Chapter 1

On the day Moon Spencer received the Medal of Honor, she made a public declaration of love on live television to her accompanying military medic, Xavier Quinn.

“If it weren’t for Xavier, I’d have died in that storm at sea. He is the most important person in my life.”

At the same time, her husband, Nathan Johnson, was lying on his deathbed at home. For years, he had taken care of Moon’s parents and raised their child alone. The strain destroyed his health, and he had little time left.

He never expected that after twenty years of sacrifice, he would not even hear a word of thanks from her.

What truly broke him was their daughter’s comment.

“Dad, don’t you think Dr. Quinn and Mom are perfect together? You should leave sooner and make room for him.”

Nathan collapsed in fury and regret. He died that night.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back to the night before Moon left for her coastal deployment.

This time, he refused to stay behind as the forgotten man who kept everything running.

In this life, he would pursue his own dream.

Chapter 1

In 1981, at the Air Force pilot selection office of the Southwest Military Command, the commanding officer, Julian Parker, looked at Nathan Johnson with a serious face.

“Nathan, congratulations. You’ve passed the evaluations and been selected as an Air Force pilot.

“But being an Air Force pilot is no simple play. Even after selection, the training will be long and demanding. Are you sure this is what you want?”

Nathan understood Julian’s hesitation. His eyes shone with determination.

“Sir, my father was among the first generation of fighter pilots in this country. A strong father raises a strong son. I won’t quit halfway.”

Julian was convinced and nodded in approval.

“Well said, Nathan. There’s just one thing…”

Something occurred to him. He hesitated and asked, “In fifteen days, your group will leave for training in Javerton, and Moon will be deployed to coastal defense in the South Sea. You two will be in different locations. Has she agreed to this?”

Nathan’s eyes darkened. A wry smile crossed his face.

“She would probably be glad to see me go.”

In his past life, Moon Spencer had given the only accompanying family slot to the military medic, Xavier Quinn.

In the following twenty years, she returned home only twice.

The first time was for their daughter’s coming-of-age, and the second time was when Moon was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Nathan had expected that after holding the family together on his own for twenty years, Moon would at least mention him at the award ceremony. After all, he had worked himself to the point of illness so that she could serve at coastal defense without worry.

But to his surprise, all of Moon’s attention was on Xavier. She had forgotten everything he had done for her.

Even their daughter, whom Nathan had raised alone, thought Moon and Xavier were a better match and felt that he was in the way.

At that moment, Nathan realized how laughable his life had been.

He had given up his dream of flying and spent his life keeping the family afloat.

In return, all he got was his wife’s coldness and his daughter’s disdain.

Fortunately, he had been given a second chance.

This time, he would soar through the skies and live life on his own terms.

After turning in his application, Nathan rode his bicycle back to the compound.

At the corner, he ran into three people.

Moon and Xavier stood on either side of their daughter, Yara Johnson. Each of them held one of her hands.

Yara talked nonstop. Xavier laughed and patted her head.

Moon watched them affectionately with a ghost of a smile in her eyes.

The three of them looked like a happy family.

When Moon noticed Nathan, her face immediately darkened.

“Where were you? How could you leave Yara alone at the clinic with an IV? She’s only six!”

Yara, who had been chatting excitedly with Xavier, stopped. She turned away and snorted coldly.

Nathan clenched his fists and pushed down the hurt he felt in his chest.

“Yara didn’t want me there. She said she wanted Dr. Quinn with her.”

In his past life, Yara had grown very attached to Xavier before he left with Moon.

Nathan had assumed it was because Xavier was good with children, which was why Yara liked spending time with him.

He never realized that Yara had wanted Xavier to be her father.

This time, she would not need to wait for Nathan to die.

In fifteen days, her wish would be fulfilled.

Chapter 2

Moon’s expression did not soften at that. Instead, she frowned.

“She’s just a child throwing a tantrum. Do you really want to hold that against her?”

Nathan looked at Yara’s hand. She was gripping Xavier tightly. She was clearly wary of Nathan. It was as if she feared he might pull her away from Xavier at any moment.

In his past life, Nathan had never paid much attention to Yara’s dependence on Xavier. He believed that no matter what she said, he was the one who mattered the most to her.

Then, he realized that children were always honest. She had told him exactly what she meant.

Xavier crouched down and gently pinched Yara’s cheek. He put on a serious face and said, “Yara, you shouldn’t be mad at your father. He works very hard to take care of you.”

Yara pouted. Her voice was full of reluctance.

“But I wasn’t saying that out of anger. I wanted you to stay with me. I don’t want Dad!”

Moon’s frown deepened when she saw the tears in Yara’s eyes. She turned to Nathan with clear displeasure.

“This is not how a father should act! You’ve failed at it. You should put more thought and care into Yara.”

Yara hurried to agree. “Mom, you’re right! Dad doesn’t care about me at all.”

Their words were identical. Nathan felt an ache in his chest. The curve of his smile held nothing but bitterness.

After Yara was born, Moon was constantly away on assignments. Nathan had raised Yara on his own. Every detail of her daily life had been his responsibility.

When Yara fell ill, he stayed by her bedside through the night. When her birthday came, he baked her a cake himself. When she refused to eat and grew thin, he tried every possible way to turn the food she disliked into meals she liked.

Each memory spoke of how much effort he had poured into her.

Yet, in their eyes, he was a father who had failed.

“Believe whatever you want.”

He would be leaving in fifteen days anyway. He no longer wanted to argue with them.

“You—”

Moon opened her mouth, ready to scold Nathan for his indifferent attitude, but Xavier grabbed her sleeve.

He looked guilty as he said, “Moon, it’s all my fault. Don’t argue with Nathan!”

The anger on Moon’s face disappeared immediately. She said softly to Xavier, “It’s not your fault. You helped take care of Yara. I should be thanking you instead.”

Yara threw herself into Xavier’s arms.

“Dr. Quinn, everything I said is true. My teacher said kids can’t lie! I’m not lying! It’s all Dad’s fault! You’re the best person in the whole world.”

Moon glanced at Nathan with a dark face and then turned and walked the other way.

“Xavier, Yara and I will walk you home first.”

Yara grabbed both their hands excitedly.

“Let’s go!”

Nathan stayed where he was and watched the three of them happily walk away. His chest filled with sorrow.

This was the wife and child he had spent his whole life caring for in his past life.

Since they did not like him, this time, he would let them go.

Their figures grew smaller in the distance. Nathan rode his bicycle around the corner and arrived at the city hall.

“Hello, I would like to file for a divorce.”

Chapter 3

Divorce was very rare here. The clerk checked repeatedly, and only when he saw the determination in Nathan’s eyes did he hand him the divorce papers.

“All that’s required is for you and your wife to sign this, and the divorce will be processed quickly.”

Nathan carefully put the papers away and returned to the compound.

Moon and Yara had not returned yet. He went into the kitchen, made himself dinner, and ate alone.

After he finished and started washing the dishes, they returned.

Moon looked at the empty dining table and asked, “Why didn’t you make dinner for us?”

Nathan glanced at Yara’s round belly and said calmly, “Didn’t you already eat at Dr. Quinn’s?”

Moon and Yara were picky eaters. Even when someone treated them to a meal outside, they never ate much.

Nathan had spent a long time experimenting with recipes to find the flavors they liked.

No matter how late they came home, he always made dinner enough for three people.

But it seemed that at Xavier’s house, their picky habits vanished miraculously.

It made sense. They were with the person they cared about the most. Around him, they had no trouble finishing their meals.

Moon’s face stiffened. She cleared her throat and said, “We stayed because we couldn’t refuse Dr. Quinn’s invitation.”

Yara patted her round belly and whispered, “Dr. Quinn’s cooking is so good! I wish I could eat his food every day.”

Nathan froze. He felt drained.

He quickly cleaned up, washed up, and lay down on his bed.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, he felt Moon pull him into a warm embrace.

“I need to talk to you about something,” Moon said in a low voice. Nathan felt instantly alert.

Before he could respond, she continued.

“Next month, I’ll be deployed to the South Sea for coastal defense. There’s only one slot for a family member to accompany me. I want to take Xavier along.

“Yara’s too young, so I’ll take her with me as well. You stay here at the compound and take care of my parents. Once I’m settled in the South Sea, I’ll come back for you.”

Nathan felt a sharp ache in his chest. His fists clenched without him realizing it.

It was not a discussion. She was telling him and assumed he could not refuse.

In his past life, Moon had said the same words.

At first, he did not understand why she wanted to give the family slot to Xavier. He was her husband, not Xavier.

Moon explained that the posting was on a remote island. There was no doctor there, and the soldiers often suffered from diseases. That was why she wanted Xavier to go with her.

Nathan had struggled with the idea for a long time but finally agreed. The only condition he had laid down was for Yara to stay behind with him.

Life on the island was harsh, and Moon would be busy with her duties. He worried that she would not be able to take care of Yara.

He would not change his mind, so Moon had made a compromise. Before leaving, she promised she would come back for him and Yara.

But the promise went unfulfilled for the rest of his life.

In the end, Yara blamed him for separating her from Moon. She blamed him for “taking Xavier’s place.”

Thinking back, Nathan realized that the army would have sent a doctor to the island anyway. There was no need for Moon to use the family slot to take Xavier along.

It was simply that she did not want to be apart from him. She wanted to take Yara so that the three of them could live as a family.

He had been foolish not to understand it in his past life.

Nathan felt a heaviness in his chest and found it difficult to breathe.

He pulled away from Moon’s embrace and kept his distance. He said in a low voice, “Fine.”

Moon looked surprised. She had not expected him to agree so quickly. Her gaze was confused and conflicted. She sounded unusually gentle as she said, “Don’t worry. I’ll come back for you. Then, our family will be together on the island.”

Nathan acted as if he had not heard her and closed his eyes.

The next morning, Nathan woke to find Moon already in the study handling official matters.

After breakfast, he took out the divorce papers.

Seeing the bold letters on the page, he felt a little dazed.

Yara jumped down from her chair and walked up to him. Curious, she read the words on the papers aloud.

“D-I-V-O-R-C-E.

“Dad, what does divorce mean?”

Nathan’s hand tightened on the papers. After a pause, he said, “Divorce is when two married people stop living together.”

Yara’s eyes lit up. She said eagerly, “Then, you should hurry and get a divorce from Mom!”

Chapter 4

Yara’s innocent voice hit Nathan straight in the heart and drained all his strength.

Perhaps she had been thinking about him and Moon being divorced all this time.

It took him a moment to collect himself to speak up. He looked at Yara and asked, “Yara, if your mother and I separate, who would you want to live with?”

Without hesitation, Yara said, “Of course, Mom! I want Dr. Quinn to live with us too!”

The hope and excitement in her eyes cut deep. Nathan felt his eyes sting with tears.

This was the daughter he had raised with all his effort for six years. He truly had failed as a father, just as Moon had said.

Yara’s eyes sparkled. She grabbed the divorce papers from Nathan’s hands.

“Does this mean you can get a divorce once Mom signs it?”

Nathan’s throat tightened, and he could not speak. He nodded.

Yara cheered and ran to the study.

“I’m going to get Mom to sign it right now!”

Nathan forced out a bitter smile.

Did his own child want him to leave this much?

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He got up and opened it to find Xavier standing there.

Xavier noticed Nathan’s teary eyes and asked in concern, “Nathan, what’s wrong?”

He paused for a moment, then asked carefully, “Did Moon tell you she was giving the family slot to me? Are you upset about that?

“Nathan, Moon had no choice. The island needs a doctor. You wouldn’t want her to get sick, would you?”

Even though his words were meant to comfort Nathan, the faint smugness in Xavier’s eyes revealed his true intentions.

He was clearly showing him how important he was to Moon and implying that Nathan did not matter to her.

Nathan had already decided not to follow Moon on the deployment. He no longer cared about the slot.

Hearing Xavier’s voice, Moon and Yara quickly came out of the study.

Yara ran into Xavier’s arms and hugged him tightly.

Moon smiled as she watched them.

“Yara really likes you.”

Xavier laughed and patted Yara’s head.

“I like Yara too.”

Watching the heartwarming scene, Nathan blinked. He pushed back his hurt and got ready to leave.

“I’m going to the department store to buy some things.”

He needed to pick up essentials for life in Javerton.

Before he could leave, Xavier smiled and grabbed his hand.

“Nathan, I was planning to go shopping with Moon and Yara today anyway. There’s no place to buy daily supplies on the island, so we need to get ready in advance.

“Come with us! You can help us decide what to get.”

Before he could refuse, Xavier pushed him toward the door. Nathan had no choice but to go with the three of them to the department store.

At the store, Xavier held Yara’s hand and began picking out items.

Moon stayed close behind. She never left their side. She looked like a devoted mother and wife who always kept an eye on her husband and child.

Nathan looked away and went in the opposite direction to choose the things he needed.

As he passed a newsstand, a flyer about pilot recruitment caught his eye.

He picked it up without thinking. The bold headline read: Guard the Skies, Make the Most of Your Youth.

A wave of excitement ran through him.

In this life, he had been successfully selected. He could finally make up for the regrets of his past life.

“What’re you looking at that recruitment flyer for? Are you thinking of applying?” Moon’s low voice came from behind him.

Nathan did not think much and nodded instinctively.

Moon’s face darkened. She stared at him for a long moment before speaking.

“You don’t know anything. How could you possibly be selected? I suggest not to waste your time. Stay here and wait for me to come back for you.”

Yara let out a soft snort and muttered from the side, “Dad only knows how to do laundry and cook. He has no skills at all. There’s no way he could become a pilot.

“Dr. Quinn is better. He’s a doctor who saves lives.”

Her voice was quiet, but both of them heard her clearly.

Moon glanced at her and said nothing.

Nathan looked at the two of them. Their expressions of disdain were exactly the same, and he felt a deep sadness in his chest.

Although he had met Moon through a matchmaking arrangement, he had told her before they married that his father was one of the first generation of Air Force pilots in the country. Inspired by his father, he had trained as a pilot from a young age. His physical condition was far above average.

Five years ago, he had taken part in an Air Force selection program and had been on track to pass.

But Yara was only one year old at the time. He could not bear to leave her, so he gave up the slot.

He had told them about this.

Yet none of them even remembered.

Had they ever truly cared about him?

Nathan wanted to tell them that he had successfully been selected.

But he was worried that if Moon found out, she would stop him from leaving. In the end, he held back.

“I was just looking.”

Moon felt like something was off. Nathan usually only cared about the family. When had he ever paid attention to anything about the military?

Before she could think further, Xavier called out to her. Her attention shifted to him.

Yara quickly grabbed her hand and ran toward Xavier.

Nathan forced out a bitter smile.

Once he left, they would realize that he was more than a stay-at-home dad who cooked and did laundry.

Chapter 5

After leaving the department store, Moon and Yara, as usual, went ahead to drop Xavier off at home. Nathan had no choice but to carry his things and go with them.

By the time he got home, he was completely exhausted. He went straight to bed.

Late at night, Nathan was woken by loud, piercing cries. From the sound of it, it seemed that Mrs. Zane and Mr. Zane were arguing next door.

“You want to leave our daughter and me here alone and run off by yourself? No way! I absolutely won’t allow it!”

“I’m not planning that. I’m just worried that the conditions there are harsh, and you won’t be able to manage. You’ll be much more comfortable if you stay here. How can you twist my words like that?”

“I don’t care! I won’t let you go alone! If you’re going, I’m coming along with our daughter. Otherwise, you’re staying here too!”

…

Nathan heard rustling beside him. Moon was awake too.

The couple next door was still arguing. Moon let out a scoff.

“Married couples aren’t supposed to live apart. If they live apart, can you even call them husband and wife? Mr. Zane is wrong in this.”

Nathan felt a sharp pang in his chest.

So, Moon believed that married couples should stay together.

Yet, in his past life, she had taken Xavier with her and left him alone to take care of Yara in the compound.

Did that mean that, in her heart, Xavier was her true husband and Nathan was only someone who was there to care for Yara and serve her parents?

The thought made Nathan’s chest tighten. Tears welled up in his eyes. He asked in a hoarse voice, “What about you, Moon? Why’re you leaving me in the compound?

“We’re married too. Is what you’re doing any different from what Mr. Zane is suggesting? Or is it that, in your eyes, I was never your husband?”

These questions had weighed on Nathan for two lifetimes. He finally spoke them aloud.

Moon’s voice sounded icy.

“I said I’d come back for you! I thought you’d understand my choice. I didn’t expect you to be so petty!”

Nathan opened his mouth.

He wanted to say that in his past life, she had said the same thing and had never kept her own promise while spending most of her life with Xavier instead.

But who would believe him if he said that?

After everything in the past, he should have known the truth. Moon had never truly loved him.

Nathan closed his eyes and remained silent.

They spent the night in the same bed, but each had their own thoughts.

The next morning, Nathan woke up to find that Moon had already left for her unit.

After Yara finished her breakfast, Nathan picked up her bag to take her to school.

Just as they reached the door, Yara pulled a piece of paper from her bag and handed it to him.

Nathan took it and opened it. It was the divorce papers. At the bottom, Moon’s signature stood out in bold, confident letters.

Yara lifted her head proudly.

“I already got Mom to sign it. Now, you two can get a divorce!”

Nathan had been waiting forever since he had returned to the past for the divorce papers to be signed.

Even so, Moon had been the woman he had loved all his life. Seeing her signature on the paper felt like a knife in his chest.

He stared at it for a long moment and then put it away carefully.

He said tiredly, “I’ll find a time to file for divorce.”

Yara cheered and ran ahead.

When they got to the school area, she stopped.

“Dad, I can go in by myself. You can go back now.”

Nathan saw that the school was close enough, so he said nothing. He waited until she reached the gate before he turned and walked away.

Back at the compound, Nathan organized all the documents he would need for his move to Javerton.

Then, he went through the things in the house that he could not take with him and threw them away.

He figured that soon after he left, Xavier would probably move into the house. It was better for him to clear things out himself than to have someone else throw them out.

Nathan carried things back and forth three or four times.

When he finished with the last batch of junk, he dusted himself off and got ready to head home for a shower.

At that moment, Mr. Zane saw him in the yard and called out in surprise.

“Nathan, why are you still here? Today is the school’s open day for parents. All the other parents are already there. I stayed home because my daughter’s sick. Is Yara sick too?”

Nathan froze.

He had no idea. In his past life, he had never even heard of a school open day for parents.

He did not think much of it and assumed Yara, being young, had simply forgotten to tell him. After thanking Mr. Zane, he hurried to the school gate.

As soon as he arrived, a security guard stopped him.

“Which student’s parent are you?”

Nathan quickly scanned the crowd for Yara. When he finally saw her familiar figure, he discovered someone he knew was holding her hand.

It was Xavier.

The words he was about to shout died in his throat.

Why was Xavier here?

At that moment, Yara’s classmates were introducing their parents.

When it was Yara’s turn, she grabbed Xavier’s hand proudly.

“This is my dad! He’s a doctor! He’s amazing!”

Chapter 6

For a moment, Nathan felt as if all the noise around him had disappeared. He could not hear anything at all.

Only one sentence echoed in his mind.

“He is my dad.”

From a distance, Nathan watched Yara pull Xavier’s hand and introduce him to her classmates one by one. She looked proud, like a child showing off something precious. Nathan felt a hole open in his chest. Cold air poured straight into it.

He and Moon were not even officially divorced yet. Yara had already started calling Xavier her father.

Soon, another familiar figure appeared.

It was Moon. She had claimed she had work to do that morning.

Moon stood on one side of Yara, and Xavier on the other. Each of them held one of Yara’s hands. The three of them wore the same happy smile.

It was no wonder Nathan had not known about the school’s open day, neither in his past life nor in this one. Moon had never mentioned it to him.

She had known about it all along. She had even discussed it privately with Yara and decided that Xavier would attend as her father.

They had joined forces so early just to deceive him, who was Yara’s biological father and Moon’s lawful husband.

Nathan remembered lying on his deathbed in his past life.

Yara watched the couple on the television with full attention and ignored Nathan, who was barely alive.

It all made sense. During the years Moon was on the island, she must have kept in touch with Yara. Perhaps Yara had already accepted Xavier as her father long ago. They only waited for Nathan’s death so Xavier could take his place openly.

Nathan could not watch any longer. He turned and walked away. The cold wind hit his face and dried the tears in his eyes.

He went straight to the city hall and took out the divorce papers. He signed his name carefully on the blank line and handed it to the clerk.

“Excuse me, everything is signed. Please, process the divorce.”

After checking the paperwork, the clerk completed the procedure without delay.

Only when Nathan held the divorce certificate in his hands did he truly understand that he had no connection left with Moon or Yara.

Over the next few days, Nathan resumed physical training ahead of schedule.

He had trained from a young age, but after Yara was born, most of his time and energy had gone into caring for her. The rate at which he trained had dropped a lot. Before leaving for Javerton, he wanted his body to be in peak condition.

Moon was busy as well. She was handling work arrangements ahead of her assignment to the South Sea the following month.

During weekends, no one was home to look after Yara. Nathan had no choice but to take her with him to the training grounds. He took water and snacks. He told her to sit nearby and play on her own for a while.

One day, not long after she sat down, Yara noticed Xavier passing by.

She rushed over excitedly. She wrapped her arms around his waist and refused to let go.

“Dr. Quinn, will you play with me? Dad always makes me sit here alone. I’m so bored.”

Nathan clenched his fists.

He had not seen that look of affection on Yara’s face in a long time.

Xavier smiled and patted her head gently. He glanced at Nathan, and a flicker of smugness showed in his eyes.

“You need to ask your dad if that’s okay.”

Before Yara could speak, Nathan drew a slow breath in and said calmly, “You can go play with Dr. Quinn. Don’t go too far, though. Be careful.”

Seeing Yara around would make him feel even more annoyed.

Besides, once he left, she would be with Xavier anyway. There was no reason to stop them from hanging out.

A flicker passed through Xavier’s eyes. The corners of his lips lifted slightly. He took Yara’s hand and led her away in another direction.

Yara did not hesitate. She walked beside him happily.

Nathan opened his mouth. He wanted to call out to them, but in the end, he looked away and focused on his training instead.

Nathan had just finished warming up and was about to start his training when he heard Yara crying nearby.

His face changed immediately. He ran toward the sound.

When he saw the familiar figures, his gaze caught on a line of blood on Yara’s forehead.

Xavier stood beside her. He looked panicked. He pulled gauze from his white coat and tried to stop the bleeding, but the blood soaked through it.

Nathan had no time to think. He picked Yara up and ran to the hospital.

The doctor worked for over an hour before finally being able to stop the bleeding with some stitches.

Only then did Nathan feel his heart ease. He turned to Xavier and asked, “How did Yara get hurt?

“You’re a doctor. That was a serious wound. Why didn’t you take her to the hospital right away? If I hadn’t been close by, she could’ve lost so much blood!”

Xavier looked shaken and tried to defend himself.

“I didn’t know she would be that energetic. I looked away for a moment, and she jumped off the steps and fell.

“Besides, I’m not a surgeon! It’s not that strange that I couldn’t respond immediately.”

Nathan’s anger rose.

Xavier was clearly making excuses.

Moon arrived at the hospital as soon as she heard the news.

She rushed into the ward. When she saw Yara lying on the bed with her head wrapped tightly in gauze, anger burned in her eyes.

“How did Yara get hurt?”

Xavier avoided her gaze.

Nathan held back his own anger. He was about to explain what happened when Yara spoke weakly from the bed.

“Mom, I got hurt because Dad took me to…”

Chapter 7

Nathan was frozen in disbelief.

It was Xavier who had taken her somewhere else, and that was how she got hurt. Yet she blamed everything on him.

His voice shook as he asked, “Yara, say that again. Who got you hurt?”

Yara pouted as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“It was you! It’s your fault! If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have fallen.

“And after I fell, you didn’t even take me to the clinic. Dr. Quinn was the one who carried me here.”

Hearing her twist the truth like that, Nathan felt numb.

Every breath caused a sharp sting in his chest.

The daughter he had raised for six years was accusing him without a second thought.

Even though he had decided to cut ties with Moon and Yara, she was still his own flesh and blood. How could he hold back when he saw her hurt?

Yet, she kept hurting him. Each blow cut deeper into his already wounded heart.

Moon gripped Nathan’s hand and pulled him out of the ward. She only let go when they reached a quiet corner.

Her head was pounding, and her voice was filled with rage.

“Nathan, is this how you look after Yara? You don’t even have a job! All you have to do is take care of her, yet you let her get hurt this badly! You didn’t even bring her to the clinic right away.

“I really have to wonder if you’re even her real father! Otherwise, how could you be so cruel?”

The veins on the back of Nathan’s hand stood out as he clenched his hands into fists. After everything he had lived through in both this life and the last, the final thread of attachment he had with Moon and Yara disappeared in that moment.

He only felt deeply disappointed.

Nathan gave a small, bitter smile and said softly, “Fine! If that’s how you see it, then I won’t be her father anymore. Let Dr. Quinn take that place.”

He was ready to let Xavier take the place of her husband as well.

Moon noticed that Nathan was calm and frowned.

But when she thought of the wound on Yara’s forehead, her emotions hardened again.

She was sure Nathan was only speaking out of anger after being yelled at. He loved Yara too much to truly give up on her.

Still, this time he had gone too far. She believed he needed to be taught a lesson.

“Why are you bringing Xavier into this? He was kind enough to take Yara to the clinic, and now, you are accusing him? That’s so ungrateful!”

Nathan chuckled, but his eyes shone with bitterness.

“Don’t you want him to be Yara’s father? Then, the two of you can be together publicly.”

Moon’s anger immediately flared. She slammed her fist into the wall beside his face, and her face darkened.

“I have never had any improper thoughts about Xavier! Stop making things up! There’s nothing between us!”

Nathan found that ridiculous.

If there was really nothing between them, why had Moon kept Xavier by her side and left him behind in the compound for twenty years?

If there was nothing between them, why had she thanked only Xavier when she received the Medal of Honor and mentioned no one else?

If there was nothing between them, why did Yara keep urging him to leave and make room for Xavier when he was on his deathbed?

Nathan no longer wanted to argue with her.

He would be leaving in six days. He could endure this for a while longer.

Chapter 8

Nathan said nothing more. He turned and left the hospital without looking at Yara.

In the days that followed, Nathan packed his things for Javerton and focused on his physical training. He did not see Moon again, nor did he go to the hospital to check on Yara.

He had finally accepted the truth. They had no place for him in their hearts.

He would not humiliate himself by clinging to them.

…

The day Nathan was leaving was also the day Yara was discharged from the hospital.

For the first time in a long while, Moon called. Her voice was still a little cold, but the sharpness was gone from it.

“Yara’s coming home today. Make some at noon. Let’s have a family lunch to celebrate.”

Nathan paused. The words “family lunch” hit him straight in the heart.

In his past life, Moon had only returned twice during the twenty years she was away.

Each time, she stayed two or three hours before rushing off with the excuse of catching a train.

In those twenty years, the three of them never shared a proper family meal.

By the time he died, that wish had never come true.

This time, Nathan decided to make it happen.

He would finish what he could not in his past life.

He would close that chapter of his life and begin a new one full of possibilities.

After packing his things, Nathan cooked a huge meal and waited for Moon and Yara to come home.

The clock on the wall ticked steadily.

The time went from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., but they still had not returned.

Nathan had a feeling that they would not come home.

Just as he expected, the phone rang.

Moon’s voice was unusually apologetic as she said, “Xavier has been taking care of Yara these past few days. I want to take him out to lunch to thank him. We won’t be coming home for lunch today.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. Then, a hesitant voice said, “Why don’t you come too?”

Yara’s voice drifted into Nathan’s ears.

“Dad hasn’t come to see me at all these past few days. Why should he come with us to eat? I don’t want to see him! This lunch is just for Dr. Quinn.”

Nathan did not feel sad. He chuckled instead.

“I won’t come. You two enjoy your meal.”

He paused, then added, “Moon, Yara, goodbye.”

With that, he hung up.

Outside, he could faintly hear the sound of a horn.

Nathan took his suitcase from the bedroom and placed the divorce certificate under an untouched plate of food.

He looked around the house one last time. This was the place where he had spent nearly forty years of his life, combining the past and the present.

He would never return here.

As the car drove toward Javerton, the buildings of Southwest Military Command slowly receded.

From that day onward, he would be stationed in Javerton while Moon and Yara would be in the South Sea.

They would be separated in the north and south and probably would never meet again.

Nathan would spend the rest of his life flying in the sky and guarding the country’s airspace.