chapter9


    I<b>was</b>alsogratefulforthechancetowakeupfromtheillusionoflove.


    Anunhealthyrtionshiphadcostmetoomuch.


    Thatintoxicatingfeelingoflovehadmademelosemyabilitytothink,evenconsidergivingupmylife.Itwasterrifying.N?velDrama.Org owns ? this.


    Itwasn’tlikeme.


    Mylifeshouldn’thavesuchmistakes.


    Inmyfirstyearaftertransferringtotheprovincialteam,Ifinallystartedmy officialduties.


    Afteraperiodoftraining,Iwasnowfullycapableofhandlinrge–scalefirefightingoperations.


    Throughoutthistime,Ianhadbeenbymyside.


    Asmydirectsuperior,Icouldclearlyseethathehaddifferentthoughtsaboutme.


    Butitwastoodifficultformetorespond.


    Ihadoncebeenuneasy,askinghimifmytransferwasduetohisbehind–the–scenesmaniption.


    Buthefirmlydeniedit,sayingthattheprovincialteamhadwantedtorecruitmesincemyfirstmediaexposure.


    Ifinallyfeltsomepeaceofmind,butstillcouldn’t respondtohimopenly.


    Iwasafraid,afraidofbingmyformerselfagain.


    ThefirsttimeIrejectedhim,hedidn’tsaymuch.


    Hejustsmiledcalmlyandsaidhecouldwaitabitlonger.


    Icouldn’tdescribehowIfelt,myheartwasbitterandconflicted.


    Afewdaysago,someonefromthelocalteamcameforanexchange.


    IheardthatYannishadbrokenupwithWendy,andafterIappliedforthetransfer,hehadbeentryinghardteandbewithme.


    Buttheprovincialteamhadmadeitclearthattheywouldn’tselectnewmembersforthreeyears.


    That’sforthebest.Ididn’twanttoseehimagain.


    Ididn’tknowhowYannisfeltnow,orwhyhewantedtofindme.


    IhadclearlysaidwewerebreakingupbeforeIleft,andfor alltheseyears,Ihadbeenfocusingonimprovingmyself,neverpayingattentiontooutsidegossip.


    Ireallycouldn’tthinkabouthimanymore.


    EvenwhenIcameback,Ihadnointentionoffollowinganynewsabouthim.


    ButIdidn’texpectto encounterYannissosoon.


    Inrecentmonths,extremeweatherhadincreased,andasuddendisasterstruckthe city.Theprovincialteamdispatchedabatchofrescue personnelfromneighboringcities.


    TheteamleaderfromRiverCitywasYannis.


    “Hello,I’mJasmineShawfromtheprovincialteam,”Iintroducedmyself.


    Yanniswasstunnedforamoment,hisintensegazefixedonmeforalongtimebeforehefinallyextendedhishand.“Long timenosee,”


    Hesaid,grippingmyhandtightlyuntilthesupervisor’swhistleremindedhimtoletgo reluctantly.


    Therescuemissionwasdemanding,but fortunately,Iwasn’tassignedtothe samegroupashim,whichsparedmefromawkwardmomentsandallowedmetofocusonworkwithoutdistractions.


    However,whenwewereclose,Ioftenfeltaburninggazeuponme.


    EverytimeIlooked,itwasindeedhim.


    Atsuchmoments,Iwouldavertmyeyes,deliberatelyavoidinghisgaze.


    Duringtheeveningrest,hecouldn’tresisingtofindme.


    “Jasmine,canwetalk?Please,”hepleaded.


    Seeinghishumbledemeanor,Iultimatelyagreed.