My Husband’s Enemy, My Daughter’s Savior

"Don't cry, I was wrong, okay?" Liam Hart, despite his sharp tongue and bad temper, quickly admitted when he was wrong.

Evelyn Carter used to think he was just putting on a show. But she later realized Liam only acted like this around her. To everyone else, he seemed emotionally frozen, almost chillingly indifferent. Speaking even one extra word to anyone else felt like an act of charity for him.

"I've got nowhere to go. Let me sleep for a bit…" Liam muttered, flipping onto his back, his eyes closed as if he had no cares in the world.

Evelyn jumped up right away and rushed to grab her old, unwashed clothes from the floor.

"I brought you fresh clothes and toiletries. They're on the couch," Liam said casually without opening his eyes.

She glanced over and saw the bag he mentioned. Inside were clean clothes that looked like they would fit her, a bottle of facial cleanser, and a full set of skincare products.

But Evelyn didn't touch any of it. Gathering her dignity, she put on her dirty clothes and curled up on the far end of the couch like a cornered bird.

Thirty minutes passed. The longer she sat there, the angrier she became. Rising from the couch, she stomped over to the bed and glared at the man sleeping soundly on it.

What did he think of this place?

Unbelievable. He was a terrorist, a criminal!

"You. Get up." Evelyn pushed at Liam's shoulder and signed with a frown.

He didn't move. His eyes remained shut.

Frustrated, she clenched her fists, fighting the urge to smother him with a pillow. Just one strong press…

But then an overwhelming smell of blood hit her nose.

Her instincts as a doctor kicked in. She hesitated only a moment before tugging at the jacket he still wore.

Underneath, he had on a plain white T-shirt, soaked through with dark, dried blood.

Evelyn gasped.

She pulled the shirt up, revealing gauze taped to the edge of his chest. The bandage was nearly black with blood. A gunshot wound, still healing, had reopened and was bleeding again.

He should've been dead. She had watched him fall. He was hit by a stray bullet in the chaos of war and collapsed into a pool of blood. That he was even breathing now was nothing short of a miracle.

Maybe it was his damn muscles. Evelyn had always known Liam had a frighteningly fit body—Broad shoulders, a sculpted chest, not an ounce of fat. He looked like he was born to wear anything and make it look good, yet everything about him screamed danger and recklessness.

She gave his shoulder a nudge. He was burning up with fever, completely unconscious now.

If he didn't get to a hospital soon, he'd die.

Her eyes flicked to the new phone he had left for her earlier. After a long moment of hesitation, she picked it up and dialed the police.

But as the operator answered, she froze. Not a single word came out.

Instead, she hung up and sent a text message to report the situation.

The police arrived quickly.

Both Evelyn and Liam were taken into custody for questioning.

In the police car, Liam stirred awake. His face was pale, his eyes heavy with exhaustion, but he managed a weak grin. "Evelyn, I can't believe you did this to me."

She turned her face away and started signing. "You're a criminal. Even if you manage to escape, the law will catch up with you."

To her surprise, Liam didn't argue. He was quiet, almost cooperative.

It threw her off completely. Could he have changed?

As soon as they entered the station, a man in a military uniform approached them. His presence was commanding—sharp brows, a square jaw, and years of authority evident in his posture. Without a word, he slapped Liam across the face.

"You damn fool. You're supposed to be recovering in the hospital. What the hell were you thinking, running off like that? Do you have a death wish?" the man growled.

Liam flinched but didn't fight back. He muttered under his breath, "I wasn't running, I was chasing after my wife."

Evelyn's eyes widened as she looked between the two men. She remembered this man. He was one of the peacekeeping officers who had saved them in the war zone. His name was Captain Zachary West.

"This situation isn't something I can explain in a few sentences," Zachary said to Evelyn, his voice now gentler. "What I can tell you is that Liam Hart isn't who you think he is. He's been working undercover for us for the last five years. His mission was to infiltrate Lucas's terrorist group and dismantle it from the inside. Because of him, we were able to take Lucas down much faster than anticipated."

Evelyn stood frozen. She couldn't speak or move.

Her brain refused to process what she had just heard.

An undercover agent?

Liam Hart—the same man who had tormented her, who always had a smirk and fire in his eyes—was a soldier?

She never suspected a thing. Not once. Like Lucas and everyone else, she believed his cruelty was real.

But he had been pretending. All of it. For five long years.

"Uncle, don't scare her. She's easily frightened," Liam said with a grin, looking back at Evelyn.

"Shut your damn mouth," Zachary snapped. "You've already caused enough trouble. Now get back where you belong."

Liam didn't protest. He just looked at Evelyn one last time, pain flickering in his gaze. "Evelyn Carter, you've abandoned me twice now. I'm not letting you go again. I'll be back for you."

And just like that, he was taken away.

Evelyn stood rooted to the spot.

The man she thought was her enemy—the one who had haunted her for years—had been the one protecting her all along.

No wonder he always showed up just in time. No wonder he knew how to handle weapons and had access to resources no criminal should have had.

She thought he was a monster.

It turned out he was her shield.

He had hidden the truth so well that it was no surprise that no one ever suspected him.

Not even her.