Ethan was seated in Officer Matthew's office, and discussing about training plan, when a soft knock sounded on the door.
"Come in," Matthew called out.
The door creaked open, and Bella stepped inside. Her eyes instantly landed on Ethan — surprise flashing across her face for a brief second before she quickly composed herself. Ethan looked at her too, the silence stretching just a little too long.
Diverting her gaze from him, Bella turned to Officer Matthew. "Officer Matthew, I need to make a call home. Could you please inform admin for me?"
Matthew gave a slight nod. "Alright, I'll take care of it."
"Thank you," she said, her voice curt but polite, and with that, she turned and walked out, leaving behind an awkward stillness.
Matthew watched her leave, then turned to Ethan, his expression curious. "Is something going on between you two?"
Ethan let out a quiet breath, shaking his head. "I don't know, Matt… I feel like Bella's not happy with this marriage. She's changed. She barely talks to me anymore."
Matthew leaned back slightly, thoughtful. "Have you tried talking to her about it?"
"I have," Ethan replied, his voice low. "But she's been acting so strangely. Distant. Cold."
Matthew gave a small, understanding nod. "Give her — give yourselves — a bit of time. This has been a sudden change for both of you."
Ethan said nothing in response. He only stared ahead; lost in thoughts he couldn't quite put into words.
*************************************************************************************
The afternoon sun cast a harsh glare over the training ground, where cadets were lined up in neat rows, doing push-ups under Officer Nick's stern supervision. His voice cut through the air, commanding yet instructive.
"Focus on body strength! Your core should be steady. No slouching!"
Among the cadets, Bella moved in rhythm with the others, beads of sweat lining her forehead. But her attention wavered when her eyes drifted toward the far side of the ground — where Officer Ethan stood talking to Officer Becky. They seemed absorbed in conversation, heads slightly inclined, the kind of closeness that made something twist in Bella's chest.
Lost in thought, she didn't notice the slight shift in her balance. Her wrist bent the wrong way as her hand gave under the pressure.
"Ouch!" she hissed, pulling back in pain.
Officer Nick immediately stepped toward her. "Cadet Bella, step aside and apply a cold compress before those swells."
Bella nodded quickly and rose to her feet, cradling her wrist. As she walked off, Ethan approached Nick, eyes following her retreating figure.
"What happened?" he asked, voice edged with concern.
"Hand sprain," Nick replied simply.
Ethan gave a slow nod, then, without a word, turned and walked in the direction Bella had gone.
On the far side of the field, away from the noise and bustle of training, Bella sat alone on a bench, gently pressing a cold compress to her wrist. The silence here was almost strange — still, like a pause in time.
She didn't notice Ethan until he was right beside her.
Without saying anything, he took the compress from her hand and gently took hold of her wrist. She tried to pull back, startled, but he tightened his grip — firm, but not harsh.
"Where is your mind these days?" he asked, frowning slightly as he examined her wrist. "What do you keep thinking about?"
Bella reached to take the compress back, but he pulled it just out of reach with a quiet, "Don't be stubborn."
She stilled, letting her hand fall into her lap. In silence, she watched him.
His movements were careful, almost tender. He dried her wrist with a clean towel, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small tube of medicated cream, rubbing it gently over the sprained area.
Bella kept watching him, her heart heavier than she cared to admit. This is the man I've loved so deeply, she thought. And yet… just because you love someone doesn't mean they love you back.