Chapter 2

The caption reads: "From now on, I'll be the professor's sole guardian."

This contrasts amusingly with the trending topic claiming I've been reduced to being a bodyguard.

Alec also promptly shared, writing:

"The best encounter, the most worthy person to entrust with a lifetime."

Looking at that diamond ring, I suddenly remembered my gloves.

Four years ago, when I had just been selected for the special forces, I bought him a pair of tactical gloves after completing my first mission.

At that time, he had just published an important paper and was about to be nominated as the youngest professor, breaking precedent.

When I handed him the gloves, he was stunned: "Dashiell, this is...?"

Assigned to the special ops team, I felt proud but also nervous.

"You'll become the world's most formidable physicist, and I want to be your strongest support."

Alec held the gloves, grinning like a child.

"Then you have to promise me that you'll always come back safely from every mission."

I nodded: "That's a soldier's promise."

He carefully put away the gloves: "When I become a professor, will you marry me?"

I gently scratched his face: "Let's get that paper published first, my foolish darling."

In a blink, four years have passed.

He achieved his dream of becoming the youngest professor, and is now about to marry the person he adores.

Everything seems perfect. Only the person who had been standing beside him was no longer me.

Captain Stone snatched my phone away and handed me painkillers with some warm water.

"When are you going to break this self-destructive habit? What's so interesting about that crap online?"

I leaned back against the headboard, smiling bitterly.

The rumors were even nastier than I had imagined. They said I was the secret lover of some powerful figures, pretending to be a bodyguard just to cover it up.

Some even claimed that I had earned my military honors by selling my body.

But these slanders were nothing compared to the pain I had endured over the past four years.

"I knew you'd be stubborn like this, insisting on suffering through all this unfairness."

I swallowed the pill, bitterness spreading across my tongue.

"You really don't plan on explaining things to him?"

I looked at the photo of the perfect couple on my phone and shook my head.

What difference would it make even if I cleared things up?

I was no longer the person who could stand beside him as an equal.

......

The next day, while I was doing hand rehabilitation in the recovery room, Captain Stone brought an opportunity.

"I gave your previously designed security plan to the person in charge of Project Starborn. They're very interested."

Project Starborn was the quantum communication project that Alec had been tracking, the most important technological breakthrough of the year. At the time, to understand this project, I devoured textbooks day and night, discussing it with him.

Because this plan was closely related to his research direction, I designed a complete protection system, but never had the chance to use it.

If I could take on this project, it would give purpose to my past efforts.

"But..." Captain Stone hesitated.

"Professor Frost is the project leader. He says he wants to meet you in person to discuss it."

My movements froze.

"Maybe you should just give up," Captain Stone advised.

I shook my head, my fingers barely managing to form a gesture:

"I Accept."

After adding Alec back to my contacts, I quickly received a brief message.

"Lab Area B, arrive within 1 hour."

He'd skipped even the most basic pleasantries.

I put on my protective gear, made sure I could move independently, then had Captain Stone arrange a car for me.

When I arrived at the lab on time, Alec was checking equipment data without looking up.

He gave me a cold glance and walked straight into the inner room.

The vast laboratory was empty, and the scene of being alone made me uncomfortable.

I stood at the doorway, not following him inside. He turned his head, his brow furrowing with impatience.

"Scared? Then get lost."

I took a deep breath, stepped forward, and handed him the document labeled "Starborn Project Security Plan".

Alec smirked mockingly, didn't take it, and sat down in his chair.

I placed the document on the control panel in front of him.

Alec crossed his arms, his tone contemptuous:

"Jade submitted a plan too. There's no reason for me to choose you, from any angle."

My face went pale. So he called me here just to humiliate me.

"However, I hear the big shots in the military are quite fond of you these days? Have dinner with me tonight, and I might consider giving you the project."

I was stunned, unable to believe such words could come from his mouth.

He knew better than anyone how much blood and sweat I'd poured into earning my rank.

Yet now, with such a flippant tone, he was belittling my entire military career as worthless.

He stood up, looking down at me with a scornful smile.

"What's wrong? Hit a nerve? Dashiell, you really make me sick."

"That uniform looks pretty on you. Wonder how many people you had to sleep with to get it?"

As he spoke, he reached out to tug at the buttons of my uniform, his gaze lewd.

I suppressed my anger and slapped his hand away.

A flash of madness crossed his eyes, and he lunged at me again, pulling at my collar."Playing miss high-and-mighty, are we? How many bigwigs have you entertained these past few years? Word is you swing both ways. Want me to set you up with some sugar daddies and mamas?"