Page 69 of Love Under Siege

We sit in silence for a moment, the weight of everything we’ve been through hanging heavily between us.

The door opens once more, and this time, Detective Morrison walks in. He gives me a reassuring smile. “How are you feeling, Anya?”

“I’m hanging in there,” I reply, trying to sound more upbeat than I feel.

“I’m glad to see you awake,” he says. “We’ve been working hard to find out who else was involved in all of this. It’s been a rough few days, but we’re making progress.”

"Where is Detective Collins?” I ask, my heart racing at the thought of him still being out there.

Morrison sighs. “Detective Collins tried to run, but we caught up to him. He told us he was being blackmailed—apparently, his family was taken hostage by Paul.”

“Was any of that true?” my mom asks, her brow furrowed with concern.

“It was, and we managed to secure his family. Unfortunately, due to his involvement, regardless of the reasons, he has been stripped of his title and fired from the police department,” Morrison explains.

I nod, appreciating the effort they’re putting in. “Thank you for everything, Detective.”

He gives me a curt nod. “We’ll need to talk more later about what happened. For now, just focus on getting better.”

With a final glance, he leaves the room, leaving my mom and me in a more hopeful silence.

My mom looks at me with determination. “Anya, I know it’s hard, but Jacob will be back, and we’ll face whatever comes next together.”

I squeeze her hand, finding comfort in her presence. “Yes, we will. Thank you, Mom. I’m grateful to have you by my side.”

As I close my eyes, I cling to the hope of Jacob’s return and the strength of the friendships that have carried me through the darkest times. I know I’ll face whatever challenges lie ahead, but for now, I’ll take it one day at a time.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Jacob

The days at basic training have blurred together, each one a grueling test of endurance and resolve. The constant drills, early wake-up calls, and relentless physical challenges were wearing me down, but I kept pushing forward, knowing the end was near. My thoughts often drifted to Anya, and the thought of finally seeing her after all this time was the one thing that kept me going.

Today, as I took a rare moment of downtime, I found myself reflecting on the upcoming graduation ceremony. It was only a week away, and the anticipation of finally finishing my training was a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, I was eager to put this chapter behind me and move on to the next phase of my service. On the other, the separation from Anya and the reality of our uncertain future weighed heavily on me.

Sitting in the common area with a few fellow soldiers, we were discussing the upcoming ceremony.

“Man, I can’t believe we’re almost done,” said Jaxson, one of the guys I’d gotten close to during training. “It’s been a hell of a ride, hasn’t it?” Damien, another fellow soldier adds.

I nodded, a grin spreading across my face. “Yeah, it’s been tough, but it’s worth it. I can’t wait to get out of here and see Anya. I’ve been missing her like crazy.”

Damien gave me a knowing look. “I bet. The graduation ceremony is going to be something special. They’re pulling out all the stops for it.”

I shrugged, trying to downplay my excitement. “It’s just a ceremony, but it’ll be nice to have it over with.”

As the days counted down, the stress of training began to intensify. The final week was packed with evaluations, preparation drills, and rehearsals for the ceremony. Despite the exhaustion, I found moments of solace thinking about seeing Anya. It was a beacon of light in a sea of exhaustion.

The day of the ceremony arrived, and the base was abuzz with activity. Families and friends filled the stands, their cheers and applause creating an atmosphere of excitement and pride. As I stood in formation with my fellow soldiers, dressed in our crisp uniforms, I couldn’t help but scan the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Anya. I don’t know why; I know she is supposed to be resting. She got out of the hospital a few weeks ago and on one of the days I was able to call her. She said she was still in pain every time she walked but that she was fine. She also said that things with her parents have gotten better and she is staying with them again. But I know it’s because it must’ve been difficult to be at her grandparents’ house without Nana.

The ceremony began, and I tried to focus on the proceedings, but my mind kept wandering back to her. The speeches, the presentations, the salutes—they all seemed to blend together in a haze of anticipation.

Then, as the ceremony reached its climax, the announcement came for the soldiers to stand and prepare for the final formation. I was lined up with the others, standing tall and trying to control my nerves. The crowd’s applause was a distant roar in my ears as I scanned the faces in the audience.

And then, as if in a dream, I saw her. There she was, standing near the front of the crowd next to Marissa, her face lit up with a radiant smile. She was dressed casually, but to me, she looked like the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. My heart skipped a beat, and a surge of emotion washed over me.

The ceremony seemed to slow down as I watched her, a mixture of disbelief and joy flooding through me. I could barely contain my excitement. As soon as the ceremony concluded and we were given the signal to disperse, I broke away from the formation, my heart pounding with every step.

I pushed through the crowd, my eyes locked on Anya. When I finally reached her, I didn’t care about the people around us, the formality of the event, or anything else. All that mattered was her.

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