Chapter 1230:
Kendrick advanced one of his pieces and watched Brad’s thoughtful counter-move with a look of clear admiration. “Your style reminds me of a battlefield commander — always pressing forward while preserving room to adapt. Very impressive,” he remarked.
Brad offered a faint smile and refilled Kendrick’s cup with coffee. “You’re giving me too much credit.”
Kendrick took a slow sip, paused, and asked, “Now that you’re married, what are your plans going forward? Rylie has never been the type to slow down or stay still. And you?”
“I’m planning to step away from my career and retire,” Brad answered calmly.
Sean was drinking coffee nearby when he suddenly stiffened, then quietly set his cup down on the table. His eyes drifted toward Brad’s injured leg as he spoke in a measured voice. “This is probably the right choice. You’ve spent your entire life pushing yourself and carrying endless burdens. It’s time you let someone else help shoulder them.”
Brad smiled gently, speaking with quiet honesty. “For one thing, my health isn’t in good shape. If I stayed in the admiral’s position, I’d be afraid of disappointing people. The expectations are extremely demanding, and even one small error could cause serious problems. Living under that kind of pressure would slowly wear me down. Besides…” He glanced toward the recreation room, his expression soft with affection. “I have a wife now. I want to focus on building our family. I don’t want her constantly putting herself in danger because of me. I want to stay beside her and support her.”
A look of quiet satisfaction settled on Kendrick’s face. “All my life, the only thing I’ve truly feared is my beloved granddaughter getting hurt. Now that you’ve stepped away from danger and can finally live in peace, I feel at ease.”
Sean was an old man now, and his son along with his family was imprisoned, awaiting execution the following day. The only thing Sean wished for was the safety of Brad — his last grandson — and he prayed for him every day.
“I hope your future is filled with happiness,” Sean said softly.
Brad offered a faint smile and slid the chessboard closer to him. “Grandpa — care for a game?”
𝖠𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘃e 𝗰о𝗺𝗆𝘂𝗇𝘪𝘁𝘺 𝗼ո 𝗀аl𝗇𝗈𝘃els.𝘤𝗈𝗆
While the three of them talked quietly in the chess lounge, the recreation room rang with laughter and noise.
Felix was competing in foosball against Rylie and his brothers. Her quick reflexes and sharp scoring drew loud cheers from around the room. Brad paused at the doorway from time to time to watch, his expression gentle as he followed the movements of the lively, radiant woman who seemed to light up the entire family.
When the game wound down, Rylie noticed Deandre standing apart from the others, lost in thought. She walked over and handed him a drink. “What’s troubling you, Deandre?”
He looked at her and sighed. “I’m thinking about getting married.”
Rylie raised an eyebrow. “With whom?”
“You already know.” He shot her a mildly displeased look, though he knew full well that losing the woman he loved had been his own doing. He lit a cigarette and exhaled slowly.
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Message from Noa: Lovely readers, hope you have a wonderful morning, God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. (ɔO‿=)ɔ ♥
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