Part 2The General's Secret

Early winter wind was exceptionally biting, I stood in front of the tombstone, unconsciously wrapped tight my coat.

Shoulder sank, Gavin intimately draped his coat over me.

He lit the candle, gently swept away the dust on my parents' tombstone.

Familiar exclusive ringtone rang, Gavin turned immediately, walked quickly to a distance to answer.

Moment the call ended, he rushed over grabbed my wrist wanting to leave.

I froze, "What's wrong?"

Face full of anxiety, "Bella is in trouble!"

"Her husband misunderstood her taking care of me at the wedding, beat Bella, I must go resolve it."

If before I would definitely be more anxious than him.

But now I just frowned and pulled him.

"Who doesn't know Bella and I are closest best friends, how could he misunderstand you?"

"If really domestic violence should call police, what are you meddling in other family's affairs? Unless you really did something shameful?"

He stiffened, then threw off my hand, eyes flickering.

"Zoe, what nonsense are you talking about! Can you not get jealous randomly?!"

"Since you are not going, I'll go myself."

I met his gaze, "Going like this won't make it clearer right? Gavin, you said you would accompany me today."

His face suddenly became gloomy.

"Is your heart made of iron? She is your best friend! If something happens to Bella..."

He glanced coldly at the tombstone, tone sarcastic:

"Just dead people, staying here one more minute, can your parents come back to life? Bella is a living person!"

I looked at him in disbelief, light in eyes extinguishing bit by bit, "You go."

"Apologize to mom and dad when I come back, okay?"

He couldn't see the disappointment in my eyes, just dropped a sentence, roughly pulled away the coat on my shoulder and turned to leave.

His coat accidentally swept down the candle, I panicked used hand to put out fire.

Burning pain instantly pierced into palm, tears uncontrollably smashed down.

But a gust of cold wind swept past, flames still completely swallowed parents' portrait.

I slumped on the ground, leaning against the tombstone crying in breakdown.

Back then, parents used every method to stop me from being with Gavin who just graduated from military academy.

But dazzled by love, I still followed him without hesitation.

Those three years following the army, we squeezed in the damp temporary family housing at the border outpost.

Winter he led team patrol encountered blizzard, lost contact for three days. I braved minus twenty degrees cold, guarded outside communication station, hands and feet had frostbite, until seeing his figure returning with team, then fainted on ground.

To support his advanced studies, I gave him all the Wedding Fund my parents gave me, lying it was bonus. Ate cheapest dishes in cafeteria for a whole year.

Only then truly understood the meaning of "Military family, warmth and cold self-known" my parents said.

But Gavin besides no money, gave me everything he could.

So, I endured hardship gladly.

Later mom and dad died in car accident, I didn't even see their last face.

That day, Gavin with red eyes tightly hugged collapsed me, used his one month salary saved to buy a small diamond ring.

Knelt in front of me promised: "This life absolutely won't fail you."

He promoted all the way, became one of the youngest Major Generals in the army.

Our life improved day by day, but his feelings for me became indifferent day by day.

I once naively thought, even if whole world abandoned me, at least he and Bella wouldn't.

But fact is, how thoroughly wrong I was.

Phone vibrated, Bella sent an "all good" emoji.

Clicked her avatar, found she updated Instagram Story.

[Luckily he was there.]

In the nine-grid photos, Gavin was focused on bandaging her wound.

Moment clicking live photo, heartbreaking ambiguous sounds came from background.

A burst of violent nausea surged up, I held the cold tombstone, couldn't stop retching.