All Chapters of Stolen Honor: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

10 Chapters

Chapter 1

My phone rang.It was Terrence Fisher from Denise's law firm.I put him on speaker."Graham, I've got a new lead on the killer. Ten days from now, he's supposed to make a deal at an underground fight club across the border. It's way too dangerous. Please, Graham. Don't go."After the call ended, I looked around at everyone gathered there, tears spilling down my face before I could stop them.Slowly, I crouched down and rolled up the loose legs of my pants and the sleeves of my shirt, exposing the scars covering my body. Around my ankle was a mangled burn scar, the flesh still uneven where a masked man had branded me with a red-hot iron while I was pursuing a lead aboard a ship.My best friend, Brendan Brooks, had given me that lead. He'd once buried himself in gambling debt trying to scrape together enough money to get married. I paid off what he owed and helped him find a legitimate job afterward.The stretched dark, overlapping whip marks across my back were the result of foll

Chapter 2

Through my tears, everything blurred except my daughter, Lily Rodriguez. After three years, she'd grown taller. She looked so different.No matter what, the fact that Lily was alive was the greatest miracle I could have hoped for.I rushed forward, forcing my way through the crowd before pulling her tightly into my arms. "Lily, come home with Daddy, okay?"The next second, she sank her teeth into my arm. Then she drove a hard kick into my stomach.Grimacing in pain, I let go. She ran straight behind August, peeking out from behind him just enough to stick her tongue out at me."You're not my daddy anymore. This is my daddy now! I'm not going with you. All you ever do is make me study!"Daddy isn't like you. He plays games with me and buys me all the candy I want. You never loved me! I don't want a dad like you!"I stared at Lily in disbelief. It felt as though someone had carved a piece out of my heart.Lily had always had trouble with her teeth. Her dentist had warned us to li

Chapter 3

I fought to keep the tears from falling and turned my head away, unable to meet Denise's eyes.I was afraid—afraid of seeing the scar on her forehead and that she'd confirm the truth I'd been refusing to accept.Denise let out a quiet sigh, and the familiar warmth returned to her eyes. "Graham, I'm August's wife now. No matter how much you fight it, I have responsibilities now—as a wife and as a mother."I lowered my head with a bitter laugh, my voice shaking with anger. "But you're my wife! What about your responsibility to me?"The crushing weight in my chest made it hard to breathe. I forced myself upright and grabbed her arm. "You promised we'd spend our lives together. Denise, why? Just tell me why.""Graham! Stop making a scene!" My mother shoved me away, tears in her eyes.The last of my strength gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor."Denise is your sister-in-law now. No amount of throwing a fit is going to change that."I opened my mouth to argue, but my phone rang.

Chapter 4

People saw right through it.My evidence was far more complete than August's, and my account of the investigation was far more coherent.August, on the other hand, looked every bit like someone who'd spent the last three years living a comfortable life. There wasn't a trace of someone who'd risked his life infiltrating a criminal organization.Letters flooded the police department, demanding that August be fired and that the commendation be awarded to its rightful recipient.Just when I thought I was finally about to earn my way back to Major Crimes, August started a live broadcast. Looking straight into the camera, tears streamed down his face."Graham is my little brother. I wanted to keep this quiet for the sake of our family, but now he's trying to twist the truth and steal my credit. I have no choice but to tell everyone what really happened."I spent three years undercover, risking my life to gather evidence against the organization. Graham, meanwhile, had been working with

Chapter 5

By the time Denise reached the rooftop, she was too late. She lunged forward, desperately reaching for Graham as he went over the edge.Her fingers closed on empty air. She could only watch as Graham vanished from sight.Bracing herself against the rooftop railing, Denise looked down and let out a heart-wrenching scream."Graham!"But there was no one left to answer her.She raced downstairs just as Graham's parents, Eddy and Faith Rodriguez, arrived with Lily. All three froze at the scene before them.Denise collapsed to her knees in the pool of blood. She reached out with trembling hands, desperate to hold Graham one last time, even if it was only his body.Sadly, there was no body left to hold. The fall from more than three hundred feet had left behind nothing but a spreading pool of blood and shattered bone.Eddy and Faith stared in disbelief at the carnage. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't reconcile the scene before them with the son they knew.The little boy

Chapter 6

August had expected Denise to do what she always had—apologize, comfort him, and wrap him in her arms.Instead, his parents slapped him across the face before she could even move."Who are you calling a criminal?" Eddy shouted. "Graham was a hero. He solved countless major cases. He was the pride of the Rodriguez family! He's already dead, and you're still trying to smear his name?"Denise slowly rose to her feet. She stared at August with icy eyes, hatred simmering beneath the surface."Was Lily wrong? If you hadn't stolen Graham's credit and framed him as a traitor, he never would've been driven to jump off that roof. You killed him."August pressed a hand against his swollen cheek, staring at them in disbelief.The whole world had gone insane. Just that morning, these people had treated Graham like he was nothing. So why were they suddenly acting as if they'd loved him all along? Just because he was dead?His voice cracked with grievance as he shouted back, "I know you're all

Chapter 7

August set his phone down with a satisfied smile. He pictured the awards ceremony—the love of his life and his family gathered around him as he received the department's highest honor.What an incredible moment that would be.As for Graham, he was just a dead man.Denise and his parents might mourn him for a while, but no one grieved forever. Within a month, everyone would forget he had ever existed.Graham had never been able to beat him while he was alive. What chance did he have now that he was dead? At least the loser had been useful for once before he died.The private dining room door swung open.A server wheeled in an enormous celebration cake. Department leaders and fellow officers filed in one after another, each wearing a congratulatory smile.A moment later, Eddy and Faith Rodriguez entered with Lily, while Denise followed behind carrying Mason. The entire family had come.The corners of August's mouth lifted into a smug grin. He'd known it. Denise and his parents wo

Chapter 8

Scene after scene of Graham's undercover investigation played across the screen.One video showed him after the syndicate suspected his identity. They locked him inside a flooded holding cell for three days and three nights. His wounds festered in the filthy water while rats and snakes crawled over him.Burning with a fever so high he could barely stay conscious, he still pointed the hidden camera on his body toward himself and whispered,"If you find my body, you'll find the evidence with it. Don't mourn me. As long as these criminals are brought to justice, my death will have been worth it."Another clip showed him secretly gathering evidence before the syndicate caught him. They threw him from the fourth floor, and his shoulder shattered on impact.Even as he dragged himself through the brush, he kept recording."If I survive, I'll personally deliver this evidence to the department. But if I don't, please use what I've gathered to bring them to justice."There were many more

Chapter 9

The department took my circumstances into account. Combined with my outstanding service, they chose not to pursue disciplinary action over my staged death.Captain Barrett personally pinned the medal to my chest and smiled."Graham Rodriguez, report back to Major Crimes tomorrow."I froze.The sting behind my eyes spread through my entire body, and I couldn't stop myself from trembling. I'd waited three long years for this moment.I snapped to attention and gave him a crisp salute, my eyes brimming with tears. "Detective Graham Rodriguez, reporting for duty."That evening, my coworkers threw a celebration in my honor. Some praised my courage. Some mourned everything I'd endured over the past three years. Others apologized for the ridicule and suspicion they'd directed at me.Their kindness warmed me, but their apologies had come too late. I had no intention of forgiving them.Just as before, I'd keep doing what I believed was right, no matter the cost.News that I was still al

Chapter 10

The light in Denise's eyes slowly faded. She looked down at Lily, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and pulled her into a tight embrace.Holding Lily, Denise pleaded with me. "Graham, I know I've wronged you. I know I don't deserve your forgiveness."But Lily is innocent. For her sake, please give me one more chance. I'll spend the rest of my life making it up to both of you. I swear I'll never hurt you again."Lily's face was streaked with tears. She looked at me through blurry eyes, calling over and over, "Daddy..."I looked at her coldly.After a brief stab of heartache, I didn't waver."She stopped recognizing me as her father a long time ago. So why should I recognize her as my daughter? You should leave."Without another word, I shut the door.Even after being turned away the first time, Denise refused to give up. She came to my house every few days. She'd drive more than a dozen miles just to buy enchiladas from the restaurant that used to be my favorite.On Father's Day,

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