Chapter 1

"Larissa, please calm down. Just listen to me," Cassian said. He sat inside a conference room of the military compound.

The divorce papers lay on the table between them. Cassian's voice still carried its usual authority, yet for once, there was a trace of tension beneath it.

I, Larissa, looked at the man in uniform standing before me, and memories from my previous life came rushing back.

I had back to in 1975. Thirty full years had passed since the day I died in my old life.

Back then, I had foolishly played along with his plan, staging a fake divorce to protect a sent-down youth named Talia. I believed it was only an act.

But in the end, the fake divorce became real. I was thrown out without mercy. Talia moved into the military compound as a matter of course and became the mistress of the Blaze family.

As for me, I struggled to survive in the slums for twenty years, only to die alone in a rented room. "Explain what?" I picked up the pen on the table and signed my name on the divorce papers without hesitation. "Cassian, I agreed to the divorce."

Cassian's eyes flickered with surprise. He clearly hadn't expected me to be this decisive.

He probably thought I'd break down crying, beg him, and refuse to sign no matter what. After all, being the wife of the head of the military compound was a status any girl from a regular working-class family would kill for.

"Please, Larissa, hear me out." Cassian stood up urgently, trying to explain.

"There's nothing left to say." I capped the pen with a graceful motion, like I'd just signed a high-stakes business contract instead of divorce papers. "Mr. Blaze, if you think Talia needs your protection more than I do, then I'll step aside for you two."

Cassian's face instantly darkened. He hadn't counted on me knowing about Talia at all.

Cassian narrowed his eyes. "How do you know about Talia?"

I scoffed. "Everyone at the camp's been gossiping about it. Word is, some sent-down girl got harassed by a bunch of local punks and needed a husband to keep her safe. And you, the ever-so-noble Mr. Blaze, decided to fake a divorce with me just so you could fake a marriage with her."

"I was just trying to help a woman in need," Cassian said.

"Help?" I cut him off, standing up and straightening my clothes. "Cassian, do you even know who Talia really is?"

Cassian froze. "What do you mean, her real identity?"

"Forget it. You'll find out soon enough." I picked up the divorce papers. "Since we've already signed, I'll move out of the military compound tomorrow. By the way, I've done my fair share for the Blaze family during our marriage. I'll be taking my share of the money and ration coupons we've saved up over the years."

"Larissa!" Cassian finally lost his cool. "You can't do this. This is just a temporary arrangement. Once Talia's situation is sorted out, we can get back together."

Temporary arrangement? That was exactly what fooled me in my previous life. Those words kept me running in circles.

I shot Cassian a mocking look over my shoulder. "Mr. Blaze, the divorce papers spell everything out in black and white. Where's this 'temporary arrangement' you're talking about? If we're ending things, let's make a clean break. Why drag it out?"

With that, I walked out of the conference room without looking back.

Behind me, Cassian slammed his fist on the table in fury, and the crash of a chair hitting the floor rang out loud and clear in the hallway.

As I stepped out of the main office of the military compound, the spring sunlight washed over me, warm and gentle. The air in 1975 was still rich with the scent of fresh earth, unspoiled b the smog and grime.

I took a deep breath, feeling the rush of freedom fill my lungs.

"Larissa!" Hurried footsteps echoed behind me, and when I turned around, I saw Horace, Cassian's orderly.

"Mr. Blaze sent me to escort you home," Horace said, breathing heavily. He was clearly out of breath from running all the way here.

"That's alright. I'll walk myself," I said.

"But Mr. Blaze said..." Horace began.

"Horace, from now on, I have nothing to do with Mr. Blaze," I replied, my voice steady but firm. "Let him know I'll be moving out of the military compound tomorrow morning. After that, our paths won't cross."

Horace looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just stayed silent and trailed after me.

The residential buildings in the military compound were all neatly lined up, with trees planted in front of each one. It was spring, and the fresh green leaves were just starting to peek out.

Cassian and I lived on the third floor of Building 3. That was a place only top brass got to call home. Three bedrooms, one living room, and for this era, it was pretty much the dream setup.

When I stepped inside, everything was exactly as I'd left it. Cassian was a total neat freak. Even at home, he kept every single thing in its proper place, not a book or cup out of line.

I walked straight to the bedroom and started gathering my stuff.

Not that I had much to my name anyway. Times were tough, and I only owned a handful of clothes and a couple of books. The only things worth anything were the ration coupons I'd managed to save up over the years.

Just as I was sorting through the drawer, there was a knock at the door. "Larissa, are you home?"

It was Isobel, Cassian's mom, and now basically my ex-mother-in-law.

I took a deep breath and walked over to open the door. "Mom," I said.

Isobel looked at me, her expression complicated. She was the classic military compound grandma—strict, but with a soft side. Right now, though, her eyes were just puzzled and unsure.