Chapter 2

The next afternoon, Julia submitted her resignation to Walter Harris, the school principal, after classes ended.

He valued her deeply. She had taught at Latchford Community School for years, and her students adored her, but he knew he could not force her to remain.

"None of us wants to lose you, but everyone knows how devoted you and Colonel Warden are. Sooner or later, you were bound to join him near his post. He must hate leaving you alone. I won't stand in your way."

Everyone believed Julia and Everett shared an enviable marriage. No one knew the entire thing was a performance built on forged papers.

"Principal Harris, that isn't why. Everett..."

He waved with the confidence of someone who thought he understood. "I was young once too. Besides, you and the colonel have been together long enough to start thinking about children."

Years earlier, Julia had been badly injured protecting Everett, and with that injury she had lost her chance at motherhood.

Everett's relatives had always treated her coldly, but no one had openly blamed her for being unable to continue the family line.

She had believed Everett defended her. Now she understood they never complained because he already had a son.

Julia stopped trying to explain.

A new teacher would take her class. All she needed to do was complete the handover during her remaining days.

When Julia left the school, she saw Everett waiting beneath the large tree near the gate. A car stood beside him, with someone sitting inside.

Another teacher spotted him and called, "Colonel Warden, here to pick up Ms. Fenner?"

Everett looked up at once. The moment he saw Julia, he crossed the distance and pulled her into his arms.

Classes had just ended, and teachers and students crowded the gate, but no one found the embrace unusual. Whenever Everett returned, he always waited there for Julia.

His uniform carried the stale smell of an overnight journey. Once, Julia would have held him tighter because that road-worn scent proved how far he traveled for her.

She looked at the dark stubble along his jaw and the shadows beneath his eyes. Her throat closed before she could speak, and tears came first.

"What's wrong? Are you still sick? You have to care for yourself when I'm gone. Fall weather changes quickly. The moment I heard you had a cold, I requested leave and drove through the night."

Everett wiped her tears in a panic. His warm, dry palms cradled her face, and his gaze overflowed with concern.

The love in his eyes felt like a dull blade pressing slowly into her heart, painful precisely because part of her still wanted to believe it.

Until—

"You must be Ms. Fenner. Everett speaks of you often." Lydia stood just behind his shoulder.

Julia went rigid. She could not believe he had dared bring his lawful wife home and stand her directly in front of her.

Everett noticed nothing. He released Julia, stepped beside Lydia, and introduced her. "Jules, this is Lydia. She is...the widow of one of my fallen men."

A fallen man's widow. Julia forced a smile. Before she could respond, Everett's aide, Daniel Chase, ran over and whispered urgently in his ear.

Julia watched his face change. He turned to her immediately. "There's an emergency at the unit. Go home without me."

He took Lydia by the hand, put her in the car, and left.

Everett had lied again. Julia had clearly heard the words hospital and child.

She did not know what drove her to follow them. At Latchford County Hospital, she stood outside the room and listened to Everett berate the staff.

"He's had a fever for half the day. Why hasn't it broken? And why did it take more than one attempt to place the IV? What kind of care is this?"

The head nurse, Mabel Quinn, was Julia's close friend. She frowned at him. "Colonel Warden, stop bullying my staff. The boy fought the needle, and they had to try twice. That does not justify shouting at nurses."

"Dad, I feel awful." Tears covered Peter's pale face.

Everett's anger vanished. He gathered the boy into his arms and soothed him, while Mabel stared as if the room had tilted beneath her.

"Everett, what did that boy just call you?" Fury filled her eyes.

"How could you do this to Julia? She was injured saving your life and lost her chance to become a mother, and you built another household behind her back? You brought them into my hospital and expected me not to tell her?"

Silence held the room for a moment before Everett answered in a low voice. "Lydia is my lawful wife. If you care about Julia at all, you'll keep this from her.

"I hid it because I love her, but the Warden family needed an heir. You're her friend. You don't want to destroy her, so you know what shouldn't be said."

"You're out of your mind. You expect me to help you lie to her?"

"I saw the transfer request involving your father's position. If you want it approved without trouble, you know what to do." Everett's stare was cold enough to silence the rest of Mabel's protest.

"Nurse, I know I am not worthy of Everett, but our child is innocent. Please take good care of him." Lydia began to cry, and Everett drew her against him.

"No one will neglect my son. And you need to stop thinking only about Peter and care for yourself. I'll have the doctor prescribe something to build your strength. You gave the Warden family its heir. Never say you are unworthy of me again."

Julia watched from outside as he held Lydia's face with the same gentle hands that had touched hers at the school gate.

He treasured Lydia too. Then what was Julia to him? She staggered backward and knocked a cup from a passing patient's hand.

Hot water splashed across the back of her hand, raising an angry red patch. The patient was unharmed and kept asking, "Ma'am, are you all right?"

Julia seemed unable to feel the burn. She turned and ran from the hospital without looking back.