Chapter 3
The commander gave a slow, solemn nod. Then he stood at full attention and held out the urn toward her. “The spirits of our fallen heroes shall live on forever!”
Behind him, the soldiers shouted in unison, “The spirits of our fallen heroes shall live on forever!”
Their voices thundered across the sky.
Aline’s eyes burned with tears. She stood tall and proud, spine straight as a blade, and returned the salute with all the dignity she could muster.
“Aline-bringing her parents home!” she declared firmly as she took the urn from the old commander’s hands.
It was heavy-unbearably heavy. But the weight gave her strength. A sense of peace settled over her.
Three years after her parents died in a distant land, she was finally bringing them home.
After the handover, the old commander finally noticed she was alone.
“Where’s your husband? Didn’t he come with you?” He was one of the few who knew about her marriage.
Aline lowered her eyes and replied quietly, “He’s busy. Couldn’t come.”
The commander had watched her grow up. The once spirited, fearless girl now wore exhaustion like a second skin- three years of marriage had worn her down.
“If you ever run into trouble, come talk to me,” he said, patting her shoulder kindly. “I have a little fight left in me.”
“Thank you, Chad,” Aline said sincerely.
“And if things don’t work out out there,” Chad Summers added, “you’re always welcome back. The base gates are al- ways open for you.”
She nodded faintly, said her goodbyes, and returned to her car, carefully placing the urn in the passenger seat.
She started the engine, glanced at the urn, and whispered, “Mom… Dad… I’m taking you home.”
When Aline stepped into the villa, her mother-in-law Penny Hill’s voice rang out from the living room.
“Now that Joyce’s back-and she’s a pilot, no less-you should just divorce Aline and marry her already.”
“I’ve told you, Joyce and I are just friends,” Clayton said, his voice low and tense.
“Friends? Please,” his younger sister, Tanisha Hill, scoffed. “Everyone knows you’ve always loved Joyce. She’s edu- cated, successful, and the first female pilot at Skyreach Corp. What does Aline have? Nothing. She’s never been good
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enough for you!”
Aline felt a wave of cold rush through her.
Three years of marriage. She had stood by Clayton through every stage of his business, worked overnight shifts, even gone to meetings with an IV drip just to keep things running. And this… this was what she got in return? She’s not good enough?
Just then, Tanisha spotted her.
“Aline! Seriously? Eavesdropping? Have you no shame?”
Aline stepped forward, voice calm and steady. “I wasn’t hiding. I wasn’t sneaking around. So tell me-how exactly was I cavesdropping?”
“It’s just as well you heard it,” Tanisha scoffed. “If you had any self-awareness, you’d divorce my brother already and stop getting in the way of him and Joyce.”
Her tone dripped with disdain, as always.
“Tanisha, that’s enough!” Clayton snapped.
But she wouldn’t let it go. “What? I’m not wrong. Aline has nothing going for her. She only managed to marry you because Joyce wasn’t around. She took advantage of the situation-that’s the only reason she became your wife!”
Clayton’s face darkened. “Are you finished, Tanisha?”
She pouted and fell silent, unwilling but cowed.
Penny stepped in quickly to calm her daughter down.
Clayton turned toward Aline and noticed the black sandalwood box in her hands, the national flag still draped over it.
“That’s…”
“My parents’ ashes,” Aline said evenly. “I brought them home.”
A flash of guilt crossed Clayton’s face. “I’m sorry. I was supposed to go with you today… but Joyce’s mother twisted her ankle, so I-”
Before he could finish, a sharp voice cut in.
“Ashes? Did you say ashes?”
Penny’s face twisted with horror as she glared at Aline. “How could you bring something so unlucky into this house?”
