy of about two or three in his arms. “Raven, the kid’s been crying for his mom all night, won’t sleep. You told me not to come find you, but I’m at my wit’s end…” A flash of panic crossed Raven’s face. She instinctively turned to gauge my reaction. “Ethan, don’t misunderstand. This is Marcus Vance, our team medic. His wife was my teammate, and my good friend. She was accidentally injured and died on a mission. I just felt sorry for him and his son, so I…” Before I could reply, Marcus spoke, his voice choked with emotion. “Mr. Cole, I know you two are getting married, and I don’t want to trouble Raven, but the child is still so young, he keeps crying for his mom, I really…” I cut Marcus off, my gaze fixed on Raven. “The boy needs his mother. Raven, are you his mother?” Raven shot Marcus a glare before turning to me to explain. “Of course not, Ethan. This child is over two years old; how could I possibly have a child this big? It’s just that Finn’s mother died saving me. I’ve been looking after him and his father, so he thinks of me as his mother. It’s all a misunderstanding.” I carefully studied the child’s features. Though young, his face bore a striking resemblance to Raven. Grandpa was coming to pick me up tomorrow night. I didn’t want any more complications. I forced down the sharp pain in my heart and nodded. “I believe you. Go ahead and get them settled. I’m going upstairs to sleep a bit more.” I turned and went upstairs, Raven following closely behind me. “Ethan, are you angry? Don’t worry, I definitely won’t let them affect us…” But before Raven could finish, Marcus spoke again, his voice choked and pitiful. “Raven, the month you were gone, the child hasn’t been eating or sleeping well, and he’s developed some health problems. I want to take him to the hospital for a thorough check-up. I don’t know anyone here. Can you take us to the hospital?” “You know, I have nothing left. I only have Finn. If anything happens to him, I really can’t go on living.” I turned to look at Raven. She didn’t answer immediately, but her eyes betrayed her thoughts. She was worried, worried about that child. I nodded slightly. “He’s just a little kid; being sick is a big deal. You should go with them to the hospital. After all, his mother died saving you.” Raven’s face visibly brightened, and even her tone became a bit more cheerful. “Then I’ll go with them to the hospital for the check-up and come right back. Ethan, thank you. Thank you for understanding.” After saying this, Raven turned and walked towards the door, taking the child from Marcus with a practiced ease that was almost too natural. Raven was in such a hurry that she didn’t even change out of her pajamas. I watched the child nestle dependently on Raven’s shoulder, and then watched the three of them, like a family, recede into the distance. My heart felt as if it had been thrown into a bottomless abyss, sinking deeper and deeper, until there was no sound left. 3 It was completely dark by the time Raven and Marcus returned home with the child. I had spent the entire day curled up in bed, not moving an inch. When Raven entered the room, her face was etched with guilt. My heart clenched violently, a bad premonition washing over me. Raven spoke in a heavy voice. “Ethan, the child’s condition isn’t good. The doctor said he needs long-term care, and they don’t know anyone else here.” “Look, this house is so big, could they… stay here?” I closed my eyes tightly, trying hard to suppress the bitterness welling up in my chest. Just this morning, before she left, she had clearly promised that she would never let them affect our lives. But now, she wanted to bring Marcus and his son to live here. When I opened my eyes again, my gaze was clear. I was about to speak when I realized Marcus was already standing at my bedroom door, holding the child’s hand. “Mr. Cole, please don’t blame Raven. She’s just worried about the child’s health. His mother passed away right after he was born. Raven has taken on my wife’s responsibilities since then. It’s normal for the child to be attached to her.” “He’s still young. I can’t explain to him that Raven isn’t his mother. But if you’re really unhappy, I’ll just take the child and leave…” Marcus continued his manipulative sob story, but my attention was caught by the necklace around the child’s neck. My breathing instantly became ragged. My hands gripped the blanket tightly, and tears began to fall uncontrollably. I looked up at Raven, my voice so hoarse it scared even me. “What is that… around the child’s neck?” When I was sixteen, Grandpa hired Raven at a high price to be my personal bodyguard. I wasn't in any particular danger, but when I was eighteen, Raven was hunted by enemies from her past. At a critical moment, they both fired a shot at each other. In that split second, my body reacted faster than my brain. I lunged forward and took the fatal bullet for Raven. Raven’s enemy died on the spot. Raven survived. And that bullet had missed my heart by only half an inch. When I woke up in the hospital bed, Raven was crying by my side, her eyes swollen and red, her voice choked beyond recognition. “From this day on, my life, Raven Blackwood’s life, belongs to you, Ethan Cole.” “In this lifetime, Raven Blackwood will never betray Ethan Cole.” She had the bullet extracted from my chest made into a necklace. Holding my hand, she kissed the bullet reverently. “From this second on, I will always remember, at every moment, that my life belongs to you.” “This necklace is my good luck charm. As long as I live, this necklace will always be with me.” I don’t know if it was the sincerity in Raven’s tear-filled eyes that day, or the depth of emotion in her kiss on the necklace. All I knew was that on that day, my heart melted into an ocean of tenderness. But now, that very necklace, which Raven claimed would never leave her side unless she was dead, was hanging quietly around the child’s neck. Raven’s lips trembled for a long time, as if she didn’t know how to explain it to me. In the end, she didn’t say a word. But a flicker of triumph flashed in Marcus’s eyes. “Oh, this necklace? The kid was premature when he was born, and the doctor said Finn was in danger. Raven was worried about him, so she gave him this necklace. He’s worn it ever since he was born.” “But you know, this necklace really works. This kid, from childhood to now…” Before Marcus could finish, Raven cut him off, her voice cold. “Enough! Shut up!” 4 Raven grabbed Marcus’s arm and dragged him out. The child, frightened, started wailing. But I no longer had the strength to care, my mind consumed by Marcus’s words. Raven didn’t come back for a long time. I don’t know how much time passed before some suggestive sounds reached my ears. I threw off the covers, got out of bed, and followed the noise out of my room. The sounds were coming from Marcus’s room. A woman’s voice, so seductively soft it could melt your bones. “Don’t be like this, Ethan’s still home. It wouldn’t be good if he heard.” A man’s voice, hoarse with barely restrained desire. “He won’t. I’ve closed the door properly. He won’t hear anything. Come on, Raven, it’s been so long. Don’t you miss me?” What followed was inevitable. Just as the erotic atmosphere in the air reached its peak, Marcus, on top of Raven, turned his head, and his eyes met mine. Looking at Marcus’s slightly provocative gaze, what else was there not to understand? Marcus had done it on purpose. He said he’d closed the door, but it was clearly open. He did it deliberately, deliberately letting me see all this, deliberately letting me discover their relationship. I lowered my eyes and thoughtfully closed the door for them. Early the next morning, when I went downstairs, only Finn was at the dining table. He was dutifully holding a small bowl, spooning food into his mouth. Seeing me come down, he grinned, his eyes crinkling. “Uncle Ethan, you’re awake? Want some porridge? It’s seafood chowder, super yummy…” But before he could finish, he seemed to choke. His little face turned bright red, and clutching his mouth, he fell heavily from his chair. I was stunned by this sudden turn of events and rushed forward to check on him. After all, whatever issues the adults had, the child was innocent. I couldn’t just watch him suffer in front of me. But then, Marcus’s furious roar exploded. “Ethan Cole! What are you doing!” He lunged forward, yanked me away, and frantically called Finn’s name for a while. When Finn didn’t respond, he got up, checked what Finn had just eaten, and then, with bloodshot eyes, roared at me. “Mr. Cole! If you’re unhappy with us being here, we can just leave! Why would you be so cruel to a child? He’s only three! You’ll kill him doing this!” “Finn’s been allergic to seafood since he was little! I never dare give him anything like this! You have such a cruel heart, to actually feed him seafood chowder!” I was stunned by this barrage of accusations, only able to instinctively deny it. “I didn’t, I didn’t feed him…” But Marcus gave me no chance to explain, cutting me off sharply. “You didn’t? Are you going to say Finn ordered this seafood chowder takeout himself? He’s only three! What does he know!” Raven didn’t even glance at me. She strode forward, scooped up the struggling Finn, and headed for the door. “Stop talking. Let’s get the kid to the hospital first.” Raven hadn’t said a word to me, but after five years together, I could clearly feel she was blaming me. As she passed by, I looked at Raven’s profile, grabbed her wrist, and said, word by word. “Raven, it wasn’t me.” Raven paused, a flicker of impatience in her eyes. “Let go. I need to get Finn to the hospital.” As soon as Raven finished speaking, Marcus roughly shoved me aside and walked out the door with her. Marcus’s shove was sudden. Caught off guard, I fell hard, my lower back slamming into the corner of the coffee table. A sudden, sharp pain shot through my entire body, and I couldn’t help but cry out in pain. But Raven, who used to fret if I so much as frowned, now turned a deaf ear to my cries of pain, her eyes and heart solely focused on the child in her arms. As the three of them gradually disappeared from my sight, my phone rang. It was a message from Grandpa. “The car is almost here. Pack up and come out.” I wiped away my tears fiercely, gritted my teeth against the sharp pain in my lower back, and climbed up from the floor, heading into the bedroom. I took nothing but my ID and bank cards and walked out. After getting into the car Grandpa sent, I sent Raven a message. “Let’s break up, Raven.”
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