章 1: Chapter 1
"Colonel Wang, welcome back. It's been a while since we've seen you around, hasn't it?"
The moment William stepped out of the rugged military vehicle, his comrades swarmed him, their faces a kaleidoscope of surprise and delight.
"Indeed, it's been nearly two years," William replied, his laughter echoing around the camp as he exchanged firm handshakes and hearty embraces with his fellow soldiers. His gaze swept over the familiar military camp, the administrative building, and the faces of his comrades, his heart swelling with a sense of belonging.
"Home sweet home. Drinks are on me tonight, let's celebrate."
"Aren't you rushing home to your family after such a long absence?"
"My family affairs are in the capable hands of my spouse. I have no worries there."
Arm in arm with his comrades, they made their way towards the office to report to the commander and receive their next assignment. That evening, they planned to toast to their reunion.
"Your spouse might leave you if you keep vanishing without a trace."
"That's out of the question. Our marriage was arranged by my grandfather."
William's confidence was unwavering. His spouse would never leave him.
As they exchanged recent tales and shared stories from their missions, a courier approached William with an urgent letter.
"Colonel Wang, this letter arrived for you. It's marked as urgent."
William was taken aback. He had just returned from a mission and already there was urgent correspondence waiting for him?
"Your spouse must have the patience of a saint. Who else would wait for a husband who disappears for two years without a word?"
"That's right. My spouse is committed to me."
"Is it a love letter from your spouse? They must miss you dearly."
Amidst the playful teasing from his comrades, William ripped open the envelope and unfolded the paper inside.
A divorce agreement.
"Colonel Wang, what's the matter?"
His comrades, who had been jesting moments ago, noticed the drastic change in William's demeanor. His lips were pressed into a thin line, his eyes wide, and the letter in his hand was crumpled in his grip. His fury was palpable, as if he wanted to incinerate the letter on the spot.
The jovial atmosphere evaporated. He had been so cheerful just a moment ago. How had his mood shifted so abruptly?
Someone managed to sneak a peek at the document. It was a divorce agreement, printed on standard A4 paper. After three years of marriage, the love had evaporated. There were no property disputes. The marriage had crumbled, and they didn't want to force a facade of happiness. It was a peaceful divorce. The petitioner was Brian Liu. The other party's signature space was vacant, awaiting William Wang's signature.
The room fell into a stunned silence. Just moments ago, William had confidently declared that his spouse would never leave him, that they were devoted to him. And now, a divorce agreement had been delivered.
"Brian Liu!"
William muttered a curse under his breath, spun on his heel, and stormed out, clutching the divorce agreement so tightly that it was on the brink of tearing. He jumped into his off-road vehicle, kicked up a storm of dust as he sped away, and vanished from sight.
"Good heavens, William is livid. He's going to give Brian a piece of his mind," someone commented, and everyone nodded in agreement. They were certain of it.
The receptionist at the front desk was in the middle of doing her nails when a tall man in camouflage and military boots stormed in like a whirlwind. His strides were long, and he radiated an aura of fury and frustration. He slammed his hand on the reception desk.
"Where's Brian Liu?"
The receptionist trembled in fear.
"He's... in a meeting."
Without a moment's hesitation, William made a beeline for the elevator. When it didn't arrive immediately, he punched the elevator door, leaving a dent, and then strode towards the stairs.
The receptionist, still shaking, quickly dialed the secretary's office to warn them about the irate soldier heading their way. She wondered if she should call security.
The secretary, having just hung up the phone, saw the man appear in the hallway. He was striding forward, his gaze fixed ahead, his eyes filled with a predatory rage. His towering height, muscular build, and intimidating demeanor caused everyone he passed to press themselves against the wall to let him through. He made his way unimpeded to the CEO's secretary's office.
"Sir, sir, who are you? Who are you looking for?"
William ignored the secretary and kicked open the door to the CEO's office. The solid wood door, despite its imported lock, was no match for his force and swung open with a bang.
He scanned the room. Brian was not there.
"Where's Brian Liu?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"Mr. Liu is in a meeting. Sir, could you please wait?" The secretary, in her high heels, was struggling to keep up with him.
William looked at the doorplates: Meeting Room 1, Meeting Room 2, Small Meeting Room. He kicked open each door in turn, checking if Brian was inside.
"Sir, if you continue like this, I'll have to call security."
At a door marked "Private - No Entry," the secretary managed to get ahead of William and block his way. She swallowed hard, looking up at him.
William frowned. "Move. I don't hit women."
The secretary hesitated but remained in place due to her professional duty.
"Move!" William roared, his eyes wide and fierce. His arm muscles bulged.
The secretary, terrified, stepped aside. William used his tried-and-true method: he lifted his boot and kicked the door open.
And there was the man he wanted to see.
Upon entering the room, the secretary was on the verge of tears. She saw Brian slowly rise from his desk, giving her a reproachful look.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Liu. I couldn't stop him."
Brian waved her off. The secretary, feeling as if she'd been pardoned, fled the room.
The sight of Brian's calm demeanor only fueled William's anger.
You've been praising me to others, and now you hand me a divorce agreement? You don't want to be with me anymore?
Slamming the crumpled divorce agreement onto Brian's desk, William demanded, "Brian Liu! Explain this!"
Brian looked directly at William, who was standing across the desk from him, as furious as a bull. His gaze was calm, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He leaned back in his chair, his hand resting on his knee, his demeanor as relaxed as ever. He seemed to be completely ignoring William's rage.
"Divorce."
"I've been on a mission for nearly two years, risking my life in the line of fire, and the moment I return, you want a divorce? You were the one who agreed to marry me, you were the one who promised my grandfather. Why divorce? Tell me!"
As Brian remained calm, William's anger intensified. He was like a caged tiger, roaring in his cage.
Before Brian could respond, William started shouting again.
"Is it because we haven't seen each other for two years? Don't you understand the nature of my job?"
"Three years."
Brian corrected William. It had been three years, not two.
"Fine, three years then. So what? Just because we're married doesn't mean I've retired from service. I have duties to fulfill. Are you acting like a drama queen, thinking that because I'm not with you, you want a divorce? I told you from the start that my job is special, that long periods of absence are normal. You said it was fine then, so why do you want a divorce now?"
Brian simply lit a cigarette, remaining silent and composed.
"Did my parents give you a hard time? That's impossible. My parents have always been good to you."
Unable to get an answer, William began to analyze the situation one possibility at a time.
"Do you resent me for not giving you money? You have my salary card, and I haven't touched my allowances for these three years. They've all been deposited into that account. Before we got married, I gave you all my assets. I never interfered with how you spent them."
Brian watched as William paced back and forth in his office, shouting. A faint smile played at the corners of his mouth, his gaze never leaving William. When William suddenly turned to look at him, Brian quickly hid his barely perceptible smile and resumed his calm demeanor.
"I get it. You must have someone else on the side! Tell me, do you have a new lover? Damn it, I'll chop him into pieces for trying to steal my spouse!"
William slammed his hand on the desk again. The possibility of being cuckolded made him see red.
"The reason for the divorce is that we no longer have feelings for each other."
"What do you mean, no feelings? We've known each other since we were kids, isn't that worth something?"
"All those years of friendship are just that, friendship. It's not the love between a married couple."
"I don't care about love or no love. All I know is that I won't divorce!"
"Marriage is based on love. Without love, how can it last?"
"Why can't it last? Haven't we been married for three years? Haven't we made it this far?"
"Let me ask you, do you think our marriage is normal? The day after our wedding, you left. You were gone for three years. This is only the second time we've seen each other since our wedding, and it's been three years. You've called me less than five times during our marriage. We don't know anything about each other's lives. Do you think that's normal?"
"I've told you about the nature of my job. I had a mission in the first year, and as soon as I returned, I had to leave for another one. I've just returned from Myanmar and Vietnam, and you're causing a scene!"
Brian hadn't even given him a chance to catch his breath before causing a commotion.
"If we had feelings for each other, I would wait for you for ten, thirty years."
"Feelings, feelings, what feelings? Doesn't our long friendship count for anything?"
We've known each other since we were kids, even fought over pacifiers, and fought together. Isn't that a relationship?
"Not brotherly love, not familial love, but romantic love. Have you ever loved me?"
Brian's question hung in the air, his eyes shimmering with a glimmer of hope as they met William Wang's.
"No." The response from William was swift, devoid of any hesitation.
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