Chapter 1

To come back home and marry me, Hayden Cross spent four whole years stationed at an overseas peacekeeping base.

Everyone knew Hayden would lay down his life for Vivian Sterling.

In his first year, just to secure a priority slot to return home, he charged single-handedly into a war zone to rescue hostages. He came back with not a single inch of his body unscathed, but he clutched that application form like his life depended on it.

In his second year, to retrieve a lost engagement ring in the jungle, he waded through a swamp for three days and three nights. Even burning up at 104 degrees, he was still calling out my name.

In his third year, to earn merit, he patrolled the most dangerous border line for six straight months. When he came back, both his hands were so badly frostbitten that the flesh was raw and bloody—he nearly had to have them amputated.

I had always believed he wanted to marry me more than anyone else in the world.

I was carrying handmade leather candy I'd brought all the way from New York. It was Hayden's favorite flavor.

Because of the long journey, I'd been holding it carefully against my chest the whole way, terrified that even a single piece would break.

"Captain Cross, the documents from headquarters have arrived."

The communications room door was ajar, and the fax machine was screeching, spitting out a red-stamped document.

My hand, just about to push the door open, froze midair.

Through that narrow gap, I saw Hayden with his back to me, staring at the document he'd just received.

On it, four glaringly red characters were stamped: 【APPROVED FOR RETURN】.

In that instant, I almost cried out loud.

After 1,800 days and nights of waiting, I had finally lived to see his return.

But in the next second, what Hayden did made my entire body feel like it had plunged into an ice cave.

His long fingers slowly and deliberately picked up a pen, and stroke by stroke, he added a single word in front of those four red characters.

【NOT】.

The red "Approved" became a black "Not Approved."

His hand was steady, the sound of the pen tip gliding across the paper was so soft—yet it shattered my five years into pieces.

"Captain Cross, this is the fifth time."

The deputy captain's voice rose, thick with confusion. "Miss Sterling has waited five years at home for you. The higher-ups finally approved it this time. Why are you turning it down again with your own hand?"

Hayden set down the pen, his voice carrying a coldness that chilled me to my bones:

"Vivian has a steady personality and is easy to console. She has her parents in New York to take care of her. Her life is stable. Waiting another year won't matter."

"But Lily can't."

He paused, his tone carrying a tenderness and helplessness I'd never heard before. "Lily has been serving as my accompanying medic these past five years. She got all her injuries trying to save me. She has severe post-war trauma. The moment I leave, she'll self-harm from the shock."

"Lily said the day I go home to get married will be the day she ends her life. I owe her five years of companionship. I have to repay it."

I gripped the box of pastries against my chest, my fingertips turning white from the force.

So all this talk of relentless gunfire and overwhelming missions for five years—it had all been lies he told to protect another woman.

When he was in military academy, Lily Hartman had already been his personal assistant.

They had risked their lives together on this land for five years.

Meanwhile, I'd waited in New York like an idiot for five years because of his "military orders are absolute."

Just last month, he had even said in a video call: "Vivian, when I come back, we'll have the wedding."

Liar.

Hayden Cross, you are nothing but a liar.