Semua Bab I Chose the Rugged Colonel: Bab 1 - Bab 9

The recommendation letter to send someone back to Pine Ridge hit the wooden table with a heavy smack. The force made the chipped enamel mug at the corner tremble.I looked up, my gaze sliding past Wesley Dalton to the young woman standing behind him.It was Madelyn Hart, the fake daughter, who had stolen my place for fifteen years.Wesley looked down at me and spoke in a commanding tone, "Savannah Hart, give your position at Ashford Textiles to Madelyn. She's always been frail. She's never done hard labor. She won't survive being sent to the countryside."I looked at the recommendation letter I'd earned after spending three nights repairing irrigation canals in Pine Ridge, working until all ten fingers were rubbed raw and bleeding.Suddenly, I found it almost laughable. "And I can?"I laid my hands flat on the table. My palms were covered in calluses, crisscrossed with bleeding cracks.Wesley's eyes flickered away for a moment before he quickly regained his self-righteous expres

Logan pulled me into his arms, his gaze raking across Wesley's face."Point at my wife one more time. I dare you."The murderous edge in Logan's voice made Wesley stumble backward, nearly tripping over the doorstep. He immediately shut his mouth.I took Logan's hand and walked toward the back of Willowville without looking back.The moment the rickety wooden gate closed behind us, the mocking voices from outside were completely shut out.Logan lowered his eyes to me, his voice deep. "From now on, my life belongs to you."His gaze drifted toward the direction Wesley had left. His rough thumb gently brushed across the wounds on my palm."As for everyone out there, they'll repay everything they owe you—with interest."Life after our marriage was nothing like the people in Willowville had predicted. In fact, they were the happiest three months I'd had in fifteen years.Logan was up before dawn every morning, filling the water barrels and stacking the chopped firewood into neat pil

Wesley's shout cut through the stormy night.His entire body trembled. Cold sweat mixed with the rain running down his face, and he didn't dare look at Logan again.Logan casually tossed the towel back into the basin, splashing water onto Wesley's dress shoes."You've got the wrong man." His voice was calm. "There's no commanding officer living behind Willowville. Just an ex-soldier with a disciplinary record."Wesley swallowed hard. His legs had gone so weak that he could barely stay on his feet.He knew exactly what that insignia meant. It belonged to the military's most highly classified special operations unit.And Logan was the Living Reaper himself.The rumors were true.He had disobeyed a direct order to abandon his position, staying behind with his men to hold off the main force of a cross-border drug cartel so civilians could escape.The disciplinary action had been real. So were the lives he'd saved.Every word of pity Wesley had thrown at Logan moments earlier now

After the jeep drove away, the mood in Willowville changed completely.The same neighbors who had been calling Logan an ex-con moments earlier now crowded around, eager to get on his good side."I knew there was something special about Logan!""Savannah's so lucky. She's the wife of a decorated colonel now!"Logan paid no attention to the flattery. After accepting the documents, Logan returned Director Warren's salute before taking my hand."Director Warren, this is my wife, Savannah."Director Warren gave me a warm nod. "You've been through a lot. Quarters on base have already been arranged. You can move in whenever you're ready."Once Director Warren left, we headed back to pack our things.The three of them were still standing where they'd been, their expressions frozen.My mother's face was the worst; her eyes were filled with regret, greed, and calculation. In the end, blood meant nothing when there was something to gain.We had barely finished packing a suitcase when th

Patricia let out a scornful laugh and spat on the ground."You idiot. You treated your own daughter like a servant while you spoiled mine. If Madelyn hadn't been arrested, we would've kept living off your money for another ten years."Those words shattered my mother. Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed.The doctors managed to save her life after a whole day of emergency treatment, but the shock left her partially paralyzed from a stroke. For the rest of her life, she would be confined to a bed, unable to care for herself.My father seemed to age overnight. His hair turned completely white. He came to the police station hoping to see me and beg for my forgiveness.I stood at the top of the station steps, looking down at him."So now you regret it? Too late. Fifteen years of suffering can't be erased with a single apology. You can spend the rest of your lives living with regret."Then I turned and walked away.As for Wesley, his punishment arrived right on schedule.Although