When the War God Sheds His Apron의 모든 챕터: 챕터 1 - 챕터 10

Tristan Mercer paced back and forth outside the operating room, looking anxious. His usually strong, sharp features were now clouded with worry, and a thin sheen of sweat beaded on his forehead from the strain.Just moments ago, his daughter, Ruby Grayson, had been rushed into emergency surgery after a sudden flare-up of her congenital heart condition. Meanwhile, his wife, Claire Grayson, had actually walked out in the middle of their daughter's fight for her life—all because of a phone call.Tristan took a deep breath. "Ruby, you have to pull through!"He quickly pulled out his phone and called Claire. The call had barely connected when it was cut off.His chest tightened. He inhaled deeply and hit redial, but the result was just as disappointing as before. The phone rang once before the call was declined.Tristan called a third time. This time, someone answered. But before he could say a word, Claire's furious screeching exploded in his ear."I'm slammed at work right now, Tris

Tristan sat alone in the dim room, quietly holding the photo of Ruby. His eyes were full of bottomless grief and longing. He gently brushed his fingers over her bright smile in the picture as tears blurred his vision.After a long, heavy sigh, he carefully tucked the photo against his chest, cradling it like it was the most precious thing in the world. Then, he stood up, planning to step out and walk around for a bit.He'd just reached the foot of the staircase when a shrill voice suddenly split the air. His mother-in-law, Miranda Wade, stood there with her hands on her hips, her face twisted with anger as she screeched, "You're a useless deadbeat, Tristan! Do you have any idea what time it is? Why haven't you made dinner yet? Are you trying to starve the whole family to death?"His father-in-law, Sheldon Grayson, immediately chimed in just as furiously, "Exactly! I honestly don't know what crime our family committed to get stuck with someone as worthless as you. You're getting more

Tristan slowly walked away from the Grayson residence. Each step felt like a stomp on his heart, so heavy that it suffocated him. He let out a long exhale, as if wanting to expel the indescribable grief deep within him.Claire's heartlessness cut deep. Ruby's innocent smile now only existed in his memories, as bright as the stars in the sky yet also just as unreachable. The thought broke his heart.The night was dark as ink. The dim glow of the streetlamps stretched his shadow, making him look especially lonely.Tristan hailed a cab. Half an hour later, he arrived at Silverleaf Residences. It was a neighborhood under the governance of the Ravelton military district, and all its residents were soldiers who'd contributed to national safety.Tristan headed straight to No. 602, where his good friend Heath Coolidge lived, and rang the doorbell. Heath had served under Tristan as a member of the Fenrir unit and, after completing five years of service, had been assigned to the Ravelton mil

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, three days had passed. In all that time, Claire, as Ruby's mother, hadn't made a single call to ask how Ruby was doing.32, Falcon Ridge was the address of Ravelton's funeral home.The sky was a solid sheet of gray with low clouds pressing down as if they might crush the world. A howling wind tore past, whipping the trees into a frenzy, making the leaves hiss and rustle. Still, the rain held off.The weather at that moment was just like Tristan's grief-stricken heart. His sorrow surged like a tidal wave, wild and overwhelming. Yet it was as if his tears were blockaded by a dam—they refused to flow, no matter how heartbroken he was.The funeral home staff slowly carried Ruby's body out and set her down to the side so her family could say their final goodbyes.Tristan's legs felt like they were filled with lead as he dragged himself forward, one heavy step at a time. When he finally reached her side, his hands trembled as he lifted the white she

As this was happening, Claire was strolling through Skyline Mall with Adrian.Adrian pointed toward the cosmetics section nearby, his voice gentle. "Claire, if there's anything you like in there, go ahead and pick it. I'll buy it for you, no matter how expensive it is."Claire's eyes softened with affection at his words. "You don't have to. I still have tons of makeup at home—I won't run out anytime soon. Besides, you just got back from abroad, and money's probably tight for you now. I'd never make you splurge on me. But since we're already here, how about I pick out a few nice outfits for you instead?"With that, she hooked her arm through his and led him toward the clothing section. Before long, they stepped into a high-end men's boutique with sleek lines and designer flair.Claire turned to Adrian with a fond smile. "Adrian, take a look. See anything you like?"The irony was that in her five years of marriage to Tristan, the only thing Claire had ever given him was a single pai