?Chapter 975:


    She looked up and saw Kason, sharply dressed in his military uniform.


    He asked casually, “Eating alone?”


    “Wesley got called back by his grandfather,” she answered.


    Kason gave a quiet nod in response. Conversation wasn’t really his thing, so they both ate in silence.


    Kason finished his meal quickly, while Elena was still halfway through hers. He didn’t say anything—just watched her quietly as she continued eating.


    Even though they were both stationed at the same base, Kason rarely saw her. His days were packed with drills, patrols, and strategic duties. Free time was a rare luxury. He could also sense the aloofness she carried. While she had started addressing him more informally at his insistence, there was still a coldness she kept around him.


    Kason felt that distance, and he hated it. But he knew he had no right toin. Anyone could see that her connection with Wesley wasn’t just a fling. He should have stood up and walked away, but instead, he said, “Tomorrow’s liberty day. You should check out the town. There’s a lot to see.”


    “Liberty day?” Elena looked up, curiosity flickering in her eyes.


    Catching her interest, Kason added, “There’s going to be a market in the square. It gets crowded—plenty of vendors and stalls.”


    Elena gave a small nod. “Thanks for letting me know. I’ll go.”


    She had already nned to pick up a few things for the children from the ind. After being rescued from Avaloria, the children had been ced in a government-run shelter in the since their families were all gone. Elena had been nning to visit them when she returned.


    Though Elena had intended to visit the square alone tomorrow, Kason suddenly suggested, “I’ll also go there tomorrow. I can show you around.”


    Elena was about to turn him down, but before she could respond, Kason stood up, gathered his tray, and walked off.


    Sensing she was about to reject him, Kason abruptly left before she could say anything. Despite everything, a quiet satisfaction lingered in him at the thought of spending even a little time with her. He dropped his gaze, trying to suppress the emotions that had started to rise in his chest.


    Liberty day didn’te often, and for most people on base, it was a rare chance to unwind—whether it was hanging out with friends or perhaps even going on a date.


    gα?ησν????s takes you on a journey


    Lucinda had spent quite some time thinking it over before finally deciding to take a chance and ask Ellis out. She’d been crushing on him for ages, dropping plenty of hints, but none seemed tond. Some days, she wondered if he even liked women. How else could he stay so unaffected? It wasn’t like she didn’t have looks. Maybe she wasn’t on N’s level, but most people still ranked her among the prettiest women on base. But Ellis? He was hardly the type to make the first move. If she kept waiting for him to act, she’d be single forever. So, she chose to take control.


    Lucinda changed out of her nurse’s scrubs, picked a soft dress,yered on a jacket, curled her hair, and did her makeup with care before going to find Ellis. By the time she found him, a hint of pink had already crept into her cheeks. “Ellis, tomorrow is liberty day. Why note to the square with me?”


    Ellis looked at her, calm as ever, his eyes behind his sses giving nothing away. “No thanks.”


    Lucinda froze, the rejection hitting her like a cold wave. She wasn’t ready to give up just yet. “You’re really going to spend liberty day holed up in theb again? That sounds miserable. You don’t have to be shy. Tomorrow, it’ll be just the two of us. We could just walk around, nothing serious.”


    Ellis’s frown deepened. “I said no.” He didn’t care about outings or festivals. It didn’t matter to him. Usually, he’d spend liberty day buried inb work. But this year was different. His sister was here. If she wanted to see the market, he’d go with her—no question. But none of that had anything to do with Lucinda, so he didn’t bother exining.


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