Chapter 23
Leonard had been held in the factory’s security office for three full days.
By the time he was released, the late afternoon sun was glaring overhead. He squinted and lowered his head, trying to
hide the exhaustion etched into his features.
Private Zach came rushing up to him, panting, his uniform disheveled from running.
“Captain Grant! You need to come with me-right now!”
His voice trembled, and the grip on Leonard’s arm was shaking. “It’s Lillian. She’s making a scene in the officers’ housing complex… with the kid!”
Lillian. That name still struck a nerve every time he heard it.
Leonard’s stomach tightened. It could only mean trouble.
He stopped abruptly, grabbing Zach’s arm. “What’s she doing?”
“She… she said the kid is yours. Your illegitimate son-after you got married,” Zach mumbled, voice dropping to a whisper. “She’s telling everyone you’ve abandoned them, and now the whole housing block is swarming with people. The director’s furious and told me to find you right away!”
Leonard felt his blood run cold.
If that accusation stuck, his entire career would be over. No hearings, no appeals-just stripped of rank and gone.
His hands clenched into fists, knuckles turning white.
He had served in the Army for twelve years. Earning his current rank as battalion commander had taken every ounce of blood, sweat, and discipline he had. Now, right when he was up for promotion, this baseless scandal threatened to destroy everything.
“Goddamn it,” he muttered, then turned and sprinted with Zach toward the train station.
They caught the overnight train back to base. It was nearly 8 p.m. when they arrived.
Even from a distance, Leonard could see the crowd gathered in front of the housing complex-dozens of people packed shoulder-to-shoulder under the lamplight.
Lillian was sitting dramatically on the ground, clutching her young son, wailing as if her life were falling apart. She looked pathetic-exactly the role she wanted to play.
The moment she spotted Leonard approaching, she broke into fresh sobs, louder and more shrill.
“Somebody help us!” she cried out. “Leonard can’t just walk away like this! This child has never even seen his father! I raised him alone while Leonard got promoted, married someone else, and left us behind!”
“How is that not karma waiting to happen?”
The crowd began to buzz with anger.
“He’s just another heartless bastard-unbelievable.”
“And to think he always looked like such an upstanding guy.”
Chapter 23
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Leonard could hear every word.
These were people who used to smile at him, greet him in passing. Now they were staring him down with contempt, whispering behind their hands with open judgment.
“There he is!”
Someone shouted, and the crowd fell instantly silent.
Every eye turned toward him-sharp, cold, unforgiving.
Leonard squeezed through the wall of people, only to be confronted by Mrs. Smith, the neighbor from across the hall. She jabbed a finger in his face, furious.
“Leonard, I can’t believe you’d do something like this! Evelyn gave you everything! How could you hurt her like this?”
“That’s right!” another woman chimed in. “Remember when you were away on deployment? Evelyn moved all your crap up four flights of stairs by herself. She cried from exhaustion but never complained.”
“You’re a disgrace! A man like you doesn’t deserve the uniform!”
Leonard opened his mouth to speak-to deny Lillian’s lies-but the insults drowned him out.
Lillian lifted her tear-streaked face to look at him, but behind her tears was the faintest glimmer of satisfaction.
She took a few deliberate steps toward him, bumping into him with the boy in her arms.
“Leonard,” she sobbed, “I don’t expect you to acknowledge us, but at least do something for this child. Don’t let us
starve…”
“Move!”
Leonard’s last shred of patience snapped. He no longer cared about appearances or decorum-he just wanted to drag this woman out of the spotlight and shut everyone up.
He reached out and pushed her shoulder-not hard, just enough to get her out of the way.
But Lillian suddenly collapsed backward and screamed.
