After Divorce, I Returned as the Army's Queen novel Chapter 3

Chloe's eyes widened in shock. Instinctively, she clutched the urn tightly against her chest and shielded it from any harm.

"How could you do that? These are my parents' ashes!" she cried out, her voice filled with fury.

"This is my son's house! If you dare bring that unlucky thing inside, I'll smash it into pieces myself. We'll show your parents what a vicious daughter they raised—one who'd even curse my family with misfortune!" Helen spat venomously.

Rage filled Chloe's eyes as she held the urn protectively. "Even if you're my mother-in-law, you have no right to insult my parents like that!"

Curtis stepped in and said, "Just take the urn outside, Chloe. Don't upset Mom when she's barely recovered from surgery. I'll never forgive you if anything happens to her."

Chloe's hands trembled as she held the urn, her rage burning hotter than ever.

Even after three years of marriage, he couldn't show Jenna and Walter the smallest shred of respect!

When she refused to leave, Curtis' expression darkened. "Why are you still standing here? Do you need me to throw you out myself?"

Chloe was so angry that she laughed, lowering her gaze to the urn in her arms. It seemed like she'd married the wrong man.

Three years ago, Curtis had looked at her nervously and asked, "I don't have a car or a house. Will you really marry me?"

And she'd nodded. After all, on the day she lost Jenna and Walter, Curtis was the one who'd sat beside her quietly, wiping away her tears.

After their deaths, Allen had earnestly told her, "Chloe, your parents were always worried about you settling down. Special forces are too dangerous, and I don't want you to end up like your parents or Daniel. I believe they would've wanted you to live a long, peaceful life."

After Walter and Jenna died and her elder brother, Daniel Quall, went missing in action, Chloe was the only one left in their family of four. So, she'd resigned from the military and married Curtis.

She used to believe that even if they didn't love each other as deeply as her parents had, they could at least treat each other with respect.

But now, Curtis was stripping away even that last shred of dignity.

Did he not remember that, back when he'd had nothing, the very first funds for his company had come from Walter and Jenna's death gratuity money?

If they were looking down from heaven, how would they feel knowing that their son-in-law had used their sacrifice to build his fortune but wouldn't even allow their ashes into his home?

"Fine. I'll leave!" Chloe raised her head, standing straight.

She refused to let her tears fall. She could make sacrifices and even bleed, but she would never cry for a man this ungrateful. With that, she turned on her heel and walked out without looking back.

Joanne seemed almost surprised. "Is she leaving… just like that?"

"Of course! This is Curtis' house, so she has no say in it. She's just an orphan! Who does she think she is to do as she pleases?" Helen grumbled.

Curtis watched Chloe leave, feeling a strange hollow ache in his chest as though something important had just slipped through his fingers.

…

Chloe carried the urn to a funeral home for temporary safekeeping.

She planned to take Walter and Jenna's ashes back to Yarfdale for burial, but preparing the headstone and arranging everything else would take some time. So for now, she had no choice but to keep the ashes there.

"Just wait a little longer, Mom, Dad. I'll take you home soon," she whispered, draping the folded flag over the urn reverently.

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