When there was no news from her, I often lay awake at night, heart pounding with worry, torn between the fear of bad news and the agony of silence.
Through countless sleepless nights, I clung to the memories of our five-year bond just to stay afloat, until, at last, she completed her mission and returned to my side.
Just as I drowned in those thoughts, Delaney stepped into the bedroom and saw me collapsed on the floor.
“Tucker, the floor is cold. Why are you sitting there? Are you feeling unwell?”
Her voice carried genuine concern. Her eyes, still so beautiful, reflected only me, just as they always had.
Whether it was those five years before she left or the month since she came back, Delaney had treated me with nothing but tenderness. I didn’t want to believe the truth. I couldn’t.
Silently, I locked my phone screen and forced a faint smile.
“Maybe my blood sugar dropped, I just got a little dizzy. I’m fine.”
Only then did Delaney breathe easier. She reached down gently and helped me up, her touch as soft as ever.
“Let’s go to Roseville tomorrow. I’ll ask my lieutenant to book the tickets. You’ve always loved the ocean, haven’t you? Let’s take our wedding photos by the sea. How about that?”
She remained as considerate as ever, but after what I had just overheard, every soft word from her lips only made my stomach churn.
“Not interested.”
Delaney froze, then gently reached out, brushing the back of my hand with her fingertips.
“What’s wrong, Tucker? Why do you look so upset? Did something happen? Didn’t we promise each other, no lies, no matter what?”
That broke me. I couldn’t hold it in anymore. My gaze locked onto hers, my voice trembling just beneath the surface.
“Delaney, are you truly not hiding anything from me?”
She hesitated, then offered a faint smile, soft, familiar.
“What could I possibly be hiding from you?”
I swallowed the sting behind my eyes and nodded slowly.
“Alright. Then let’s sleep, Delaney. I’m just tired.”
The next morning, we were stirred awake by the sound of knocking on the door.
Delaney got up and opened it, only to find a man standing there, his eyes red, holding a toddler in his arms. The child couldn’t have been older than three.
“Delaney, he won’t stop crying for his mom. He hasn’t slept in days. I know you said not to come looking for you, but I didn’t know what else to do…”
A flicker of panic flashed across Delaney’s face. Almost instinctively, she turned toward me, trying to read my expression.
“Tucker, please don’t misunderstand. This is Jade Montrose, the medic on our team. His wife was my teammate and a close friend. She died during a mission. I only stepped in out of pity, so…”
Before I could say a word, Jade's voice broke the moment.
“Mr. Montclaire, I know you’re about to get married, and I don’t mean to cause trouble. But the child is still so little. He keeps crying for his mom. I just…”
I cut him off without hesitation, eyes fixed on Delaney.
“The child wants his mother. Delaney, are you his mother?”
Delaney shot a sharp glare at Jade before turning back to me, her voice hurried and defensive.
“Of course not, Tucker. The child is already over two years old, how could he possibly be mine? His mother died saving me. Since then, I’ve been helping take care of them. He just clings to me and sees me as his mom. It’s all just a misunderstanding.”
I studied the boy’s face carefully. He was still small, but the resemblance to Delaney was undeniable.
Grandpa will be arriving tomorrow night. I didn’t want to stir up more mess than I could handle. Burying the ache in my chest, I nodded.
“I believe you. Just settle them in. I’m heading upstairs to get more sleep.”
I turned without another word. Delaney followed behind me in silence.
