Chapter 1 To gain experience , I kept quiet about being the only daughter of the Northern Command's top commander . In my first year posted to a line unit , I fell for a Major General at first sight . We were in love for five years . He was both my boyfriend and my commanding officer , and he spoiled me shamelessly But he never once took me to meet his parents in the officers ' quarters on base . Later I learned why : his family never thought I was good enough . The Grants were a decorated military dynasty , and to them I was just a nobody from a regular family - too uncouth for their tastes . With the gossip in the service circling around our " mismatched backgrounds , " I decided to come clean and tell him who I really was . Right then , my boyfriend started disappearing for whole days at a stretch . On the ninety - ninth night he didn't come home , I found a half - finished marriage clearance memo in his study . The bride was General Summers's daughter , and the applicant was the man who slept in my bed - Miles Grant . So while he was all over me , he had already agreed to an arranged match . I kept a secret of my own : I accepted the general's stars my father placed in my hand . Now that his heart belonged to someone else , it was time for me to go . On the phone , my parents were overjoyed . " As long as you come home , your new appointment order is ready and waiting . " Thinking of the boyfriend I had here , my mom grew anxious . " What about your boyfriend ? Are you bringing him back ? You still haven't told him who you are , have you ? " " Mhm ... I'm going to break up with him . " When I said Miles's name in my head , my voice dropped to almost nothing . " Give me a week . I'll wrap everything up here . " That night , Miles didn't come back . I didn't care . When I woke up the next day , I went straight in and filed my transfer request . When the paperwork was done , I took a few buddies from the unit out for a meal . When they heard I was leaving , someone joked , " Nina , you got that done fast . Don't tell me you're doing what TikTok always jokes about - going home to inherit the family fortune ? " I nodded lightly . " Yeah . Going home to take over the family business . " They blinked , then burst out laughing . They thought I was kidding and let it go . I laughed with them and didn't explain . After lunch , I carried my things home . As I pushed in the door , Miles happened to be there . He froze for a beat when he saw the boxes in my arms . " You're on leave ? " I didn't feel like explaining . I nodded and headed for the bedroom with the box . " Hold up . " He moved fast and blocked me . " Didn't you say you loved being on base every day ? Why the sudden leave ? " I looked into his eyes and smiled softly . " Because I have something more important to do . " " What is it ? " Chapter 1 11.11 % The Lunn's D Dreame - Read Romance Stories Dreame - Read Best Romance Read and Earn Free Rewards Now ! 4.4 FREE Installed Open " A secret . " Hearing that , Miles assumed I was planning some surprise again and chuckled . " You should've taken a break ages ago . Work's exhausting . You're out before dawn and home late every night , and it kills me to watch . " " Nina , you need to know that even if you separate from the service , I can take care of you . " " I don't need you to take care of me . " I spoke each word clearly . " I'm not anyone's accessory . " He faltered . " How could you be anyone's accessory ? " I cut him off before the sweet talk started . " Why are you home early today ? " " I've been slammed and haven't had time for you . I didn't want you to be upset , so I carved out the day to take you on a date . " Miles wrapped an arm around my waist and kissed my cheek . " Baby , where do you want to go ? Whatever you want to do , I'm with you . " His expression was tender , his eyes full of love . Once upon a time , that would've moved me . He was the Northern Command's most valued Major General , always buried in work , barely touching the ground . If he made time for me , it meant I took up a big part of his heart . But now , all I could see in my mind was that bright - red marriage memo . Was he busy with work - or busy planning a wedding ? How did he manage to plan a ceremony with another woman while telling me I was the only one he loved ? The questions reached my lips , then died there . Forget it . Just a few more days . Then I'd vanish from his life without a trace . I turned down his date and let my gaze fall on our framed photos . " Miles , let's clean the place up . A lot of this is old , and there's no point keeping it . " Yes , ma'am . Boss . " Smiling , he fetched a broom and played along while we sorted . Gradually , he realized everything I set aside were things loaded with our memories . The sketch he drew of me on our first date . The little ceramic cat from our third anniversary . A " fated love " fortune we pulled at a boardwalk booth . I tossed them into the trash without a second thought . His smile faded into something grave . When the matching bracelet he'd given me just a week earlier hit the trash , the panic he'd been hiding finally showed . " Nina , did you hear some stupid rumor ? " " What rumor ? What are you hiding from me ? " For a moment , if Miles had told me the truth , I might have told him who I was and given him one more chance . He didn't . Chapter 1 The Lunn's 3727 D Dreame - Read Romance Stories Dreame Read Best Romance Read and Eam Free Rewards Now ! 4.4 FREE Installed Open 11.11 % Miles looked away , unable to meet my gaze . After a long silence , he only squeezed my hand and said , " Nina , whatever happens , remember I love you . " I tugged at the corner of my mouth . Inside , it felt like a wasteland . The next day I gathered my friends to say goodbye . In the middle of lunch , two familiar figures walked into the restaurant . Miles - and his fiancée , Lila Summers . The moment he saw me , Miles dropped the arm he'd slung around Lila's waist . I kept my face cool . " What are you doing here ? " His eyes flickered . " The Grants and the Summers happen to be working on a deal , so we set up a meeting . " When both tables finished , our group was dispersing right as theirs did . Miles offered to drive both me and Lila home . No one expected the disaster to hit then . A runaway truck barreled in from the cross street , the driver yanking the wheel on instinct . There was a single brutal bang , and the two cars still collided . Glass exploded . Momentum threw me hard the other way . In my blurred vision , Miles folded Lila into his arms , shielding her . He didn't let her get so much as a scratch . He was even patting her back , soothing her . My head slammed the window . Blood ran hot down my forehead . As the world went fuzzy , a memory flashed - another crash , two years ago . Back then we were in love . Same intersection . Another truck coming in too fast . I was on the side it would hit . With no way out , Miles saw it and , without a second thought , twisted the wheel so the impact would take his side . The hood crumpled . He was pinned to the seat . Blood soaked his white shirt , and he still smiled as he wiped the tears off my face . " Good . You're okay . " Firefighters and medics worked a long time before they finally got him out of the car . He almost died that day . But now , with the same kind of crash , the person he protected on instinct was no longer me .