The Day I Finally Let You Go

In the fourth year of her engagement to Mason Hart, Evelyn Ward still had not been able to marry him. The Hart family had produced officers for three generations, and marriages required approval from military headquarters. Yet every year, their marriage request was rejected. Until the fourth year, when Evelyn personally saw Mason alter the application. Only then did she realize that Mason had never intended to marry her at all. Chapter 1 Everyone in the Westbridge Military Base knew that Mason Hart had suffered harsh punishment every year in order to marry Evelyn Ward. The Hart family had served in the military for three generations, and the regulations clearly stated that anyone from the Hart family had to obtain approval from the Commander-in-Chief before they could marry. Yet for three consecutive years, Mason submitted a marriage request, only to have it denied each time. In the first year, he knelt on the training field for three days and three nights without a drop of water, eventually collapsing and being carried to the infirmary. In the second year, he endured fifty lashes under military discipline, his back split open and bleeding. In the third year, burning with a high fever, he knelt in the freezing snow until his legs were nearly ruined. Yet every year, it still ended the same way—the rules of the military could not be broken. By the fourth year, Evelyn decided that if their marriage approval was denied again, she would stand beside Mason and accept the punishment with him, pleading with military headquarters to grant them a special exception so they could finally marry. When she hurried to base headquarters, Mason had just received a message from the Commander-in-Chief. As he unfolded it, the words “Marriage Approved” were clearly visible to Evelyn standing outside the door. But before she could cry out in surprise, she saw Mason pick up a pen and add the word “Not.” Then he handed the message to the aide beside him, his low voice echoing through the quiet hall. “Make it known publicly that this year’s marriage request was denied again.” … Evelyn froze where she stood, her mind completely blank. Why would Mason alter the result of the application? The aide took the telegram, his expression complicated as he looked at Mason. “Colonel Hart, I remember you always saying you wanted to marry Miss Ward as soon as possible and bring her home as your rightful wife. “Now that you finally can, why do you keep delaying it? This is already the fourth time you’ve changed the result of the application.” Every word struck Evelyn’s ears clearly, shaking her so badly she nearly lost her footing. The fourth time changing the result… So, the marriage requests from the previous three years had also been approved! Inside the hall, Mason’s voice carried a trace of helplessness. “My desire to marry Evelyn has never changed. But during the four years she went to university in Grandbridge, Anna was the one who stayed by my side. “She gave up her own dreams for me, stayed in Westbridge, and enrolled in the same military academy as I did. “After graduation, she even joined the military and worked her way up from an ordinary soldier to become my personal aide. “Once, when she was drunk, she held onto me and cried, saying that the day I got married would be the darkest day of her life. “Even though I don’t love her, I’m still human. After eight years by my side, I simply can’t bear to hurt her.” “And what about Miss Ward? You keep changing the approval to delay the wedding again and again. Aren’t you afraid of hurting her?” the aide asked, clearly confused. Mason fell silent for a moment, then took out the riding crop and handed it to the aide. “That’s why Evelyn must never know about this. I’ll treat the punishment I suffer every year as atonement to her. This year… make it ninety-nine lashes.” Soon, the muffled groans of a man holding back pain echoed through the room. Outside the door, Evelyn’s vision had already blurred. She pressed a hand tightly over her mouth, struggling to stop the sobs from escaping. So, the reason Mason changed the approval for four consecutive years was because of Anna Shaw, the woman she had never once taken seriously. She and Mason had grown up together since childhood. From the very beginning, Mason had been fiercely possessive of her. From kindergarten to high school, they had always been in the same class, inseparable, a couple everyone knew about. In their second year of high school, a transfer student joined the class. She was Anna. On her very first day, she publicly confessed to Mason, saying she had fallen in love with him at first sight. Without hesitation, Mason rejected her coldly and pulled Evelyn into his arms, announcing that he already had a fiancée. But Anna never gave up and kept pursuing him relentlessly. Yet every time, she was met with Mason’s cold indifference. Evelyn had never once considered Anna a rival, because she believed Mason loved only her until the year she took her college entrance exams and performed badly, her score falling short of the Westbridge University. After weighing her options several times, Evelyn decided to follow her parents’ advice and applied to a university in Grandbridge. She thought the distance would only be temporary and wouldn’t affect what she had with Mason. What she hadn’t expected was that Anna would apply to the same university as him. What she had never imagined was that in just four short years, the man who once promised to marry her the moment they graduated would keep postponing their wedding for Anna’s sake. The cruel truth was like a blade, cutting Evelyn’s heart until it was torn and bleeding. She bit down hard on her lip to keep herself from collapsing under the overwhelming pain. At that moment, a guard hurried over to say there was a phone call for her. Evelyn forced the tears back into her eyes and walked toward the communications room. The call was from her mother. “Evelyn, how did the marriage request turn out this year? Can you and Mason finally get married?” Evelyn’s grip on the phone tightened until her knuckles turned white, as though a lump of cotton had lodged in her throat, leaving her unable to speak. Her silence told her mother everything. On the other end of the line, her mother sighed and spoke earnestly. “You’ve been unable to marry for four years. That only proves he never truly intended to marry you. Listen to me and come to Southport. “I carefully chose the Caldwell family for you. If you marry into that family, you won’t be mistreated. I only want you to be happy.” Six years earlier, Evelyn’s father had been transferred to Southport, and the Ward family had moved there with him. After graduating from university in Grandbridge, she thought she and Mason would marry soon, so she returned to Westbridge alone. She never expected to waste another four years waiting. Her mother had long been dissatisfied with the delayed wedding and had urged her again and again to come to Southport and marry there. But Evelyn had always believed their marriage was only a matter of time. Now it seemed the problem had never been time at all. It was that Mason never truly wanted to marry her. The image of his scarred back surfaced in her mind, and a dense ache spread through her chest. “Mom, I’ll marry into the Caldwell family.” Chapter 2 “Alright! I’ll make the arrangements right away.” After hanging up, Mason, who had just finished receiving the lashes, happened to be helped past the communications room by his aide. When he saw the tear stains still on Evelyn’s face, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes that he couldn’t quite hide. “Evelyn, when did you get here?” Evelyn wiped away her tears and forced down the surge of emotions inside her. “Just now, when you were being punished.” Mason let out a quiet breath of relief, almost imperceptible. Filled with guilt, he took her hand, his voice heavy with frustration. “I’m sorry. The marriage approval didn’t go through again this year. Evelyn, can you wait for me one more year? Next year, I’ll definitely get the approval and marry you.” Next year? “Even if the approval comes through next year, you’ll just change it to rejected again, won’t you?” Evelyn thought. Her nails nearly dug into her palm hard enough to draw blood before she managed to stop the question that was about to burst from her lips. In the end, she said nothing. Ninety-nine lashes was no small punishment. The wounds on Mason’s back kept bleeding, and he had to go to the base infirmary. The moment they got into the car, Mason leaned most of his weight against Evelyn, his tone carrying the familiar hint of boyish pleading. “Evelyn, my back really hurts. Can you help put medicine on it later?” When they were children, every time he got hurt, he would come to her like this, showing a fragile side that no one else ever saw just to earn her concern. And every time, she would tear up in worry while carefully tending to his wounds. But now, as she looked at his blood-soaked back, all she felt was bitter irony. The aide driving the car caught the scene in the rearview mirror and spoke in a half-joking tone. “Colonel Hart, you’d better work hard to bring Miss Ward home as your wife. No one waits forever. If one day Miss Ward decides she’s had enough, the rest of us won’t get to attend your wedding.” Evelyn knew the aide couldn’t bear to see their childhood relationship end like this and was trying to persuade him through humor. But Mason didn’t take the hint at all. His voice carried absolute confidence. “How could that happen? Evelyn only loves me. She’ll definitely wait for the day I get the marriage approval and marry me.” Hearing that, Evelyn curled her lips into a faint smile. “No, Mason. You’re wrong,” Evelyn thought. She had her own pride and would never love a man whose heart held another woman. She would never marry someone who couldn’t remain faithful. At the base infirmary, the doctor examined Mason and arranged for him to be admitted. Inside the ward, Evelyn had just finished applying the medicine to his wounds and was about to stand when he suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his arms. “Evelyn, my wounds are already taken care of. Let me kiss you, alright? When I was being punished, you were all I could think about. As long as you’re here, I don’t feel any pain at all.” As he spoke, the man’s warm breath drew closer. Just as Evelyn was about to find an excuse to avoid him, the ward door suddenly slammed open with a loud bang. It was Anna. The moment she saw the bandages covering Mason’s back, her eyes instantly turned red. She pointed at Evelyn and shouted at him hysterically. “The marriage request hasn’t been approved for four years straight. That proves you and her aren’t meant to be together. Why can’t you give up marrying her? “Do you have any idea how much it hurts me every time I see you injured?” Tears swirled in her eyes as Anna spoke again, her voice almost pleading. “Can’t you be with someone else instead? Even if that person isn’t me. I just don’t want to see you get hurt anymore.” Mason’s expression darkened immediately, his voice turning icy. “Anna Shaw, you’re only my aide now. Who gave you the right to interfere in my private life? “Besides, I already told you back in high school that the only person I love is Evelyn. She’s the only woman I’ll ever marry. “Not just four years. Even if it takes six or ten, I’ll keep submitting the marriage request until the day I marry her.” Anna’s face turned pale. She staggered back a few steps, her voice trembling. “Fine. So, worrying about your injuries was just me being foolish.” With that, she ran out of the room, her eyes red. Mason lowered his head to look at Evelyn in his arms, his expression softening with tenderness. “Evelyn, don’t take what she said to heart. I only love you. I would never give up marrying you like she claimed.” Evelyn seized the chance to pull free from his arms. She lowered her head and looked at her wrist. A clear red mark circled the skin. Mason probably hadn’t even realized it himself. While he had been speaking those cold words to Anna, the hand gripping Evelyn’s wrist had unconsciously tightened. In the past, he had treated her as if she were something precious in the palm of his hand, never allowing her to suffer the slightest harm, not even a faint red mark. Her eyes stung with rising tears, but she forced her voice to remain steady. “Anna is your aide? Since when?” Mason stiffened for a moment but quickly replied in a tone of clear irritation. “Since last month. I didn’t pay attention to the aide selection process, and the unit happened to choose her. I can’t just transfer her out without a reason. That would make the other soldiers uneasy.” Hearing such a clumsy lie, Evelyn curled her lips faintly. Mason had always been strict when it came to choosing people under him, let alone an aide—a position that stayed by his side almost twenty-four hours a day. Without his approval, the unit would never have finalized the appointment on its own. Noticing her silence, Mason quickly added, “But don’t worry. If she makes even a small mistake, I’ll transfer her out immediately and make her disappear. I’ve been fed up with her ever since high school.” Listening to lie after lie, Evelyn felt as if her heart had been plunged into icy water, cold to the bone. How ridiculous. He claimed he loved only her and wanted to marry her, yet he altered the marriage approval again and again. He said he was sick of Anna, yet he did everything he could to keep her by his side. Chapter 3 The air in the hospital room made Evelyn feel suffocated. “I have something to take care of these next few days. Let the nurses look after you.” She was afraid that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn’t be able to breathe. With that, Evelyn hurried out of the room, ignoring the obvious disappointment on the man’s face. After returning home and closing the bedroom door, all the strength left her body, and she slowly slid down to the floor. With a soft click, a photograph slipped out of her bag. It was a picture of her and Mason in their high school uniforms, standing beneath a camphor tree and smiling at each other. The photo had been taken on the day they finished their college entrance exams. Evelyn still remembered how the eighteen-year-old boy had held her hand, his crescent-shaped eyes filled only with her reflection. “Evelyn, we’re going to be together forever. We’ll never be apart.” But now, another woman lived in his heart. And she would soon marry into a family in faraway Southport, leaving this city behind for good. Evelyn stood up and began sorting through everything related to Mason. The doll he gave her when she was three, the clay figurine he made for her with his own hands when she was nine, the first love letter he wrote when he confessed to her at sixteen, the matching rings they exchanged at eighteen… But Mason had filled every moment of her life since childhood. No matter how much she tried to throw away, the memories between them never seemed to disappear completely. She spent the entire afternoon packing, yet there was still so much left behind. Evelyn stopped what she was doing and went out to contact a real estate agent to sell the house. If she couldn’t throw everything away, then she would abandon it all together. Over the next few days, she stayed busy handling the paperwork for the sale. Mason’s presence seemed to be slowly fading from her mind. She no longer waited by the door every day the way she used to when she was deeply in love, hoping to catch sight of him. When messages were passed to her through others, she only gave brief replies. That day, after finishing all the procedures for the house sale, she received a call from Mason. “Evelyn, where are you? I was discharged from the infirmary today. I prepared a surprise for you.” Evelyn pressed her lips together before telling him to come to her house. More than twenty years of shared memories deserved a proper ending. Soon, Mason arrived. The moment he saw her, he blindfolded her with a strip of cloth and led her into a jeep, saying it was to keep the surprise intact. When they arrived, she removed the cloth and realized they were at the same restaurant where he had officially confessed to her when he was sixteen. A banner hung across the restaurant lobby that read: “Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Mason Hart & Evelyn Ward.” Evelyn paused, then glanced at the calendar on the wall and remembered—it was their anniversary. She lowered her eyes, showing no sign of surprise. Perhaps it was fitting. The place where their relationship had begun would also be where it ended. Mason didn’t notice anything unusual. With an arm around her shoulders, he led her inside. “This is our first decade together. We have to celebrate it properly.” He had reserved the entire restaurant. In the corner, a record player softly played their song—the same one he had sung to her the day he confessed his feelings. But… Evelyn looked around. The flowers used for decoration were red roses, which she had always disliked. The photos on the display wall hung unevenly, some even fallen to the floor. And though the table was meant for two, there was only a single place setting. Was this careless arrangement really what he called a proper celebration? Mason clearly noticed it too. He called the restaurant manager over and demanded coldly, “Why is everything arranged like such a mess?” Cold sweat broke out across the manager’s forehead as he answered nervously. “Colonel Hart, everything was arranged according to the instructions from your aide. We also thought it seemed odd and asked several times, but your aide insisted we follow exactly what she said, so we…” Mason’s expression darkened for a moment, though the anger in his eyes quickly faded. He leaned closer to Evelyn and coaxed gently, “I’ll deduct three months of Anna’s allowance as punishment. Don’t be upset, alright, Evelyn? Today is our anniversary. Don’t let someone irrelevant ruin the mood.” Mason had always had an excellent memory. There was no way he had forgotten that just a few days ago he had said he would transfer Anna away immediately if she made a mistake. Yet he had suggested another form of punishment first, simply to keep her in the position of his aide and allow her to stay by his side. Evelyn saw through his intentions clearly. She didn’t expose him and only sat down calmly. After all, from this day forward, however long Mason wanted Anna to remain by his side had nothing to do with her anymore. Mason’s tense posture relaxed, and he signaled for the waiter to bring out the cake he had ordered. The moment the cake was set on the table, Evelyn let out a quiet sigh in her heart. It was a chestnut cake. It seemed Anna had been determined not to let them celebrate this anniversary. “I’m allergic to chestnuts.” Mason, who had spent more than twenty years by her side, obviously knew that as well. This time, he could no longer suppress his anger. “I’m going to find Anna. I want to ask her exactly how she handled this!” With that, he rose abruptly and stormed toward the door. Watching his retreating figure, Evelyn hesitated for a moment before following after him. Chapter 4 At the stairwell, Evelyn saw Mason gripping Anna’s wrist, the anger on his face still lingering. “Anna, did you deliberately sabotage my ten-year anniversary with Evelyn? I gave you countless instructions about the restaurant setup and even specifically reminded you that Evelyn is allergic to chestnuts. And what did you do? “Not only did you make a complete mess of the decorations, you even ordered a chestnut cake. Do you realize that just for these mistakes alone, I could dismiss you immediately?” Anna stumbled under the force of his grip, nearly losing her footing. She shook his hand off and looked up at him, her eyes red. “Yes! I did it on purpose! “You expected me to personally plan an anniversary celebration for the man I love and another woman. Even if you fire me, I still couldn’t bring myself to do that!” Seeing the tears gathering in her eyes, Mason’s anger quickly cooled, though his voice remained stern as he reprimanded her. “That’s part of your duty as my aide. Besides, you already know that the person I love is Evelyn. You should have expected that you’d eventually have to watch the two of us together. You brought this on yourself.” Anna’s voice broke. “Yes, I brought it on myself. I chose to fall in love with you. I chose to give up my own dreams to enroll in the military academy with you. Even after graduation, I still couldn’t let go and insisted on staying by your side. “I know you don’t love me. But Evelyn gave you up for the sake of her future, while I gave up my own future for you. “I love you more than she does. Why can’t you give me just a little of the love you give her, even just a little…” For a moment, Mason’s resolve wavered. But the next second, he turned his head away, avoiding her gaze. “Evelyn and I have been together since childhood. We’ve shared more than twenty years together. She’s the only one I love.” It was unclear whether he was warning Anna or reminding himself. Anna let out a bitter smile, endless sorrow in her eyes as she looked at him. “I really envy Evelyn. She gets to have your love. “And me? On my birthday, I can only stand here and watch you celebrate your ten-year anniversary with her. It feels like a knife twisting in my heart.” “Today is your birthday?” Mason paused in surprise. Looking at the pain written across Anna’s face, he spoke stiffly, “Fine. I can grant you one wish. After all, you’re still my subordinate.” “I want a kiss. May I?” A sudden spark lit up in Anna’s eyes. She bit her lip and looked at him cautiously. Mason fell silent, neither agreeing nor refusing. Seeing that Mason didn’t respond, Anna cautiously rose onto her toes and slowly leaned closer to his face. Mason’s body stiffened. Instinctively, he lifted his hand, but a few seconds later, he slowly lowered it again. Seeing this, Anna broke into a genuine smile and lightly pressed a fleeting kiss to the corner of his lips. Just as her lips were about to pull away, Mason’s hand clasped the back of her head, and he captured her red lips in a forceful kiss. Anna quickly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck and returning the kiss. Even though Evelyn had already decided to let go of the more than twenty years she had shared with Mason, the scene before her still struck her heart like a heavy hammer. The color drained from her face, and she nearly lost her balance. So, this was what it felt like to watch the man she loved intimately kissing another woman. Evelyn forced herself to watch the two of them lost in their kiss, letting the pain in her chest spread through her entire body. If it hurt enough, eventually it would stop hurting. Chapter 5 Half an hour later, Mason finally returned to the restaurant, with Anna following behind him. As if nothing had happened, he wrapped an arm around Evelyn in a coaxing manner and said gently, “Evelyn, I’ve already given her a harsh scolding. Now I’ve brought her here to apologize to you in person.” Anna admitted her fault readily. “I’m sorry, Miss Ward. This was entirely my negligence. I hope you can forgive me, considering that Colonel Hart has already ‘taught me a lesson.’” She deliberately emphasized the words “taught me a lesson.” Mason’s expression stiffened slightly before his face darkened, and he barked sharply, “Why are you still standing here after apologizing? Get out!” The provocative look in Anna’s eyes froze instantly. She glanced at him with a wounded expression. “Of course. Someone who made a mistake like me wouldn’t dare stay here and disturb your anniversary.” With that, she turned and left, her eyes red. Mason’s gaze unconsciously followed the direction she had gone. Only when he noticed Evelyn calmly watching him from the side did he force himself to pull his eyes back. Putting on an indifferent expression, he said, “Let her go reflect on her mistakes. Now no one will disturb our anniversary. I’ll spend the whole day with you.” Evelyn looked at him for a long time. The man before her looked almost no different from the boy who had once confessed to her here ten years ago, his face flushed with nervousness. Only the youthful innocence had faded, replaced by a hint of maturity and composure. Yet in the same place, at the same moment, she could no longer overlap the two figures in her mind. Ten years ago, his eyes held only her. Now, another woman took a place in his heart. Evelyn closed her eyes briefly and steadied herself, about to tell him that she had decided to marry into the Caldwell family in Southport. Suddenly, a woman’s cry rang out from outside the door, her voice choked with tears. It was Anna. Mason shot to his feet at once, the anxiety and panic on his face impossible to hide. He only threw out a hurried, “Evelyn, I’ll go see what happened. I’ll be right back,” before rushing out. He left in such a hurry that he never heard the words Evelyn had spoken softly behind him. “I’m getting married. But the groom isn’t you.” Just then, the sound of a car engine starting came from outside. Anna leaned against Mason’s arms, her gaze turning toward Evelyn as she gave her a triumphant smile, silently mouthing the words. “Look. In Mason’s heart, I matter more than you.” Through the window, Evelyn watched the familiar car outside gradually disappear into the distance and let out a self-mocking smile. How could she not know? She had once experienced Mason’s wholehearted love herself. It was only that she had already decided to give up on this relationship. And she no longer cared who mattered more in his heart. Chapter 6 Evelyn returned home and began packing the luggage she would take to Southport. Meanwhile, Mason—who had said he would “be right back”—didn’t contact her for the entire afternoon. It wasn’t until late at night that the landline in the living room finally rang. Evelyn guessed it was Mason calling. She glanced at the phone but didn’t feel like dealing with his excuses, so she let it ring unanswered. Early the next morning, she was woken by a rapid knock on the door. When she opened it, Mason was standing there, looking anxious. “Evelyn, why didn’t you answer my call yesterday?” There was a hint of grievance in his voice. “I was too tired from packing and fell asleep.” Mason’s gaze instinctively shifted past her shoulder, and only then did he notice the piles of packed luggage stacked in the middle of the living room. A sudden unease rose in his chest. He grabbed Evelyn’s arm and asked urgently, “You’re packing? Where are you going?” Evelyn freed herself from his grip and replied calmly, “I’m going to Southport.” Mason let out a breath of relief. “So you’re going to visit your parents. When are you leaving? I’ll prepare some gifts for you to bring along. Give them my regards.” “Tonight’s train.” “Alright, I’ll drive you to the station. But come back soon, okay? I’ll miss you.” The last sentence carried a faintly playful tone. Evelyn smiled silently. Once she left this time, she would never return to Westbridge again. Mason didn’t think much of it and helped her close the door behind her. “Perfect timing. There’s a high school reunion at noon today. Let’s go together.” Evelyn didn’t refuse. After she left for Southport, the chances of ever seeing her old classmates again would be slim. She decided to treat this reunion as a farewell. Just as she was about to get into the car, she realized Anna was already sitting inside. “We’re all old classmates, after all. Evelyn, you wouldn’t stop me from hitching a ride to the reunion, would you?” Anna deliberately exposed the cut at the corner of her lip and glanced at her with a provocative smile. Mason’s expression changed. He quickly stepped in front of Evelyn, blocking her view as he explained, “Evelyn, don’t overthink it. Her foot hasn’t fully recovered yet. As her commanding officer, I…” “I know,” Evelyn interrupted lightly. “You’re just giving her a ride as her commanding officer.” She opened the passenger door and sat down. “Let’s go.” Mason froze for a moment. For some reason, even though that was exactly the explanation he had been about to give, hearing her say it so calmly stirred an uneasy feeling in his chest. After the car started, Evelyn closed her eyes and pretended to rest. Anna glanced at the woman in the passenger seat, a flash of jealousy crossing her eyes. She cleared her throat and said with a smile, “I left an earring in the glove compartment last time. Could you take it out and pass it to me?” As soon as she finished speaking, Mason’s grip tightened unconsciously on the steering wheel. He glanced nervously at Evelyn beside him. Evelyn opened the drawer. Inside were three earrings. Two pearl studs were hers. And one tassel earring was identical to the one Anna was wearing. When Mason first got his driver’s license, he had once looked at her with complete sincerity and promised, “Evelyn, from now on, the passenger seat will belong only to you.” Now, clearly, there was a second person in that seat. Evelyn’s face remained expressionless as she took out all three earrings. She handed one to Anna, then slipped the other two into her bag. After she got out of the car, she would find a trash can and throw them away. The unease in Mason’s chest grew stronger. He wanted to say something, but when he saw Evelyn close her eyes again, looking unwilling to talk, he could only give up awkwardly. When they arrived at the private room for the reunion, Evelyn and Mason immediately became the center of attention. “Wow, after all these years, the two of you are still inseparable. The golden couple from our class really hasn’t changed at all.” “Exactly! You two must already be married by now, right? Do you have kids yet?” Before either of them could answer, Anna—who had been ignored by everyone—quickly spoke up. “Don’t say things like that. Mason and Evelyn aren’t married. Right now, they’re not even together.” Chapter 7 The lively room fell silent in an instant. The two people who had spoken first stood there awkwardly. “W-what? I can’t believe it…” Evelyn answered calmly, “No. We’re not married.” And she never would marry him. Mason’s expression darkened as he shot Anna a glance, then he wrapped an arm around Evelyn’s shoulders and smiled at the group. “Don’t worry, everyone. We just haven’t gotten married yet because of military regulations. Evelyn and I have been together for so many years. “We’ll definitely get married. When the time comes, make sure you all come to the wedding.” The crowd let out a collective breath of relief, and the atmosphere quickly grew lively again. “I knew it! If the two of you ever broke up, I’d never believe in love again.” “Come on, you two, hurry up and get married so we can finally attend your wedding.” At that moment, the class representative, Michael, mysteriously took out a glass jar. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s see if the wishes we wrote in our time capsule when we graduated have come true.” As soon as he said it, everyone became excited. “Come on, let’s take them out one by one and have Michael read them aloud in front of everyone. That’ll be fun!” The first letter was Mason’s. “To marry Evelyn as soon as I’m old enough and make her my wife.” The second letter was Evelyn’s. “To marry Mason, have a baby soon, and become a happy family of three.” When the last word was read aloud, their classmates began cheering with obvious envy. “Even their plans for the future were all about marrying each other. What a beautiful love story.” Mason’s lips curved into a smile as he looked at Evelyn with deep affection. “Of course. Evelyn has always been the woman I wanted to marry since we were kids.” But Evelyn showed no trace of a smile. A long-forgotten pain pricked at her heart. Not because of the man in front of her who spoke such effortless lies, but because of the pure love she had once felt at eighteen. In the end, it had changed somewhere along the long passage of time. The third letter belonged to Anna. “To stay by Mason’s side forever.” “Well, it looks like I’m the only one whose wish came true. I’m already Mason’s aide, so I get to stay by his side all the time.” Anna’s gaze swept across the room with open pride. The others immediately looked at her with contempt. “Seriously? She’s completely delusional. After all these years, she still hasn’t given up.” “She’s just an aide. To Mason, she’s nothing more than a subordinate. Talking about staying by his side forever—Evelyn is the one who’ll be with him for life as his future wife.” … Only Evelyn noticed that when Anna said those words, the curve of Mason’s smile deepened slightly. The mocking voices in the room grew louder and louder. At that moment, a drunken man who had dropped out of high school years ago staggered toward Anna. “Why would Colonel Hart ever want someone like you hanging around him? You should’ve given up long ago. “Tell you what, why don’t you come with me instead? I’ll make sure you live the good life!” As he spoke, he leaned forward, his alcohol-soaked breath reeking as he tried to move closer. Mason, who had been watching Anna from the corner of his eye the whole time, suddenly stood up. He kicked the man to the ground, then pulled the frightened Anna, whose eyes had already turned red, firmly into his arms. Looking down at the man on the floor, his voice was cold as ice. “Who said I don’t want her? She’s my woman now. No one touches her.” Chapter 8 Watching the scene unfold, Evelyn suddenly remembered something from her university days. Back then, a classmate from her department had once confessed his feelings to her. Even though she told Mason that she had clearly rejected the boy and explained that she already had a boyfriend, Mason still rushed to her university on the earliest train he could catch, risking disciplinary action. Then he took her hand and deliberately walked around campus with her, making sure everyone saw them, staking his claim. Now, that same possessiveness belonged to another woman. Evelyn found it hard to breathe. After saying goodbye to the others, she stood up and left the private room. She hadn’t expected their final meeting to end in such a farce. Outside the restaurant, she stood by the roadside waiting for her driver to pick her up. Behind her came Mason’s voice, filled with panic. “Evelyn, listen to me! “What I said just now was only to help Anna out of an awkward situation. She’s my subordinate. I couldn’t just stand there and watch her get harassed. You understand that, don’t you?” A few beads of sweat had formed on his forehead, and he spoke rapidly, as if afraid that if he slowed down even for a second, the woman in front of him would walk away. Evelyn calmly pulled her arm free and looked at him with a faint smile. “There’s no need to explain. I understand.” She understood that those words had come from his true feelings. Even though he had gotten the answer he wanted, Mason still didn’t feel reassured. The uneasiness in his chest surged again, and he reached out, trying to grab her wrist. “Evelyn, what’s going on with you…” Before he could finish, Anna hurried over, her voice still choked with tears. “Mason, could you take me home? I’m afraid he might come after me again.” Mason hesitated for a second. Just then, the car that had come to pick up Evelyn arrived. Without sparing the two of them another glance, she got into the car and drove away, leaving the man behind calling out her name. After returning home, she shipped all of her belongings to Southport, leaving only a single suitcase. Just then, a rapid knock sounded at the door. Evelyn thought it was the new homeowner coming to check the place, so she got up and opened the door. But the moment the door opened, Mason grabbed her wrist, his anger blazing. “I’ve told you again and again that I’m going to marry you. Anna is just my aide. Why would you pay off her family to take her back home and force her into a marriage?!” Behind him stood Anna, her face streaked with tears. “Evelyn, I never fought with you or tried to take him away. I only wanted to stay by Mason’s side and watch over him. Can’t you even tolerate that? “Do you know how hard it was for me to escape my family? I don’t want to be dragged back home and forced to marry some old bachelor!” Evelyn was hit with the accusations one after another, but she had no idea what they were talking about. “What pay off her family? I don’t know anything about that!” Mason assumed she was lying. The anger in his chest flared hotter, and his voice turned icy. “You’re still denying it? Her family admitted it themselves. A woman with the last name Ward paid them to come. If I hadn’t taken her home and happened to run into them, they would have dragged her back home already!” With that, he suddenly let go of her wrist. Caught off balance, Evelyn stumbled and fell to the ground, the skin on her palm scraping against the floor. But she seemed not to feel it at all. Instead, a faint smile tugged at her lips. “Mason, after more than twenty years together, it turns out you don’t trust me at all.” Mason’s hands clenched unconsciously at his sides. But when he saw the tears in Anna’s eyes, his heart hardened again. “I saw it with my own eyes. How do you expect me to believe you? “It seems I’ve been too good to you all these years. I spoiled you so much that you actually thought you could go after someone under my protection. “Now apologize to my aide. Right now.” Evelyn let out a light laugh and met his gaze without the slightest fear. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?” Seeing that she refused to admit fault, Mason’s expression turned even colder as he delivered his final warning. “The Commander-in-Chief would never allow a vicious woman to marry me and become a colonel’s wife. Evelyn, you’d better think carefully.” With that, he took Anna’s hand and walked away without looking back. Evelyn staggered to her feet. Looking at Mason’s retreating figure, she let out a deeply mocking smile. “I don’t want to marry you anymore either.” Her phone chimed. It was a message from her mother. “Evelyn, the wedding has already been arranged, and the invitations have been sent out. All you need to do is come back and be a beautiful, happy bride.” After turning off the screen, Evelyn picked up her suitcase and headed for the train station. From now on, she would walk toward a new life—one that belonged to her alone. And in that life, there would be no Mason. … Meanwhile, Mason brought Anna to the base infirmary to treat the scrapes she had gotten while struggling with her family earlier. One of Mason’s close friends happened to be a doctor there. After hearing the news, he rushed over. When he saw a nurse bandaging Anna’s wound, he pulled Mason out into the hallway. “What exactly are you thinking? Who do you really love? Evelyn or this woman?” “Of course Evelyn,” Mason answered without hesitation. “But all these years, I’ve always been the one chasing after her. It gets tiring sometimes. Anna is different. Her whole world revolves around me. “After so long, I can’t help but feel sorry for her. I don’t want her to leave. I want to protect her.” His friend sighed. “Alright. But what if Evelyn gets angry? Have you figured out how you’re going to make it up to her?” Mason fell silent for a moment before replying stiffly, “I’m not going to. She really went too far this time. It’s perfect timing anyway. She’s heading to Southport tonight. Let her calm down for a few days. “Besides, I mentioned the marriage approval before she left. Her biggest wish is to marry me. When she comes back from Southport, she’ll definitely come to me to apologize. “As long as she apologizes to Anna, we’ll let this whole thing go.” Seeing that he couldn’t persuade him, his friend raised an eyebrow and changed the subject. “By the way, have you heard? The youngest colonel from the Caldwell family in Southport is getting married. The invitation even made its way to me. “Honestly, I thought that guy would stay single forever. Now I’m curious who managed to win him over…” His voice abruptly stopped. His eyes widened as if he had just seen something terrifying. Noticing his strange reaction, Mason took the invitation from his hand and opened it curiously. “Who is it?” The next moment, the names of the bride and groom came clearly into view— Groom: Julian Caldwell Bride: Evelyn Ward.