After Divorce, I Returned as the Army's Queen novel Chapter 1

When Chloe Quall entered her husband Curtis Green's office with a project folder, she stumbled on him fastening a ruby necklace around his first love's neck.

She stared blankly at the necklace. It was the very same one she'd begged him to buy after seeing it in an auction catalog.

Throughout their three years of marriage, she'd never asked him for anything. This necklace was the first thing she'd ever requested from him, and only because it was her mother's last keepsake.

"It's just a necklace, yet you're staring at it like it's the best thing you've ever seen. I always said that orphans have no class," remarked one of Curtis' friends, Luke Hayes, with clear disdain.

Ignoring his mocking words, Chloe stepped forward and reached for the necklace around Sonya Miller's neck, but Curtis caught her wrist.

"I've already given this necklace to Sonya."

"You promised it would be mine!" Chloe insisted, a rare flash of anger crossing her gentle face.

Curtis frowned, visibly annoyed. "Stop making a scene. This is a gift to celebrate Sonya's promotion to captain."

Making a scene? His words sent a chill through Chloe.

"What if I insist on having it?" she pressed.

Luke sneered from the side. "I've always said Chloe isn't good enough for you, Curtis. She's greedy and untalented—you should just divorce her. Only a woman like Sonya belongs by your side."

Though Curtis and Chloe had a private marriage known to very few, many people were aware that Sonya was his cherished first love.

"Don't be ridiculous. I have no interest in being anyone's mistress," Sonya spat haughtily, then removed the necklace and casually tossed it at Chloe's feet.

She'd discarded a necklace worth millions of dollars on the floor like trash. It was something Chloe's mother, Jenna Knight, had treasured deeply.

Chloe's eyes burned as she slowly knelt, her hand closing tightly around the sharp, cold edges of the necklace. Each facet dug into her skin.

Contemptuously looking down at her, Sonya commented, "A true woman should value knowledge and vision. Instead of fighting me over a necklace, you should focus on improving yourself!"

"Knowledge and vision? She scraped through some third-rate college, and if Curtis hadn't kindly given her a job at the company, she'd probably be sweeping the streets," Luke said mockingly.

And through it all, despite being Chloe's husband, Curtis said nothing in her defense.

Ignoring Luke, Chloe rose and fixed her gaze squarely on Sonya. "You insist you're not a mistress, so why are you accepting a necklace worth millions from someone else's husband?"

Sonya snorted. "I see it as just a casual gift from a friend. The price tag doesn't matter to me."

"Oh, really? Since when do friends casually give each other million-dollar necklaces? Luke is your friend too. Has he ever given you anything worth millions?" Chloe's words cut sharply.

Sonya fell silent, and even Luke's expression stiffened.

"Enough," Curtis snapped, cutting in impatiently. "It's just a necklace. Stop making a big deal out of it."

Just a necklace…

The words echoed hollowly in Chloe's mind as her grip tightened around the necklace.

The next day, Curtis still hadn't shown up as the clock struck at the agreed-upon hour.

A sense of unease crept into Chloe's heart. She called him, only to be greeted by his impatient voice. "Sonya's mom sprained her ankle, and I'm at the hospital with them."

"Come quick, Curtis! My mom needs help!" Sonya's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Be right there," Curtis replied, his voice gentle and warm. Before Chloe could say another word, he ended the call.

A pang of coldness struck her, and her throat felt constricted, as though something was caught there. She wanted to scream and protest, but not a single word would leave her lips.

How ridiculous! Curtis could accompany Sonya's mother, Carla Bishop, to the hospital for a minor sprain, yet he wouldn't stand by Chloe, his wife, to accept her parents' homebound ashes.

Drawing a steadying breath, Chloe resolutely got up and left the villa before driving to the military camp. Guards in uniform with rifles in hand flanked the solemn, imposing gates.

Chloe firmly stepped out of the car with her back straight. Even after three years out of service, her posture remained every bit that of a soldier.

Step by step, she approached the gates and came to a halt. Raising her right hand, she delivered a formal, perfect military salute.

She would take Jenna and Walter's ashes home even if she had to do it alone.

In a clear, strong voice that carried across the camp, she announced, "Former Shadow Hawks Special Forces soldier Chloe Quall, reporting to receive the ashes of former peacekeeping officer Walter Quall and military doctor Jenna Knight!"

With that, the heavy gates of the military camp slowly opened…