Chapter 2

My grandfather and Elias's grandfather, James Voss, had each other's backs on the battlefield of Shinland and made it out alive together.

The battle of Shinland lasted forty-three days.

They shared a bunker, gnawed on tree bark, and split a single canteen of water.

After coming back, my grandfather joined the nuclear project team, while James went into the Air Force.

Both of them gave everything for their country, but neither made it to retirement.

When I was three, my grandfather was stuck in a hospital bed, and James had already passed away six months earlier.

Right before James died, he held my grandfather's hand and said the thing he worried about most was Elias. That kid was too stubborn, and James was afraid he'd end up carrying everything alone.

My grandfather said Elowen was soft-hearted, and if the two of them were together, they'd have each other's backs.

And like that, the engagement was set.

I remembered when I was little, every year during the holiday, the Voss family would send someone to pick me up.

Elias was only fifteen or sixteen back then, always in his military uniform, standing at the door waiting for me, his expression cold and sharp.

But he'd still carry my backpack for me, and hand me a cup of hot chocolate without saying a word.

One year during the holiday, he finally got a rare day off and took me for fun. The crowd was so packed I almost got knocked over.

He suddenly grabbed my wrist, pulled me to his side, and said, "Stay with me."

He didn't let go of my hand the entire night. through my sleeve, I could feel the warmth of his palm, and my heart was racing so fast it almost scared me.

Did he actually like me? At the very least, he didn't hate me, right?

Later, he went off to flight school, and the training was brutal.

Every month, I'd write him letters, telling him about stuff going on in the lab, what books I was into lately, and how it kept snowing up north every winter.

His replies were always short, sometimes a photo of him in front of a fighter jet, wearing sunglasses, with the hint of a smile.

I kept all those photos in a metal box, and whenever I missed him, I'd pull them out and look through them.

But then, his letters came less and less often, until one day, they stopped altogether.

The year I got into Holiwase University's direct-entry program for my bachelor's, master's, and PhD, he was already a core pilot in the test flight squad.

The Voss family threw a party to celebrate, and he had a few too many. Right in front of the whole table of elders, he said something I'll never forget. "I'll honor what Grandpa arranged, but don't expect me to be good to her."

Everyone was stunned.

His mother, Mara Voss, tried to smooth things over, saying he'd had too much to drink, but Elias stood up and towered over me.

He spoke each word clearly. "Elowen, my life belongs to the sky. I don't have time to babysit some spoiled princess. If you want to act like some big-shot officer's wife and boss people around, you'd better find someone else to marry."

I was sixteen that year.

I swallowed my tears, picked up my glass, and put on a smile for everyone at the table. "Elias, don't worry. I won't hold you back."

After that, I put away all my report cards, award certificates, and acceptance letters for my papers.

I started acting like another aerospace student whenever I was around him.

I never brought up the fact that I was already working on my PhD at sixteen, or that my advisor was the famous Samuel, or that I was already part of a big government project.

All I wanted was for him to notice me.

Elias's test flight schedule was brutal.

I knew his flight routes inside out.

I could tell you which airspace had the worst turbulence, which airports were hell for night landings. Honestly, I knew it better than the weather guys themselves.

Every time he finished a flight, I'd drop him a message to let him know I appreciated his hard work today.

But he never replied.

There was one time I messaged him for three months straight, still, not a single word from him.

I figured if I kept at it, maybe one day he'd finally notice me, or at least see how much I cared.

Looking back, I spent five years chasing a dream that was mine, something only I took seriously, all alone.

In his eyes, I was never someone he could see as his equal, never a real partner.

To him, I was nothing but a haunting burden, living off my family's legacy, stubbornly clinging to him, never letting go.

This engagement was a bond I desperately tried to hold onto, but for him, it was a shackle he couldn't wait to break free from.