The Almighty Husband

As the sun set in the horizon, the fleet that had gone on an expedition for four years finally found shore.

A young man slowly walked down the stairs that connected the large ship in the center to the port, his eyes slightly red at the corners. There were traces of regret and reluctance on his face.

Countless navy soldiers lined up on the deck of the warships behind him. They were wearing the same blue uniform.

Upon command, they raised their right hands in a unified salute. Their eyes were solemn and moist with unshed tears as they watched the young man step on land.

"Thank you for your service, General!"

"Thank you for your service, General!"

Their voices boomed all around the coast, followed by the sound of cannons firing as they sent the man off.

The deputy commander overseeing the handover procedure walked up to the young man and ushered him to the back seat of a black car.

"General, are you really leaving?" he asked.

The young man, Noah Reed, had only been in the navy for four years, but his command had led his nation to victory over three other countries. It rocked the entire world, but thanks to that, no one dared to commit any felonies in the Rainy Sea again.

Not only was he promoted to general at such a young age, but the public also dubbed him as the God of War.

"Yes, I need to return home and get some much-needed rest. I'm sure no one would be stupid enough to try anything under the navy's watch."

"Understood, sir."

......

Noah looked outside the window and watched the scenery they passed. He hadn't been in Doriland, his motherland, in so long. Emotions rushed at him wave after wave, and he sighed.

Though he would have liked to stay with his men, he was eager to come home, too. He glanced down at the wedding photo between his fingers.

His thumb gently stroked the beautiful face that stared back at him. She had exquisite features, bright eyes, a high-bridged nose, and luscious lips. She was more beautiful than most celebrities.

"Charlotte, how have you been these past few years?"

His missions were all top secret, so he was forbidden from making contact with any civilian. But now, he finally had his chance to see and catch up with all that he had been missing.

Noah swallowed the lump in his throat and continued to look at their photo. He couldn't help but look back how it all started.

Charlotte Pierce was a renowned CEO in Bayhedge City. She was young, beautiful, and brilliant with her work.

Noah, on the other hand, was a penniless vagrant who had been abandoned by his family.

Charlotte had taken him in, fed him, clothed him, and given him a job as a security guard in her company.

But during the company's anniversary event, they were drugged and had sex.

The media got wind of it, and within a matter of hours, the entire city was aware of it.

Needless to say, the scandal affected the company, decreasing its market value by more than 20%.

In an attempt to mitigate the negative impact, the matriarch of the Pierce family intervened and used her authority to let Noah marry into the family.

Their abrupt marriage was all over the news, too.

And while the company's status eventually stabilized, the same could not be said for Charlotte's reputation. She had sex and married a mere security guard, after all. Even her own relatives looked down on her for that.

Noah always felt guilty for what she had to endure. It just so happened that tension was brewing between counties at that time, and the navy was recruiting.

He ended up enlisting and going out to sea to fight.

He harbored the hope that he would be able to make something of himself, so that he would become worthy of Charlotte one day.

Now he did achieve that, and more. He was returning home in glory.

As soon as Noah was dropped off in Bayhedge, he hailed a taxi and headed over to the largest shopping mall in the city.

He hadn't seen his wife for four years. He wanted to get her a special gift.

He looked through the things he thought she might like, and couldn't help but be appalled with the prices. A small purse cost the same amount needed for a soldier to train the whole year.

Noah kept looking, weighing his options carefully as he went. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of someone bursting into tears.

He turned around and saw a little girl crouched in a quiet corner, crying her heart out.

For some reason, he felt a twinge in his chest.

If Charlotte had been pregnant, their child would be the same age as this girl.

Another wave of emotion washed over Noah.

The girl had likely separated from her parents and was now lost. Her parents must be so worried.

How could he just stand aside and do nothing?

Noah walked up to the girl and squatted in front of her. "Little one, where are your parents? Do you want me to help you find them?" he said in the gentlest voice he could manage.

The girl said nothing. She wiped her tears and sniffed, only to get into another round of sobbing.

As the feared general of the Rainy Sea, Noah had seen his enemies quake in front of him. This time, however, he was the one at a loss, facing a little girl.

He took note of her colorful dress and neatly arranged bun, asking, "Is it your birthday today, little one?"

The only birthday he had ever celebrated was Charlotte's and she had pulled up her hair in the same style.

Still, Noah didn't think much of it. He wanted to stop the little girl from crying and calm her down.

"How did you know?" The girl raised her head. Her tearful eyes were wide with surprise. The sight melted Noah's heart.

"Because you look so beautiful in your dress. You look just like a princess." Noah smiled and reached out to wipe the rest of her tears. "What is your name?"

"My name is Gianna," the girl answered in a sweet voice. It seemed that she was no longer wary of him.

"Where are your parents? May I take you to them?"

"No! Mommy said Daddy is gone on a long trip. He never visits on my birthday. Even today, he hasn't come back to see me!"

The girl crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, fresh tears brimming in her eyes.

Feeling sorry for her, Noah gently gathered her up and carried her in his arms.

He had no choice but to take her to the reception area and ask for the staff's assistance. At this rate, he would have no time to buy Charlotte a present.

"Gianna, how about I buy you a birthday gift?"

The little girl perked up and nodded happily.

Noah took her to the nearest toy store and bought her a fluffy stuffed animal.

Then he picked her up again and went to the reception area to report her as a lost child.

He had something more important to do, so he knew he couldn't stick around and wait for Gianna to be picked up.

Noah made sure she was all settled, then waited until she was distracted by her new toy to slip away quietly.

Shortly after he left, a long-haired woman in a sleek business attire rushed into the reception lounge.

"Gianna!"

She heaved a long sigh of relief upon seeing that the little girl was safe and sound, then promptly burst into tears. She dashed over and pulled Gianna into a tight embrace.

Her daughter was her whole world.

Four years ago, not long after she got married, she found herself pregnant. But her husband suddenly disappeared.

Later, her father told her that the bastard had secretly asked for three hundred thousand and left.

In the last four years, Charlotte had put up with the rumors and the public humiliation that constantly surrounded her.

As she was pushed into the delivery room to give birth to her baby, the position of CEO was snatched away by her greedy relatives.

She had considered committing suicide several times, but the thought of her child kept her hanging on.

Her daughter was the only thing that grounded her and kept her strong all these years.

It was all that man's fault. He was the reason for every hardship she had had to endure.

She pulled back and frowned at Gianna. "Where did you go? Didn't I tell you to stay put and wait for me?"

"Mommy, I met a handsome mister. He bought me a birthday present. Look! Will Daddy also get me a present when he comes back?"

Charlotte's heart skipped a beat.

"Gianna, have you forgotten what I told you? Daddy is on a trip. He won't be back for a very, very long time. But I'm sure he will have a present for you when he does."

Charlotte stroked her daughter's hair and hugged her again, all while inwardly cursing that ruthless bastard who had left her to the wolves all by herself.