Chapter 12 At the bar
“Shut your mouth!” Grandma barked, slamming the stick on the floor. “You sold Heaven to clear your husband’s debts! She gave up her happiness to save this family and you are still not satisfied?”
Summer’s smug expression vanished. Damien’s face turned pale.
Grandma’s voice trembled with anger and heartbreak. “You all disgust me. She carries your shame, and instead of gratitude, you feed on her pain!”
Heaven’s eyes burned with tears. She hadn’t realized until that moment how much she’d needed someone to speak up for her.
“Summer, you will return all of this and get the money back!” Grandma snapped, turning sharply to her second grandchild.
“I… I can’t,” Summer murmured, shrinking under her gaze.
“It’s a non-return policy unless the items are damaged,” she mumbled quickly, clutching one of the shopping bags. “But they’re all in perfect condition.”
Heaven sighed, blinking back the tears stinging her eyes.
The air in the room was heavy with tension until the chauffeur’s voice broke through the silence.
“Young madam, it’s getting late. We should leave now.”
Grandma took one look at Summer, then marched over, her steps slow but firm. She yanked the black card out of her hand.
“Ungrateful riffraff,” she muttered, her voice trembling with disgust.
Outside, the sun had already dipped beyond the rooftops. The visit hadn’t gone the way Heaven had hoped, but at least she’d felt the warmth and love of her grandmother again.
Her parents stood at the doorway, watching in silence. Summer’s face was still twisted with envy as Heaven prepared to leave.
“Heaven, take care, okay?” Grandma said softly, handing over the black card to her.
“I will, Grandma,” Heaven replied, forcing a small smile. “And you too don’t worry too much about me. Take care of yourself. I’ll visit again when I can.”
The old woman sighed deeply, gazing at the granddaughter who had always carried the purest heart.
“Forgive your father,” she whispered, tears slipping down her wrinkled cheeks. “And in your next life, don’t be born into this family… go far away.”
Heaven’s throat tightened. She blinked back her tears and smiled weakly to ease the old woman’s pain.
“Don’t say that, Grandma,” she murmured, her voice breaking. “If I’m not born here… how will I ever meet you again?”
Her grandmother’s lips quivered into a shaky smile as Heaven hugged her tight, unwilling to let go.
Moments later, Heaven stepped into the car. The chauffeur closed the door, and the engine started.
Grandma stood there watching as the car disappeared into the fading light.
“Poor child,” she whispered under her breath.
Inside the house, Summer stood by the window, her eyes narrowed in jealousy.
“Mother,” she said quietly, “you promised you’d introduce me to a rich family too… When?”
Meredith’s lips curved into a sly smile.
“Soon, baby. Soon
\~~~~~~~~~~~
At the military base
Maverick sat in his office, reading through reports.
But the words blurred before his eyes. The ache in his body refused to subside. No amount of discipline, no command over himself could quench the restless fire crawling beneath his skin.
He dragged a hand over his face, veins straining at his temple. Every time he shut his eyes, he saw her, the curve of her body, the way her breath had hitched beneath him, the tremor in her voice when she moaned for him.
He clenched his jaw, trying to shut it out.
Then his phone buzzed. Once. Twice. Then again.
He reached for it. His brows drew together. Notifications flooded his screen, dozens of alerts from different luxury shops.
Large sums.
All linked to the black card.
His black card.
For a second, he just stared. Then the heat that had tormented him all morning turned into something darker.
So that was it.
He had felt guilty.
Guilty for taking her innocence, guilty for losing control, guilty for laying her off like a sin he wanted to erase. He had thought… Maybe he had heard wrongly that day. Maybe her tears last night had meant something real.
But now, looking at the screen, all he saw was proof. Proof that he had been right from the start.
He could still hear that voice of her mother, on the day of the civil ceremony.
“Befriend the powerful ones, the ones who can be beneficial to us.”
His fist clenched around the phone until his knuckles turned white.
The door opened.
“Captain?”
Private John peeked his head in. Maverick looked up, his expression like a blade. John froze, saluted quickly.
“Captain,” John started carefully, clearing his throat, “some of the boys and I are going to take a short break. We were wondering if….uh….you might want to join us. You could… use it.”
He was referring to the drink incident, trying to be light, but his voice wavered.
Maverick’s eyes were flat. “Okay.”
John blinked, confused. “Huh?”
Did their captain just agree easily?
Maverick stood, sliding his phone into his coat pocket. He picked up his jacket, his movements slow and deliberate, then looked at John with that same cold stare.
“Let’s go.”
John stiffened, nodding quickly before leading the way out.
The soldiers outside were laughing among themselves until they saw their captain approaching. The laughter died instantly.
They snapped to attention.
“Sir!”
“At ease,” Maverick said curtly.
John cleared his throat nervously. “Uh… the Captain will be joining us.”
“What?” one of them whispered, eyes wide. The others straightened, their nervous glances bouncing between each other and Maverick.
Maverick said nothing. He just walked past them, his coat over his arm, his eyes cold and unbothered
He needed to get out of his head.
He needed to stop thinking about her.
Or at least, that’s what he told himself.
At the bar outpost, the soldiers all sat stiffly in a private room. None of them knew how to behave around their new captain.
The rumors were true. The new captain wasn’t like his brother. Where Boyle had been warm, Maverick was steel. He rarely smiled, rarely spoke, and when he did, men obeyed.
John cleared his throat, trying to ease the tension.
“Uhmm… we should start by introducing ourselves,” he said, forcing a laugh.
Music pulsed softly from outside, but the air in the room was stiff.
Maverick’s gaze flicked toward him. “No need. Stay at ease. Enjoy yourselves. Keep the tabs on me.”
That was all it took for the boys to loosen up. Laughter filled the room, drinks flowed, and the music got louder.
Soon enough, girls began to drift into their private space, drawn by the soldiers’ laughter and open wallets.
One by one, the men picked their company for the night, leaving in pairs until the room was nearly empty.
Maverick sat back, silent but the heat in his blood burned.
A soft hand trailed over his shoulder. He turned slightly, eyes narrowing as the woman leaned close her perfume heavy, voice a whisper against his ear.