Chapter Twenty

Adam hadn't taken his eyes off of Brielle since she had come in. he had been kind of upset at her attitude last night. That was why he had decided to leave without her this morning. Actually, he had been trying to avoid her for fear that he would say something stupid to her again.

Brielle knew nothing about his concerns. She just wondered why he was acting so weird today, not realizing it had anything to do with what happened last night. "What took you so long?" Adam frowned and asked. he wasn't angry but worried.

"Becasue I had to deal with something," Brielle answered simply. She knew what he had been talking about. It the Hummer hadn't broken down on the way, she wouldn't have been so late. Just as Oliver had expected, it was quite a long meeting it went till 5 pm. Brielle was really worried that she wouldn't be able to pick up Ariel before Stephen left his office.

"Miss Brielle, hold on. Just a minute." Brielle heard that as she was rushing to leave. She frowned and stopped there, wondering 'what now?' "Anything else, sir?" Brielle sounded anxious. "Did you hear what I said?" The girl had gone too far she hadn't heard a thing he said.

"What? You said the meeting was over, didn't you?" Brielle was confused. She looked at the commander with her head tilted. "Ha! You weren't actually listening, then. I said we're having a party to celebrate your victory. I'm ordering everyone to attend." With that, he turned and walked out of the meeting room before Brielle could say anything.

Her mood darkened. She couldn't go and pick up Ariel now! 'I want to see you, Ariel. But my commander won't let me go.' Ariel was on his computer when his phone rang. The ringtone was so familiar. he immediately picked up, and a just as familiar voice came from the other end, "Ariel it's mommy. What are you doing right now?" Brielle knew that she couldn't go and pick up her boy today. She felt sorry and sounded kind of gloomy.

"Hi! Mommy, are you there?" Stephen was busy in his office, up to his elbows in paperwork. He stopped to listen closely when he heard Ariel say "Mommy."

"Yes, I'm at the base now. Mommy is busy tonight, so I'll come and get you tomorrow, okay?" Brielle apologized, hoping Ariel wouldn't be too disappointed. "Okay! It's fine. I got it. Please promise me you'll be here tomorrow!" Ariel felt bad that he couldn't see Brielle today. On the other hand, he had gotten used to plans being derailed. It wasn't the first time she'd canceled on him.

"I promise! I have to go. See you tomorrow." Brielle had to hang up quickly as she heard someone calling her. "See you! Mommy, bye." Ariel was feeling so blue. "What? Your mommy isn't coming?" Stephen asked his son nervously. To be honest, he had been waiting for her.

"No! She said she's too busy. She'll come tomorrow." Ariel pouted and looked gloomy. Stephen thought the kid looked quite cute like that. He chucked, "Come on! It's time to go. You'll see her tomorrow, right? Don't be so angry. Let's go home!"

"I'm not angry! It's just that I thought I would see her today and was really excited. But now..." He hung his head. He wasn't angry? Look how he was pouting. "Okay, you're not angry. You're just upset. Shall we go home now?" Stephen looked at his son with an impish smile. It seemed that Ariel really was disappointed.

"Daddy, can you take me to the place where mommy is please?" Ariel looked at Stephen, hoping that he would say yes. Stephen paused for a few seconds. He wanted to ask Brielle in person why she had cried last night, but he wouldn't drop by unannounced. Actually he didn't know where she was. Besides she had said she was busy tonight. They would cause her trouble if they went there.

"Ariel, your mommy said she was busy tonight, remember? So we're better to wait till she gets here tomorrow, okay?" Stephen tried to talk his son out of visiting her now. He was practically begging him to stop asking.

"Yes, I was just saying." Damn it! He was just saying, just like when Leah said that she wasn't hungry and wanted to go out to lunch with them. Stephen was relieved. Brielle hung up the phone and gazed in wonder at the guy who came running up to her.

"Madam, the commander wants to see you there now! He was afraid that you would slip away again." This guy was a platoon leader. he was a simple and honest country boy. But now the boy was staring at her with a smile.

"Got it. Mr. Fox, please go and tell him I'll be there soon." She needed a bath after that long journey. The commander would have to wait. "Yes, madam. Please come ASAP, or he will send someone else for you." Everyone here knew that their commander was an impatient man, but Brielle always kept him waiting, which annoyed him.

"Okay! I will. Thank you, Mr. Fox." Brielle knew what her commander was like. Sometimes she just tried to annoy him on purpose, because most of the time he didn't have any good reason she should be there. "No problem. Madam, I gotta go." With that, he ran off.

Brielle laughed at herself and shook her head. She walked to the dorm in ten minutes' time. Fifth floor. Her place. It was not a big space, but the atmosphere inside was so warm that you wouldn't imagine a cool girl like her was living here.

After a quick shower, Brielle slipped into a summer uniform without combing her hair. Just then, she heard a knock on her door. 'Who?' she thought and opened the door. she was surprised to see Adam standing there.

"Mr. Adam, what brings you here?" Brielle didn't expect to see him here. "Well, I have been sent by the Commander. He told me that you wouldn't obey the command. Unless we use a special power," Adam tested. His robust body leaned against the door and his face wore a sly smile. Adam's charming appearance reminded Brielle of Stephen. She had seen Stephen smile with a similar slyness on lots of magazines, a smile that could allure people without their realization. At this moment, Adam was giving Brielle that made her blush.

Adam noticed her looking at him with a vacant look and his heart was mercilessly crushed by something. He knew that she was thinking of someone else then. "Brielle, why are you being so mean to me? It's one thing to not recognize my love for you but thinking of another man when you are looking at me is just... just torturous. Am I really a man to be ridiculed, for you?"

Adam's face became pale with anger and he clenched his fists tight. However, he still managed to keep the sly smile and the smile became even brighter. If someone was to end up hurt. Chasing the one they loved, he hoped that it would never be her.

"What, are you enchanted by me?" Adam mocked. Adam's deep eyes were full of tenderness. Brielle couldn't tell if he was being serious or just joking. Brielle panicked for a while but managed to calm down. She put a beautiful smile on her and her awkwardness flushed away without either of them noticing.

"Yeah! You are good-looking and any girl could be attracted to the charms of a handsome man. I am no exception." Since he had seen through her mind anyway, it would be better to admit, she thought to herself.

"Well, I am wondering if I am lucky to have you go with me." Adam chucked and tried to seem pleasant. "You are, indeed very handsome, after all, so I am thinking - why not?" She said in a coquettish tone. If he wanted to play word games, she was wore than willing to join him.

"Miss Brielle, since you are doing me the honor of going with me, I think it's best that I am obedient to you." It was rare to see this girl being lively and lovely, so he didn't care to play word games with her.

"Let's go! Its time. If we are late, I am afraid, the Commander will come here himself." Brielle ended the wanted with Adam. Actually, she never disregarded the possibility that the Commander man comes over himself because he had already sent two people to fetch her and one of them was a big cheese.

Adam and Brielle showed up together. Their arrival caused quite a commotion among the soldiers, for Adan was handsome and Brielle was pretty. They made a perfect couple. In the dull military life, their arrival was a pleasant sight for the soldiers' eyes used only to the mundane.

Brielle glanced around them with cold eyes and showed off her power and position as the Colonel, and immediately, the commotion died down. Everyone knew that Miss Brielle was as cruel as the Devil when she trained her soldiers. They wouldn't dare to disease her if they wished to stay alive.

"It looks like you have high prestige and regard among these men. Only a glance and you can control them all." Adam joked again. he noticed what had just happened. "Are you sure I am not just relying on your power and position to frighten them? Isn't it because of you, the big cheese, standing next to me? Speaking of which, I am kind of using your authority." Everyone could make a joke, so could she.

"Both of you, come over here now. What are you mumbling to each other about?" The Commander couldn't help chastising them. He thought that Brielle didn't pay much attention to him anymore. She only came when he sent two people to invite her. Nevertheless, he did like her honestly and couldn't stay mad at her.

Brielle walked toward him, naturally and gracefully. His cold face bore no expression, she was calm as plum blossoms defying the cold winter and blossoming alone in a secluded valley, Elegant and dignified. No matter how many eyes focused on her, she seemed to be alone in a vast wild plain. her face and even the eyes showed that she was cold and distant.

"Commander, are you afraid that I'd run away? Or, do you think I have the courage to disobey your order?" Brielle glanced at him, thinking he was being ridiculous. her high nose was characteristic of both pretty girls' and handsome boys.' Perhaps because of showing just now, her thin and soft lips parted slightly and her skin appeared like an almost transparent ruby, so delicate that people could be intoxicated by just one look.

"Ha-ha! My little girl, you really know how to make fun of me. If I hadn't sent people to bring you, who knows which corner you'd be hiding in." The commander's laugh made Brielle blush, which made her look even more attractive. Although she was wearing plain military uniform now, the beauty of her form and figure couldn't be covered.

"Commander, if you continue to scold her, I bet will run away the next minute. I may not. Be able to help you to find her again. Seeing her face reddening, Adam figured that she was blushing now. After all, she was the only girl here and it was normal for her to be shy.

"Fine, fine. Have a seat! I won't joke anymore." In fact, the Commander joked with her on purpose. He thought she could pass the test. After all, she was outstanding in every aspect. However, she failed. It was not her fault. The only reason was that she had no backer.

She must be very upset! During these years, he had witnessed her struggle graduating from a famous military university overseas, working hard, and fighting arduously for her job. He knew how hard the process was and he admired and respected her for this.

He knew that she had got married. because she got pregnant before marriage, she would be expelled from the military. He never asked her who the father of her child was. He wasn't going to let himself be involved in this affair, for he respected her privacy.

Brielle drank a lot that night, as many officers kept proposing toasts to her. She accepted all their toasts because she did not want to be thought of as cold and distant. As a result, she got a little drunk and her face became more and more fascinating as she blushed.

Seeing her drunk, slightly hurt Adam's heart. He had helped her drink lots of wine, but he did. Not dare to help her much fearing people may figure out that he liked her. At any rate, she continued to drink more.

Oliver kept looking at her and he seemed to be worried about Brielle, judging by the look on his face. The reason was that he knew Brielle would get drunk easily. These officers were going too far. As soon as the Commander left, they started to propose toasts to her. Obviously, they did this on purpose to spite her because they were not happy with the special treatment she received from the Commander. Little did they know that this was not the case. The Commander gave her no special treatment. She had achieved all her success through her own determination and hard word. They couldn't treat her this way.