CHAPTER 148: CHAPTER 148 MARRIAGE APPLICATION REPORT (5)_1

Marcel Horne would rather be close to Emma Wright, who had only been here for half a month, than to her. This was despite them having grown up together and known each other for twenty-eight years.

Heartbroken, Ruby Bluen ignored many, many doubts and simply felt like she had lost all the strength to persevere.

"Ruby, what’s wrong?" Tiffany Alvarez happened to come upstairs, holding a piece of paper. Upon seeing Ruby, she instinctively hid the paper behind her back but still asked with concern.

"It’s nothing, nothing..." Ruby Bluen hastily wiped away her tears. She didn’t want Tiffany Alvarez to see her suffering and disarray.

"If it’s nothing, that’s good. I’m going to give this marriage application report to Commander Horne for review," Tiffany Alvarez said. She wasn’t a fool; how could she not see Ruby Bluen’s pain? But she moved the paper from behind her back to the front, smiling as she spoke. A hint of sympathy for Ruby Bluen flashed deep in her eyes.

Everything today was a play.

When Marcel Horne had fallen ill and Emma Wright treated him, he had asked them to cooperate in a play. The purpose was to make Ruby Bluen leave Tibet and return to where she belonged.

Emma Wright had also secretly informed Tiffany of Ruby Bluen’s identity. Truthfully, Tiffany had originally considered Ruby a rival in love, as she also had feelings for Marcel Horne. However, when she learned that Ruby Bluen, against all odds, had abandoned such an outstanding fiancé and bravely fled to Tibet to pursue her desired happiness, Tiffany’s feelings shifted. She began to empathize with Ruby, support her, and pity her.

Marcel Horne had his inner conflicts and too many concerns, and Ruby Bluen was always the one who suffered.

At Marcel’s request, Tiffany and Emma Wright had to cooperate with him in this play to drive Ruby Bluen away. Tiffany knew Marcel was doing it for Ruby’s good, hoping to minimize her potential suffering. However, she didn’t think his method was perfect. It would likely cause Ruby to bear a grudge. Tiffany feared that if they had a chance to develop their relationship in the future, Ruby might punish Marcel for today’s events. After all, life was unpredictable and full of changes.

A marriage application report?

Ruby Bluen looked up at Tiffany Alvarez and instinctively asked, "Whose?" She hadn’t heard of any soldier in the camp applying for marriage.

"It’s for our Commander Horne and Dr. Wright." Tiffany giggled. "Commander Horne said it was love at first sight with Dr. Wright, and her feelings for him are obvious. They are well-matched in status and appearance. Their union would be a joyous occasion for our entire camp, a truly fitting match." Tiffany didn’t dare look at Ruby Bluen’s shocked face. Her hand hesitated for a moment, but eventually, she handed the completed marriage application report to Ruby.

Ruby Bluen took it. The names of the applicants were indeed Marcel Horne and Emma Wright. Suddenly, she felt the world spin. The report pricked her fingers like a thousand needles, the pain so intense she could no longer hold the paper, as delicate as a cicada’s wing. It fluttered from her grasp, landing on the ground—much like her wounded heart, which felt as if it had fallen and shattered.

He was actually applying to his superiors to marry Emma Wright.

She didn’t know much about military marriages, only that soldiers in service had to submit a marriage application report. Once married, divorce was forbidden.

She had persisted here for a month, and all it had amounted to was his love at first sight for Emma Wright!

His half-month acquaintance with Emma Wright had actually outweighed her twenty-eight years of knowing him, twenty-two years of companionship, and six years of unrequited love.

Ruby Bluen staggered away, heading towards Marcel Horne’s single-person dormitory, where she had been temporarily staying.

She wanted to go home.

Home was her only shelter. No matter what storms awaited her there, she wanted to go home. The days of fleeing her marriage had to end. She was willing to return and face the turmoil her pursuit of happiness had caused.

"Ruby..." Tiffany Alvarez watched with an aching heart as she stumbled away.

Why did they have to go to such lengths?

Bending down, Tiffany picked up the fake marriage application. She quickly went to the collective dormitory where Marcel Horne was temporarily staying and told him all about Ruby Bluen’s reaction.

Marcel’s face was taut, his hands clenched into fists so tight that his knuckles bulged white.

He slammed his fist fiercely onto the small table by his bed. The glass of water Ruby had brought in earlier was knocked over, its contents spilling across the floor. The glass shattered upon impact.

What shattered was not just a glass but also two hearts that clearly loved each other.

"Explaining to her now could still mend things," Emma Wright said pragmatically.

Tiffany Alvarez chimed in, "As long as two people love each other and can be together, they can face any difficulty hand in hand; anything can be resolved. Commander Horne, don’t do something you’ll regret. Even if you force Ruby back to your older brother, do you think she’ll be happy? The storm has already been raised; can the waters ever be perfectly calm again? Your brother will surely harbor resentment, even if he still marries Ruby. Are you so certain he won’t mind her elopement at all? Besides, do you think you can be at peace with yourself, thousands of miles away? Won’t you still love Ruby? Won’t you still miss her?"

Both Emma Wright and Tiffany Alvarez had feelings for Marcel, but their affections were honest and openly expressed.

Marcel pressed his lips together, remaining silent for a long time.

"Commander, Commander! Miss Ruby has left! She was crying and made Andrew drive her away!" a soldier suddenly rushed in to report.

At these words, Marcel’s lips pressed even tighter together.

"Commander Horne, you must go after her! Don’t do something you’ll regret!" Tiffany urged anxiously.

Marcel remained motionless.

RING! RING! RING! Marcel’s cell phone suddenly rang.

All eyes turned to him.

Marcel took out his phone. The caller ID showed it was his mother, Sovia Morris, calling again.

He answered immediately.

"Marcel, it’s Mom," Sovia’s warm, maternal voice came through the phone.

"Yes, Mom," Marcel replied in a low voice, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

"Your father has arranged for your transfer back to T City. The official orders should arrive soon. Are you willing to come back this time? Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you last time: your older brother’s wedding proceeded as scheduled. He married Julia Bluen. It wasn’t a grand wedding, though; it was a private ceremony. It seems your brother no longer holds a grudge against Ruby and is now extremely doting on Julia. He opted for a private ceremony because he was worried people would gossip about Julia marrying in her sister’s place. Our family..."