Chapter 1 Prologue
Heaven sat with the rest of her in-laws on the dining table.
She tried to focus on her food without being noticed until she felt a hand brush against her lap, sending a jolt through her spine. She gasped, the sound escaped before she could stop it. She already knew who it was.
The family members occupied the head of the table, while the rest of the servants filled up the remaining seats, all gathered for the Richards’ monthly “bonding” tradition, a breakfast held on the first of every new month to catch up on each other’s affairs.
To Heaven, it felt more like an inspection.
Normally, she was never seated with them from the start. She stood serving her in-laws, ensuring their plates were full before taking her own, before choosing a spot where she’d be least noticed. But as the daughter-in-law of the Richard household, today she sat where was required of her, her posture stiff under the weight of scrutiny.
The room was silent except for the clinking of cutlery on plates and the rustle of napkins. All eyes turned to her after her gasp, their stares piercing. Heaven quickly masked it with a cough, her cheeks warmed under the weight of the eyes.
“Is the food not to your liking?” General Richard, her father in law, asked suddenly, his tone was mild but it still held the weight of command in it.
“it… is to my liking, sir” she stammered, forcing a soft comforting smile.
He reached for his glass of water, his eyes accessed her like he could see through her composure, her heart skipped multiple beats until he spoke.
“You should eat more Heaven,You’ve grown thinner.” His gaze dropped to the plate of porridge in front of her.
He passed her a plate of roasted chicken. Heaven felt her mother-in-law’s piercing gaze, making her hesitate, but she couldn’t reject the General’s offer.
“She’s praying for Boyle, Sylvester. She can’t eat meat until the prayer is done.” Mrs. Richard interjected with her sharp voice.
General Richard’s eyes flicked towards his wife, sharp and cold. “How does eating meat affect her prayers..? This house has a tradition and it must be obeyed, Everyone must eat the same food today.”
His voice held no room for disagreement , Mrs Richard couldn't argue.
In the Richard household, the men held the highest authority, and General Richard, the eldest, was unquestionable.
Beneath the table the hand moved higher, tugging at her gown until her thighs were bare.
It roamed upwards stroking her inner thighs until it reached the fabric barrier that held the pull of her wetness.
Heat crept into her bones, stealing her breath. Part of her screamed to stop it, to push the hand away, but another part shamefully craved every illicit touch.
“Maverick,how is the issue with sergeant Peter going?” General Richard asked her brother in law. Breaking the silence in the room.
“He was thrown into the brig for his misconduct, he is going through intense interrogation and discipline.” Maverick's response was calm and measured.
General Richard nodded approvingly, his fork paused mid-air. “Good work. The last thing we need in our unit is a thief. Discipline is the backbone of our unit. Have you found who he is working for?.”
“None that we’ve uncovered yet,” Maverick replied steadily, his eyes flicking briefly towards Heaven before returning to his father. “But I’ve assigned a team to review his communications to know who he has been in touch with. If there’s anything, it will surface.”
The hand slipped into her panties, the fingers brushed her clit with deliberate slowness before sliding between her folds and thrusting inside.
Heaven bit down hard on a piece of chicken, stifling a moan. Her eyes rolled back, her toes curled beneath the table as her body betrayed her composure.
“Excellent,” the General said, leaning back slightly. “You’ve always had a keen eye for these matters.The unit is in good hands with you there. Keep rooting them out”
“Yes, sir,” Maverick replied, his voice steady.
“Maverick is so reliable, he reminds me of your early days in service, Sylvester.” Mrs Richard chipped in praising her son, causing General Richard to chuckle, a very rare occurrence.
Mrs Richard’s gaze shifted towards the empty seat beside Heaven, the one that belonged to her eldest son. Something flickered in her eyes
Heaven could barely hear the conversation going on around her.
Her hand trembled slightly as she reached for her fork trying to focus on her plate and not the sensations she was getting.
She could feel his eyes on her calm and unsettlingly intense. It was like he was studying her every movement, enjoying how she struggled to remain composed while he stole her breath away.
She forced herself to chew quietly, stifling any moans, and to breathe calmly, suppressing ragged breaths.
She was so close to the edge when the hand pulled away leaving her breathless and aching. She cursed herself for feeling disappointed and hating how much wanted it.
She couldn’t stay any longer. If he continued, she feared they’d be caught, she didn’t trust herself to stay silent.
She stood abruptly, the scrape of her chair drawing every eye. “I… I don’t feel quite well. I’ll go to my room,” she said, her voice tight.
“That’s rude, you don’t leave before your elders…” her mother-in-law began, her tone sharp with disapproval.
“You can go…” General Richard interrupted, his voice final.
Before she could step away, he added, “Maverick, take your sister-in-law to see a doctor.”
She turned to Maverick. His eyes met hers. He brought a finger to his mouth and licked it, his eyes unreadable before turning back to his plate.
“Okay,” he replied calmly.
