Chapter 3
The military base buzzed with activity as I followed Carter through the security checkpoint. His hand rested on the small of my back, a gesture that once would have comforted me. Now it felt like a warning—a reminder to behave.
"Remember, this is a privilege," he murmured as we walked. "Not all wives get to tour the command center."
I nodded, clutching my purse tighter. The weight of eyes followed us—soldiers who had heard the rumors, wives who pitied or scorned me. I kept my chin high despite the whispers.
Lia appeared at the entrance to the command center, her smile bright and predatory. "Isabel! How wonderful to see you here."
She embraced me with false warmth, her fingers digging slightly into my arms. As she pulled away, her eyes flicked to my purse.
"Carter, they're ready for you in the briefing room," she said, her voice honey-sweet. "Isabel and I can get acquainted while you handle business."
Carter nodded, not bothering to check if I was comfortable with this arrangement. "Don't wander off," he instructed me before disappearing down the hallway.
Alone with Lia, I felt my pulse quicken. "What do you want?"
"Just to chat," she replied, guiding me toward a quiet corner. "You know, woman to woman."
I watched as she casually knocked my purse from my grasp. It fell to the floor, spilling its contents across the polished concrete.
"Oh! I'm so clumsy," she gasped, bending to help collect my things.
As I reached for my wallet, I noticed several unfamiliar documents among my belongings—official-looking papers with "CLASSIFIED" stamped across them in red.
"What are these?" I asked, confusion clouding my thoughts.
Before Lia could answer, two military policemen appeared beside us. "Ma'am, what's going on here?"
"These documents," one MP said, picking up the papers. "They're classified material from the intelligence division."
"I didn't—" I started, but Lia was already speaking over me.
"I saw her taking them from the briefing room," she said, her voice trembling with manufactured fear. "I tried to stop her, but she pushed past me."
"That's not true!" I protested, but the MPs were already moving toward me.
"Ma'am, we need you to come with us," one said firmly.
---
The interrogation room was cold and bare. I sat across from a stone-faced investigator, my hands trembling on the metal table.
"Mrs. Hart, these are serious charges," he said, sliding the classified documents across the table. "How did you obtain these?"
"I didn't," I insisted. "Someone planted them in my purse."
"Who would do such a thing?"
"Lia Johnson," I said without hesitation. "She's been trying to sabotage me since she joined the ballet company."
The investigator made a note. "We'll need your husband's testimony."
When Carter entered the room, I felt a flicker of hope. Surely now he would stand by me.
"Captain Hart," the investigator began, "your wife claims these documents were planted by Miss Johnson. What is your assessment of the situation?"
I looked at Carter, silently pleading. His eyes met mine briefly before he turned away.
"Isabel has been acting erratically lately," he said, his voice detached. "She's been jealous of Miss Johnson's success in the company and has made several accusations without evidence."
The air left my lungs in a rush. "Carter, how can you—"
"Furthermore," he continued as if I hadn't spoken, "given her history of... instability, I believe she may have taken these documents to frame Miss Johnson."
The investigator nodded solemnly. "Thank you, Captain."
---
I was released with a warning and the revocation of my military spousal clearance. The humiliation burned through me as I walked out of the base, alone.
During practice the next day, I pushed myself harder than ever, trying to erase the memory of Carter's betrayal. As I executed a series of fouettés, the room suddenly tilted. My vision blurred, and I collapsed onto the hardwood floor.
"Isabel!" Elena rushed toward me as darkness closed in.
I awoke in my dressing room with a doctor leaning over me—a private physician Elena had called rather than taking me to the hospital.
"You're dehydrated and exhausted," she said gently. "But there's something else."
She checked her instruments again before meeting my eyes. "You're approximately eight weeks pregnant."
The world stopped. A child. Carter's child.
"Does anyone else know?" I whispered.
"No," she assured me. "Patient confidentiality."
I placed a trembling hand over my still-flat stomach. A baby. Something pure and untainted by the ugliness surrounding me.
"I can't tell him," I said, more to myself than to her. "Not yet."
The thought of Carter using this child as another weapon against me—or worse, allowing the Johnsons anywhere near my baby—sent ice through my veins.
"Keep it secret," I pleaded with Elena. "At least until after the gala."
As I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I made a silent vow to my unborn child: I would protect this innocent life at all costs, even if it meant facing Carter's wrath alone.
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