Chapter 6
A strange flicker of something stirred in Leonard’s chest that night, but he quickly dismissed it.
Maybe this was for the best.
At least she wouldn’t cling to him anymore, begging for a child.
The next day at noon, sunlight spilled across the base housing yard.
After lunch, the three of them were just getting ready to go out. Leonard was about to drive Lillian to her
rehearsal at the military arts troupe when her scream echoed from the bedroom.
“Leonard! My necklace is gone! The one my mother left me-it’s gone!”
Leonard immediately ordered a full search of the house, but Lillian stopped him, tears brimming in her eyes.
“This is the officer family compound. The doors and windows are locked. There’s no way an outsider got in. And you’re the Captain-who’d be crazy enough to steal from your home?” She paused, then looked meaningfully toward Evelyn.
Leonard’s expression darkened.
He strode into Evelyn’s room, yanked open her jewelry box-and there it was.
The pearl necklace, lying right on top.
Evelyn froze.
Her blood ran cold.
She had no idea when the necklace had been planted there.
She opened her mouth to speak-but her words caught in her throat when she saw the smug glint in Lillian’s
eyes and the icy contempt in Leonard’s.
Suddenly, she felt exhausted.
What’s the point of explaining?
Between her and Lillian, he never-never-believed her.
“Evelyn,” Leonard’s voice was razor-sharp, “I thought you were just jealous. But stealing? That’s low, even for
you.”
He snapped, “Write me one thousand apologies. Today. You need to reflect on what you’ve done.”
Evelyn said nothing. She simply picked up pen and paper.
She knew that even if she refused, he’d make her do it anyway.
Seeing her so “obedient,” Leonard finally cooled off a little. He gave her a cold glance before leaving for the base headquarters.
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The door clicked shut.
And Evelyn collapsed.
Her spine, which had been held so straight, finally bent.
She began writing, each stroke of the pen like another lash across her pride.
A stack of humiliation, laid out in black and Lillian.
Lillian strolled in, a smirk tugging at her lips. She leaned in, voice low and mocking. “Do you like the little gift I
left for you, Evelyn?”
Evelyn didn’t look up. “What do you want from me? I already told you-I’m done with Leonard. I gave him to
you. So why do you keep setting me up?”
“Gave him to me?” Lillian scoffed. “Please. You love him too much to ever let go. This is just a game of reverse psychology. You’re hoping I’ll let my guard down.”
She leaned closer, her voice like a whisper of poison, “But I won’t fall for it.”
Evelyn’s pen paused. Then she said calmly, “One day, you’ll believe me.”
She kept writing.
From midday into dusk. From dusk into midnight.
Her wrist trembled. Her fingers blistered and bled. But she didn’t stop.
When Leonard finally returned, she handed him the thick stack of papers.
But he didn’t take them.
Instead, his voice was cold as frost, “Go door to door through the compound. Pass these out. Apologize
publicly.”
Evelyn’s fingers clenched the papers, crushing them in her fist.
A burning wave of shame surged up, stinging her eyes.
“I didn’t do it,” she said, voice shaking. “I wrote this to avoid another fight. Don’t push me further.”
Leonard sneered. “Fine. If you won’t do it, I’ll find someone who will.”
He called in a guard. “Take these. Scatter them all over the officer housing complex.”
The guard hesitated. “Captain… this could ruin the madam’s reputation-”
“She stole from Lillian. What reputation is there to ruin?” Leonard said mockingly.
The guard had no choice but to obey.
By morning, the entire compound was buzzing.
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“I heard Evelyn stole Lillian’s necklace!”
“She always looked so decent. Who knew she had it in her?”
“Captain Grant made her write a thousand apologies and tossed them all over the place. She must be so
ashamed…”
Evelyn stood at her window, watching the Lillian sheets flutter across the courtyard like falling knives.
Each one slicing another piece of her dignity.
She no longer left the house.
She just waited-quietly-for the divorce report to be approved.
But the scandal eventually reached Leonard’s parents.
They were furious.
That same day, they sent someone to speak to Lillian.
No one knew what was said.
But that night, Lillian left the compound pale-faced, her suitcase hastily packed.
Deep into the night, Leonard kicked open the bedroom door.
He grabbed Evelyn by the wrist and dragged her up from bed.
“Evelyn! You were wrong to steal. You deserved to be punished. But if you’re angry, come at me. Running to my parents-what the hell were you thinking?!”
His eyes were bloodshot, voice trembling. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Lillian jumped into the
river. If I’d been one minute later… she’d be dead!”
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