After Divorce, I Returned as the Army's Queen novel Chapter 67

Chapter 67 So That’s What Jealousy Feels Like

Jealousy?

Lena was startled by the thought that flashed through her mind. Brian was a man who had everything. Why would someone like him ever feel jealous? She must have imagined it.

Chloe and Brian returned to the villa together.

Just as Chloe was about to head upstairs, Brian suddenly asked, “If I had actually broken Ethan’s wrist today, what would you have done?”

She paused before answering, “I won’t let you have the chance to do that.”

“I said ‘if.“”

“No ifs,” she shot back. “I’ll never let you hurt him.”

He frowned, locking his eyes on her. “You’re protecting Ethan that badly just because he used to be your

comrade?”

“Isn’t that reason enough?” she asked without hesitation.

“You’re not in the military anymore,” he pressed. “Neither of you are.”

“That doesn’t matter. He’s still my comrade. If I ever were in danger, he’s someone I could trust my life

with.”

His eyes glinted with jealousy. “What about me?”

“What?” she blinked, caught off guard.

“If you were in danger one day, would you not trust me?” he explained.

Chloe couldn’t hide her surprise when she looked at him. She hadn’t expected him to say something like that. Brian was a dangerous man. Her instinct told her to keep her distance from him.

When he saw her expression, his eyes dimmed. He knew she had never even considered it.

“That’s a shame,” he murmured. “If I had been your comrade, would you protect me the way you protect

Ethan?”

Hope flickered in his eyes.

Chloe pursed her lips. “Hypotheticals don’t matter. Right now, I’m your bodyguard. Of course I’ll protect

you.”

“And if you weren’t?”

hapter

“Then you’d have plenty of other bodyguards to protect you.”

His lashes fluttered. “True.”

He was asking her meaningless questions. He couldn’t turn back time. He would never be her comrade. Still, his chest ached with a strange sense of loss.

Later that night, Brian stood in front of the mirror after getting out of the shower. He studied his face.

He got his sharp jaw from his father and his eyes from his mother. That was why every time Emily saw him, she would push him away. He reminded her of the man she hated.

“Stay away from me. You’re his son. One day, you’ll turn into a monster like him too!” she would scream.

Monster. That was what Emily would call him. She didn’t look at him with love, but with hatred and fear.

Meanwhile, Liam would beat him again and again. He would call him useless and scold him for failing to

win his mother’s affection.

But after each beating, Liam would crumble and clutch at him with tear–filled eyes. “I’m sorry, Brian. I just love your mom too much. I can’t lose her. You have to help me keep her. You have to love me too. She’ll

definitely love you because you’re her son.”

From the moment he was born, Brian had been nothing more than a tool. Their so–called love was so ugly,

it made him sick.

But now, he wasn’t sure what feelings he had for Chloe.

“Chloe,” he whispered at his own reflection. “I think I might be jealous of Ethan.”

When he had seen her with Ethan earlier, something uncomfortable had stirred inside him. That

discomfort sharpened into pain and unease. It felt like something was gnawing at his chest, like fear of

losing something precious.

When she had stood up to him for Ethan’s sake, the pain and unease had spiked to a breaking point.

Only later had he realized what that feeling was.

So that was jealousy.

The next morning, Chloe woke up early.

It was the day her parents‘ ashes would be laid to rest at the national military cemetery.

Dressed in simple back mourning clothes, she went to the Quall Family Memorial Hall.

Inside the hall, members of the Quall family stood in solemn rows according to seniority. They were all clad in black. The air was heavy.

Chapter 67 So That’s What Jealousy Feels Like

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At the front of the row was Geoffrey, leaning on his cane. He was lost in his thoughts.

“Geoffrey, Chloe’s here,” someone informed him.

He turned, his cloudy gaze settling on her. “You’re here. Send your parents off well, Chloe. It was an honor to have them as part of our family. Now, pay your respects to your great–grandparents, your grandparents, and your parents.”

Chloe obeyed. She stepped forward and knelt in front of the plaques.

“And the rest of you,” Geoffrey said. “Pay your respects to them, too.”

With that, he bent low himself. His age made simple actions like kneeling difficult, but he forced himself through the motion anyway.

He wanted to show respect, grief, and guilt.

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