Our Last Fall

Commander Samson Gardner was my fiance. In his family was an iron-clad rule—no divorces.

Before my brother died, his last wish was for Samson to marry me.

So, even after falling in love with his childhood sweetheart, Samson still decided to marry me as promised.

However, everything changed the day said childhood sweetheart destroyed the only watch my brother left me.

When Samson sided with her again, I didn't argue. I simply reached out to my mentor overseas and started preparing to become a foreign correspondent.

Before leaving, I gave myself ten days to put things in order.

On the first day, I quietly hid the marriage application I was supposed to submit. On the third day, I turned in my resignation to the military.

The day I was to leave, Samson finally remembered the watch and promised to take me to buy a new one on his next day off.

Right after that, he ordered me, "Celia is inviting friends over for dinner tonight. Make sure the food is ready before you go."

I agreed with a smile—and then never showed up in his world again.

Afterward, Samson would stare blankly at the marriage application inside his drawer every time he saw my name in the news.

There, within his drawer, were the memories of an autumn not yet fully arrived, the lover he could never win back, and the watch he could never give...

Day three of my silent standoff with Samson Gardner.

I finally managed to reach my mentor overseas and told him I wanted to join him.

There was a long pause at the other end before he finally spoke, though with great hesitation.

"Jess, you're the only one left in your family now. You're at the age when you should think about getting married. If you come here, how are you going to handle your personal life? Besides, things are changing fast on the international stage. The world isn't nearly as stable or safe as it is back home. And you're a young woman..."

I had already decided, but my chest still tightened with pain. If things had gone according to plan, I would've been marrying my childhood fiancé next month.

But the relationship I thought was built on love turned out to be a crowded mess, where I was always the one giving in.

So, I chose to walk away and do something that actually mattered.

"Sir, my father and brother never backed down when things got hard. I won't either," I said.

He let out a long sigh. "I'll have the office back home to get in touch with you as soon as possible. How much time do you need to get ready?"

"Ten days," I answered.

After the call, I went back to the communication room. I had barely sat down when Samson showed up. With a stony expression on his face, he handed me the marriage application.

"Check your personal details again. We'll need to turn this in soon."

At that