Home / At Dawn, I Let Go of the Past / Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

All Chapters of At Dawn, I Let Go of the Past: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

When the ambulances arrived, my deputy, Scott Browning, naturally waved Logan Callum over to ride with me. After all, everyone knew how devoted the two of us were.But Logan acted as if he hadn't heard. He anxiously carried the girl into a different ambulance.Scott looked at my ashen face and squeezed out a few stiff words of comfort, "Natalie, don't overthink this. I'm sure Logan's just doing his job. He probably wants to give the hostage some crisis counseling..."Crisis counseling?But everyone had just seen it. Logan, the calmest man any of us knew, had been holding that girl with trembling fingers.At the hospital, my palm took eleven stitches, and I didn't make a single sound of pain. Even the doctor remarked, "You search and rescue people really are made of steel."Once my wound was dressed, I slowly made my way to the room next door.The girl was burrowed in Logan's arms, her whiny voice full of undisguised dependence. "That was so scary! The knife was so close to me.

Chapter 2

My emotions were in turmoil, and a cramping pain gripped my belly without letting up. I slumped weakly against the side of the couch. It was a long time before I slowly caught my breath again.Fumbling a little, I pulled out the pregnancy test report.Yesterday, when I'd gotten the results, I'd been overjoyed. I had even drawn a little heart next to my name, planning to surprise Logan with the news.Now, the longer I looked at that red heart, the more it stung.Fighting back tears, I tore the report to shreds and threw it into the trash along with the fake marriage certificate.I had wanted this baby for so long.Last year, I had miscarried after saving an elderly man from drowning. I hemorrhaged so badly that I nearly died on the operating table. It had lodged in my heart like a thorn, and I cried myself to sleep night after night.It was Logan who held me tight and patiently kissed away my tears, over and over. "Natalie, we'll have another baby someday. All that matters is tha

Chapter 3

Logan didn't come home all night. Instead, Alison added me on social media.Almost against my will, I clicked into her feed.Post after post, it was nothing but their life together.Last Sunday, she had posted a photo of Logan from behind as he made her a mug of hot chocolate. The caption read: [You said I'd always come first.]But that day, my mom had a heart attack, and Logan had told me he was stuck in an urgent meeting. I rushed back from out of town overnight and took her to the hospital myself.The further I scrolled, the heavier my heart grew.When I reached May 15 of last year, my heart skipped a painful beat.Alison had posted a nine-photo grid of the two of them getting their marriage license at the county clerk's office. From the marriage license to a selfie of them kissing, it was sickeningly sweet. [Today, the whole world became mine.]But that day was the anniversary of my dad's death. Logan had claimed he had something important to take care of and couldn't come

Chapter 4

Silverwater Bay was an exclusive riverfront villa community where every square foot cost a fortune.Logan and I were both frugal by nature, and we had always lived in the small apartment my dad had been assigned through the department's housing program.Staring at the lavish, sprawling penthouse with its own private elevator, I couldn't help finding it ironic.Logan studied my expression and explained quietly, "Alison's depression is severe. Her doctor said an open river view would help lift her mood, so I...""You don't need to explain."I cut him off bluntly, my gaze perfectly still. "It's your money. What you buy with it, who you spend it on, none of it matters to me anymore."The wind was strong on the rooftop, and a dense ring of curious residents had gathered to watch.The moment I showed up, Alison started wailing toward the crowd, "Captain Tisdale, I know you have power and influence, but Logan and I truly love each other. Please give him back to me!"I'm begging you, h

Chapter 5

Logan gripped the nurse in disbelief. The veins stood out on the backs of his hands, and his grip was frighteningly strong.The nurse jumped. "Which Captain Tisdale do you think? Natalie Tisdale from search and rescue, obviously!"Another nurse leaned in and added indignantly, "You have no idea. When they brought her in, it was awful. Her pant legs were completely soaked in blood!""Seriously! A D&C is brutal, and she was all by herself. Not a single family member there with her. What kind of husband does she have? Totally heartless."Logan's mind went completely blank, as if something had exploded inside it.He couldn't make out a word of whatever the nurse said after that.The baby... Natalie had been pregnant?The scene on the rooftop flashed through his mind. To pull Alison up, he had stomped down hard on Natalie's body.How much must that have hurt her?A chill swept through Logan. It felt as if thousands of needles were piercing his heart, and he didn't dare let himself

Chapter 6

At some point, a torrential downpour had started outside.Logan raced through the rain and, soaked to the bone, knocked on the door of Natalie's mother's house.When Molly Tisdale opened the door and saw the state he was in, she was startled at first. Then, her heart aching for him, she quickly pulled him inside. "Logan? How did you get so drenched? Come in, come in. I'll get you a towel."As she went to the bathroom for a dry towel, she chattered cheerfully, "Natalie texted me a few days ago and said she's finally pregnant again. I am so happy for you two."At her words, Logan went rigid. He lowered his head, unable to look Molly in the eye.Molly handed him the towel, then produced a little bag with an air of mystery. Her face glowed with joy she couldn't contain as she carefully took out a pair of soft yellow baby shoes. "Look. I've been so happy these past couple of days that I couldn't even sleep, so I stayed up all night making these."I don't know yet if it's a boy or

Chapter 7

I followed the Operation Daybreak team deep into the untouched rainforest of a neighboring country.I changed into camouflage fatigues and deftly clipped my gear onto my tactical vest.The dull ache in my belly still flared now and then, but I didn't say a word."From Crestport?"A deep, lazy voice came from behind me.My partner on the task force, Albert Grey, was leaning against a tree trunk. He looked me up and down, a careless smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "This isn't some big-city game of playing house. I hope the higher-ups didn't send us a pretty face with nothing behind it. I don't have time to babysit a princess in a hail of bullets."I didn't spare him a single glance. I coldly racked the bolt of my rifle and kept surveying the area. "Just worry about yourself. Don't slow me down."That night, the temperature in the rainforest plummeted.I shivered in the flimsy tent, too wary to let myself sleep deeply.Half-asleep, I suddenly felt a weight settle on t

Chapter 8

Before I knew it, three years had passed.Operation Daybreak, the special anti-trafficking mission, ended in total victory.Following the trail up the chain, we not only dismantled a massive armed trafficking network entrenched overseas but also rescued more than three hundred abducted women and children.At the celebration banquet, as the person who had contributed the most, I was awarded the Medal of Valor by my superiors.With the heavy medal pinned to my chest, I packed my bags, ready to make a triumphant return to Crestport after three long years away.The night before we left, the stars over the base were astonishingly bright.I was leaning against an off-road vehicle, enjoying the breeze, when a jacket carrying a faint scent of cedarwood settled gently over my shoulders.Albert had an unlit cigarette between his teeth. He braced one hand on the car door, caging me within his arm. His eyes were lowered, and his deep gaze stayed fixed on me without wavering.His usual shar

Chapter 9

The next morning, I went back to the department with Albert.I had been gone for three years, and I was returning with the Medal of Valor, so my new position was even higher than my old one.Chief Browning, usually so stern, was flushed with excitement. He stood up and gave me a hearty pat on the shoulder. "Natalie, well done! I read every report that came in from over there. You're the pride of this department!"It's been approved from the top. As of today, you're the youngest deputy chief the city department has ever had!"I thanked him with a smile and was about to introduce Albert, who stood behind me.But the moment Chief Browning looked up, the smile froze on his face.The next second, he stood ramrod straight, his voice full of shock and awe he couldn't hide. "Mr. Grey... What are you doing here? Does the big guy upstairs know you're back in Crestport?"Chief Browning was so nervous that beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He kept gesturing for Albert to take

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