Chapter 1

1

The day my son fell ill, he wailed for the woman next door.

I tried to soothe him, but he grabbed my hand and bit down with everything he had.

"You're a wicked woman! If it wasn't for you, Daddy and Auntie Tessa would have been together a long time ago!"

I looked over at Tessa Vance, who was resting comfortably in my husband Soren's arms.

In that moment, I realized my husband and my child were complete strangers to me.

Later, I left the divorce papers behind.

I applied for a ten-year classified deployment to the restricted frontier.

They say we sacrifice our small homes to protect the greater nation.

As it turns out, they were far less important than my country.

......

"Jada, this mission requires at least ten years of total silence from the outside world. You have a husband and a son. Are you sure about this?"

My supervisor was shocked when he received my application. They hadn't even considered me for such a brutal assignment.

I nodded without a second of hesitation. "Sir, please trust me. Soren and I are already ending things. My son has even found himself a better stepmother. She's gentle, and Wyatt adores her. I have nothing left to hold me back."

Perhaps it was the icy steadiness in my voice, but the supervisor let out a heavy sigh. "The conditions at the frontier are harsh, Jada. You'll be in constant danger. Are you certain you can handle that kind of suffering?"

I gave a firm "Yes," my resolve hardening like steel.

I've never been afraid of hardship. Whether it's the lack of basic comforts or high-intensity combat, I can handle it.

"Sir, please approve my request."

The man across from me choked up for a second, his eyes rimmed with red.

"Jada, we can't guarantee you'll come back alive. If you fall during these ten years, nobody might ever know your name, no matter how great your sacrifice."

He tried to use the fear of being forgotten to break me, but it only made me more determined.

I already knew the price. My mother died in that same shadows, and her death hasn't been declassified to this day.

Aside from me, not even our own family knows what happened to her.

"Sir, if I don't go, someone else will. The frontier needs people to guard it. My mother went, and now it's my turn. If I fall, perhaps my child or someone else's child will take my place. It's a legacy of service."

"We are a generation that will never break!"

My voice was unwavering as I gave him a deep, respectful bow.

The supervisor finally agreed. From that moment on, I would support the frontier as an undercover operative, sworn to protect that land and its people until my last breath.

When I reached my front door, I let out a long, shaky breath.

Soren wasn't home. The living room was a disaster zone of Wyatt's toys and trash.

I didn't bother cleaning it. Instead, I gathered all my savings from over the years and transferred them onto a single card.

The government had given me a large sum for the frontier mission, but I didn't touch it. That money belonged to those who needed it more.

As for Wyatt, this card was the last thing I could give him. It was my way of settling our debts as mother and son in this life.

Luckily, he didn't love me anyway. He wouldn't be sad to see me go.

"Daddy, Auntie Tessa, I want to play again! Just one more time!"

While I was staring blankly into space, Wyatt returned. He was snuggled in Tessa's arms, his other hand gripping Soren's.

The game he mentioned was likely being tossed into the air and caught by the two of them.

"Oh, Jada. You're home."

Seeing me in the living room, Tessa flusteredly put Wyatt down. She rubbed her hands together, looking like a guilty child.

Soren stepped forward immediately, placing himself in a protective stance over her. Even Wyatt joined in.

He stood like a tiny soldier, glaring at me with pure hatred. "You old witch! Why are you back? Didn't you leave? If you left, don't come back. Why are you being such a pathetic loser?"

I swallowed the bitterness in my throat and reached out to ruffle his hair.

But he slapped my hand away without mercy, a sharp sting blooming on my skin.

"Don't touch me, you witch! I hate you! If it wasn't for you, our family of three wouldn't have to be apart!"

"Auntie Tessa wouldn't have to live somewhere else. Get away from me! I hate you!"

Being called a witch over and over by my own son... I really was a failure.