Everyone in the mercenary team knew one thing: Gale Holden was utterly devoted to me, to the point where my absence was his greatest fear.
To give me a sense of security, he locked himself up—figuratively and literally. Even in the middle of firefights, with bullets raining down, he would check in to reassure me.
Out of concern for him, I kept my true identity a secret and joined the team as their strategist. But after one successful mission, I overheard the team joking around.
“Captain was in such a rush to get outta here just to see Flossie. Is she that irresistible?”
I forgot to turn off the body camera on Gale. He laughed and casually said, “I used up seven boxes last time. What do you think?”
My whole world froze. My chest tightened and I couldn’t breathe. A cold wave of shock washed over me.
Desperate to get away from the agony, I called on the system.
“System, I want to leave this world.”
The system's voice was cold and mechanical.
[Upon departure, all traces of the host will be erased.]
[Countdown: 7 days]
——
When I snapped back to reality, the monitor was still on. Gale had no idea what he'd just said.
On the screen, his attention was all on Flossie Dixon, his hands all over her as he kissed her like there was no tomorrow.
“Did you know how much I’ve missed you, my little temptress?”
I stayed frozen, pale as a ghost, my hands balled into fists. My chest felt like it was caving in. I couldn’t believe I was actually sitting there, watching this. It was like I was torturing myself.
The villa they were in had once been our home. The place where I’d been kidnapped and tortured. I promised myself I’d never set foot there again, yet Gale had turned it into their hideaway—a secret love nest for him and his affair.
Hours passed and only in the dead of night did their passion finally die down.
“So, who makes you feel better in bed? Me or your wife?” Flossie teased, her voice low and sultry. I could practically hear the smugness dripping from her.
Gale smirked coldly, running his fingers through her hair. “Don’t even try to compare yourself to her. You’re not worthy.”
His words cut like a knife. My heart twisted, but Flossie’s face fell. Tears started streaming down her face, but Gale didn’t budge. His voice stayed cold.
“I don’t wanna to hurt her. That’s the only reason you’re here. Takes all the senselessness out of your head.”
Gale never knew how to hold back. He always took me roughly whenever he came back from a mission. With his big hands and insane strength, there was no way he could touch me without causing pain.
“I won’t let her feel an ounce of pain. That’s the only reason you’re here.”
His words struck me like a dagger. Yet, Flossie smiled. The next sound I heard was Gale taking her roughly. Flossie, who had initially been enjoying it, was now begging him to go slower. But Gale didn’t care. He kept going, ignoring her pleas until they became nothing more than whispers.
“Three days from now is her birthday. I need time to prepare. Don’t contact me until then,” he warned her sternly before leaving.
Yet barely an hour after he walked out of the villa, my phone buzzed with messages from Flossie.
“Gale just left. He really wore me out. I’m just like a wet rag right now.”
Then she added, “You don’t mind cleaning up his mess, do you, Alex? Since you have a cleaning company?”
I clenched my jaw, my fingers trembling as I read her texts. I did have a cleaning service, but that was just a cover. No one knew that I was their strategist. She sent photos next—a messy room littered with contraceptive wrappers, torn lingerie scattered across the floor.
The sight made my stomach churn. Pain stabbed at my heart, but I forced myself to stay calm. I couldn’t let her provoke me. With shaking hands, I exported the surveillance footage. My nails dug into my palms as I gripped the USB drive, trying to ground myself.
Just then, Gale called me. His deep, honeyed voice resonated in my ears, soft and familiar.
“Baby, I’m on my way home. Be there in a minute.”
His words would’ve once melted me, but now they brought only nausea. My mind replayed his voice calling Flossie vile, degrading names while telling her to get down on him.
The memory made me gag and I couldn’t hold it back. I barely made it to the sink before retching, my body trembling uncontrollably.
I heard Gale calling me. He sounded worried and said he’d speed up his drive. True to his word, he arrived within minutes, just after I’d removed the USB from my computer.
“Baby!” Gale stormed into the house. The smell of his struggle hit my nose first and I gagged again.
As he approached, I pushed him away. “It's probably just a stomachache,” I said nonchalantly, giving him a reason not to get closer. But he took it seriously.
His brows furrowed with concern and without hesitation, he scooped me into his arms and carried me to the bedroom.
Minutes later, he returned with honey water and stomach medicine, his hands gentle as he helped me sit up.
“What would you do if I’m not around? You can’t even take care of yourself,” he muttered, sounding more like a scolding than a statement, but I could hear the pain in his voice.
I said nothing, feigning exhaustion.
Gale spent hours massaging my stomach, his gaze never leaving my face. His dedication was unwavering, but I couldn’t shake the memory of him with Flossie.
Sleep enveloped me and I barely managed to keep my eyes open.
