Chapter 19
The hospital room reeked of disinfectant. Valentina hadn’t slept all night. She watched the sun slowly rise, its light streaming through the window.
The handsome man on the bed’s eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes. Valentina’s breath caught in her throat.
Those eyes were deep and dark, carrying the familiar gentleness and quiet strength she remembered. They matched perfectly with that one look Marcus had given her months ago.
“You’re awake.” Her voice was tight, and she almost couldn’t bring herself to look at him.
“Do you want some water?”
The man shook his head slightly, his gaze falling on her swollen, red–rimmed eyes with a
flash of concern.
He tried to sit up but the movement pulled at his abdominal wound. He let out a pained grunt and fell back against the pillow.
“Don’t move!” Valentina immediately forgot everything else and rushed forward, pressing her hands against his shoulders.
“Your wounds haven’t healed yet. You can’t sit up or they’ll tear open again.”
Suddenly, they were very close to each other. She could see clearly into those beautiful, clear eyes. She could smell the faint medicinal scent clinging to him, mixed with that fresh pine fragrance.
She knew that scent so well. Over the past few months, whenever she’d stood near him and caught that smell, it had always made her feel completely safe.
“Val,” he suddenly spoke, his voice hoarse but gentle.
“I’m sorry. You already know, don’t you?”
Valentina jerked her hand back and took half a step away from the bed. She lowered her head, her mood heavy, not wanting to speak.
“Why… Why did you lie to me?” she whispered, unable to meet his eyes. “Marcus.”
The name was like a key, unlocking memories that had been buried for years. Something flickered in the man’s eyes before his expression grew calm again.
He stared at the ceiling, his throat working as he swallowed. “That day at the Forest Service office, I thought I was hallucinating when I first saw your name.”
Chapter 19
Valentina stared at him in stunned silence.
“Five years ago, you graduated college and got a job teaching at the base school.” His voice was soft, his eyes holding a distant fondness.
“One night after a heavy rainstorm, you’d stayed late helping a student and got caught by muggers in the alley on your way home.”
Valentina’s head snapped up.
“I happened to be walking by and stepped in.” Marcus turned to meet her eyes directly.
“You were terrified and had dropped your umbrella. I gave you my jacket and walked you home. That’s when I fell for you, but…”
Valentina’s throat felt dry as memories came flooding back.
It had been pouring that night, the streets dark and empty. If someone hadn’t helped her, she didn’t want to think about what might have happened. She remembered that warm military jacket still carrying his body heat, and the shadowy figure who’d saved her.
The next day, when Daniel came looking for her with that jacket, she naturally assumed…
“But you
had the wrong person.” Marcus smiled bitterly. “Daniel happened to be returning my jacket to you the next day.”
Valentina froze, staring at him in disbelief as she slowly got to her feet. She gripped the bed rail to keep from falling.
So from the very beginning, she’d fallen in love with the wrong man?
“Do you have any idea… that it was because of that jacket that I kept seeing him? Why didn’t
you
tell me?” Her voice was thick with tears.
“How could I?” Marcus’s eyes grew dim, looking at her with a mixture of pain and helplessness.
“Daniel’s my little brother. He was so crazy about you, and the whole family approved of you
two.
“After that, I kept volunteering for missions. I was trying to stay away from home as much as possible, until…” He paused.
“Until Camille set me up, claiming we’d slept together. With family pressure mounting, I had no choice but to agree to marry her.”
Camille. That name was like a thorn, still sharp enough to hurt even now.
“Then, I got called away on a mission the night of our wedding.” Marcus’s voice grew quieter.
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“It was basically a suicide mission. Nobody wanted to take it, and the ones in command were planning to draw names. I volunteered because… I never intended to come back.”
Valentina’s heart clenched painfully.
“During the final phase of the mission, there was an unexpected explosion, and I fell off a cliff. I guess I was lucky, if you can call it that. The fall didn’t kill me.
“I figured since you and Daniel were happy together, and Camille was there to take care of our parents, I might as well stay dead.”
He gazed out the window. “Until that day at the Forest Service office when I saw your name, I… I thought it had to be a coincidence.
“But then I wondered, what if it wasn’t? So I rushed to town to get supplies, hoping against hope that it would really be you.
“Thank God.” His voice caught. “Thank God it actually was you.”
His eyes were filled with such deep emotion that he didn’t dare blink, as if afraid he might wake up from this beautiful dream.
“These months with you have been the happiest of my entire life. But I always knew I couldn’t keep this secret forever. I just selfishly hoped we could have a little more time together.”
Valentina’s heart ached as she watched him force that brave smile. She couldn’t hold back anymore and threw herself into his arms.
She thought about his quiet protection when they first met, how he’d stood between her and the wolf pack, and how he’d watched over her through that first terrifying night.
None of it had been a coincidence. It was all the careful, precious love he’d been carrying for years. She buried her face against his chest, holding him tight.
“Actually… I care about you too…”
Before she could finish, Marcus struggled to sit up despite his injuries. Ignoring the risk of tearing his stitches, he pulled her close against him.
“Now you know the truth,” he said, his heartbeat rapid and strong beneath the hospital gown. “Val, don’t force yourself to stay because you feel sorry for me.
“You can leave or you can stay. I–I’ll respect whatever you choose.”
Valentina pressed her face against his shoulder, breathing in that familiar pine scent. She smiled softly, a gentle warmth spreading through her.
“Then I choose to stay.”
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Outside the window, Montanias’s first spring snow began to fall quietly. Valentina wrapped her arms around his waist, and neither of them said another word.
Chapter 20
