Chapter 3
Back home, Elijah began gathering up our belongings.
Years ago, on a mission in the Alps with Elijah, my back was injured. He nearly slipped, and when I grabbed him to prevent his fall, I slammed against the rocks. Since then, lying on a hard bed or feeling cold causes sharp pain.
When we got married, my parents spent a lot on a memory foam mattress as part of my dowry. But Elijah dismissively discarded it, carefully covering it with a clean white cloth: "It's getting cold, and Paisley is alone with Ace, especially since Ace is young and sensitive to the chill. Even if we have to endure discomfort, the child shouldn't suffer..."
I then noticed the TV from the living room was gone too. Elijah had packed it into a cardboard box, intending to send it to Paisley and Ace. Seeing my confused expression, Elijah explained: "Ace is a little kid, and Paisley is tied up with work and doesn’t have much time to entertain him. We hardly watch that TV anyway; let it keep the kid company."
If our child were still alive, he’d probably be around Ace's age now.
Early in our marriage, Elijah wasn’t keen on having kids. Only under pressure from his parents did he reluctantly suggest we wait and see. The pregnancy was unexpected, and with Elijah unsure about it, he insisted I keep it from my family.
That same year, Paisley returned flaunting her pregnancy with her new partner, even having Elijah drive the company car to pick them up. On the way, there was a car accident. Despite his injuries, Elijah immediately carried Paisley to safety. When help arrived, I was stuck in my seat, bleeding, while all I could hear was Elijah shouting—
"Get Paisley to the hospital first, I've got Alora!"
In the end, Paisley escaped with just a few scratches and a fright, but our child did not survive.
Faced with this tragedy, Elijah was even more adamant about keeping it from the family.
In the hospital room, as I was weak and grieving the loss of our child, Elijah stood firm and claimed, "I am a soldier; it is my duty to protect civilians. As my spouse, you should be ready for sacrifice in the most critical moments."
"If you can't handle this sacrifice, how can you be fit to be a leader's wife?"
And now, with nerve, he asked me, "Have you finalized those transfer papers for Paisley?"