Once Love Fades Away Novel by Oliver _ Novel





Once Love Fades Away Chapter 01

After the miscarriage, I began deliberately keeping my distance from my husband, Trystan Marlowe, a Major General.
His field training exercise ended on the 7th, so I scheduled my duty shifts to start on the 8th.
When he attended a military banquet, I declined to accompany him, citing a heavy surgical schedule.
On the rare occasions he was home on leave, I immediately requested business trips, staying away for a week at a time.
Even when I was wrongly accused and confined, requiring family to post bail for my release, I simply stated I had no next of kin and calmly served the three-day detention.
Finally, my indifference ignited his anger.
He grabbed my wrist, his eyes rimmed red, his voice strained. "Corinne, why didn't you tell me when you were in trouble?
"Do you even see me as your husband at all?"
I looked at him and simply smiled.
"But Trystan, it was you who never truly treated me as your wife," I thought.
***
The day I was released from confinement, the first snow fell over Boston.
I had just descended the steps when a military-grade SUV screeched to a halt in front of me.
The door swung open, and Trystan strode over, his brow furrowed. "Corinne, why didn't you contact me when you were confined?"
I offered a faint smile. "Contact you? Have you ever answered my calls?"
The day I was taken to the disciplinary office, I made twenty-seven calls. Every one of them went to voicemail.
Trystan's expression stiffened. "Hedwig had acute gastritis that night. I took her to the base hospital. She needed quiet, so I shut off my comms."
"It's fine. I never intended to trouble you. You're busy. I understand."
Trystan suddenly seized my wrist. "Why aren't you angry?"
He stared at me, a strange, suppressed agitation in his eyes.
"Why should I be angry? I'm tired. I want to go home."
I withdrew my hand and turned toward the back seat of the Jeep.
The drive was silent.
Trystan finally spoke. "Are you still holding a grudge over what happened before?"
"Major General Marlowe!" I cut him off. "What do you expect from me? To cling to you every day as I used to? Or to be as I am now—no fuss, giving you all the freedom you need?"
Trystan hesitated, unable to respond.
"I just feel you've changed," he said quietly.
I turned back to the window.
A person in love and out of love was never the same.
Silence filled the vehicle again. Trystan seemed about to say more when his phone rang.
Hedwig Portwyn's cooing voice came through. "Trist, I'm in the city for supplies. There's too much to bring back. Come get me, please?"
Trystan glanced at me.
I kept my eyes on the passing scenery, as if I hadn't heard.
He suddenly sounded irritated. "Hedwig, are the guards assigned to you just for show?"
"But you always came before." Her voice was sweet and clear. "If you won't, I'll ask that deputy company commander from the 3rd Battalion. He mentioned yesterday he'd like to take me out."
Trystan's knuckles turned white. "Stay where you are."
The call ended.
He turned to me. "Corinne, I..."
"I'll take a supply truck." I stepped out of the car. "Go get her. The General's family shouldn't be left waiting."
"Corinne!" He got out and grabbed my arm. "We're just old friends now, but our families are still connected. I can't just..."
"Got it. It's fine."
I flagged down a passing transport truck and climbed into the passenger seat.
In the rearview mirror, he stood amidst the swirling dust, gradually shrinking to a distant speck.

READ FULL NOVEL HERE