ebrows, piercing eyes, a high-bridged nose, and lips pressed into a tight line. He wore what looked
othy's voice was hoarse.
loomed over her,
cocted this time?" His deep voice c
her nose against his rib, sending stars bursting in her vision. Now,
man...
ater. Get her to the medical room
n standing beside the uniformed
A red sign hung prominently: "Revolutionary Army, the Loyal Guards of the People." Inside the enclosure stood rows of cylindrical b
r the seminar. In its place was a yellow dress, worn and patched at the hem-something she would never have
awed at
hol
voice unsteady. "Is... i
s laugh. "What, playing th
denial was a
's worl
shioned uniforms. The cage
hat wasn
o, no
e crash, she had been reading a book-Endearing Love. And
transm
ed as she recalle
ion military and political elite. Righteous. Stable. Loyal.
ro
r ran th
mily into marrying Nicholas just to avoid being sent to the countryside. She had thought herself set for life-unt
ing but indifference. Frustrated and resentful, Dorothy had
made a fat
rrested and executed for treason. Nicholas, dishonored and injured in the ensuing battle, lost his legs in an explosion. He spent the rest of
ueezed her
ouse, a car, and a career. Where I'm a renowned dentist, about to deliver
ned her eyes, sh
was sti
as still fille
juries. The moment his eyes lande
, intending to sabotage his work. But she had gotten lost, panicked at the sounds of
di
hitched. That's h
zation wa
aces. The moment Nicholas noticed, he jerked ba
his military coat and thre
was showing, she quickly covered herself. The coat was
. To him, this was just another one of her schemes. An
ence had
e ordered.
ressure on her left leg, pain shot up h
icholas sighed. "You're gon
ssion as if he had been handed a death sentence, he crouched in front of her. Hi
t o
tated. "You'
oice was cli
ing her arms around his neck. The warmth of his body was startling, his sc
ad bigger
's on the ground!"
t even glance
ief, finally letting h
h against his neck, the warmth of her body pressed to hi
tensed, hi
wom
as planning this tim
eavier than he expected, but he didn't bother asking Dorothy what was inside. Wi
down his temple, highlighting the strong cut of his jaw. His Adam's apple moved slightly as he swallowed. With
meters and the additional weight he carried, hi
rothy feared revealing too much if she asked the wrong questions. But C
f Nicholas's comrades, a free-spirited man with a surprising artis
Before leaving, he shot Nicholas a knowing loo
nded with his
ed a distinct vintage atmosphere. Soldiers in army-green uniforms moved about, their boots crunching against the
stopped and salute
r Parker!" they
acknowledged t
stares. The presence of a woman-especially one as
approached them. Dorothy instinctively note
"Sir! Commander Charles, this is my wife, Dor
d between them. His voice was stern
iefly before lowering
litary zone, not a place for personal visits
ility, sir," Nicholas
f-reflection report and run ten laps a
Nicholas responded
ere, and Nicholas had to carry me. Please don't be too harsh on him... My husband and I-"
ake your wife to the infirmary first. Get her checked out. After that, have
saluted.
e was that his leniency had nothing to do with kindness-it was respect for Nicholas's powerful family
t, Nicholas turned to
inked. "St
ord, Nicholas res
a medicine cabinet. Nicholas carefully set her down. Li
le
"Captain Parker, Doctor Reuben is on emerg
e grabbed a bottle of disinfectant, some gauze, and cotton swabs.
d. "I can do
nored
peeling off her socks. His gaze flickered over the b
e dabbed the disinfectant on
t even blink.
ed look. "What kind of
suddenly earlier, she wouldn't
ned unfazed. "
nder her breath, b
trained in first aid. Nichola
n a comically thick layer of gauze, complet
o know I need circulat
d her a wooden crutch. "Let's go eat.
sting her weight on it before limping
e caught sight of
ger. The original Dorothy from this timeline had only been ma
traveled back in time... and i
his situation, that was pos
ide Nicholas, she
her a sidelong glance. His voice,
rot
d toward
ore asking, "What will it take
ild-he would have never agreed to be with her, family contract or not. He was a man of responsibility, and since he had married her, he had tried to do right
riage ha
itary, he still needed to free him
on you ask for," Nicholas said. "Money isn't a problem. I c
absolutely couldn't get divorced right now. In the secluded world of the '60s and '70s,
the relatives who had spent eighteen years with the original Dorothy. Without the real
she only had to deal with Nicholas
had been pampered in modern times, with maids handling every
o
e to wait-at least until she found
, Nicholas noticed her silence
ring directly. "I nee
o get their meals. As Deputy Battalion Commander, his meal was slightly better than
all the stress, did
as beautiful as Dorothy immediately drew attention. She quickly became aware
erheard murmurs
ty Battalion Comma
she be so vicious? I heard sh
thy:
thy really was in
a
mming the table. The soldiers b
y. Without looking at Dorothy, he said, "I'm done. Take
trode off witho
e, but the slogans on the wall-Wasting is shameful and Sweat drips f
everyone else had cleaned their pl
e but to slowly
or. "Do you have any kind of lunch box? I c
turned and quickly brought back an aluminum lu
hurriedly transferred the leftovers
n dishes. She was about to join the line when Caleb took
, she suddenly remembered somet
oor, revealing a silver
se shoulders
heck its contents. Seeing that her surgical
actions, asked curio
ver the box's cool surfac
eb:
infrastructure made for a bumpy ride, and Dorothy h
of old, adjacent bungalows passed by. There were high-rise buildings, small shops w
lothes underneath. Women sported permed hairstyle
d dress. It looked outdated to her modern e
n on the roadside
ausing Dorothy to jolt forward a
knocked on the window. "Comrade, can you give us a ride to th
ckled his seatbelt. "W
s, followed wit
ering cold water, others were fetching towels, and a few suggeste
o his imposing stature. When he saw the unconsc
st a toothache?" he a
ut her tooth hurting before we left th
her to the clinic
d in gratitude. "Thank y
back. "Mrs.
, Dorothy waved him of
Caleb commented with a grin, though it seemed
ious woman into the backseat. The girl in the blue coat cl
ver since realizing she had time-traveled,
wanted a divorce, she would agree-but
d return to her
tors were still
orothy straightened,
come a dentist aga
e engine. "Are y
" the girl in blue
but paused. She had already done so, her d
d a beat. Quickl
rsation. "Young lady, what's yo
e said. "I teach at Cen
ebrows. "A teacher?
t, suddenly spoke. "What d
hesitated
thy:
the female lead in
this