Rising from the Ashes (Andrew) novel Chapter 1720

Leslie said, "So I hope you never let yourself get carried away with these kinds of assumptions again."

Ryder's face turned red with embarrassment. Feeling humiliated, he snapped, "Leslie, are you saying I'm being delusional? Then tell me what I have to become, what I would have to do, to be good enough for you? What level would be enough to not be a ‘delusion' in your eyes?"

Leslie gave him a long, slow look, and her eyes were filled with scorn. It was not just rejection, but the way she looked at him was deeply insulting.

After a pause, she spoke coldly, "Captain Ulrich, you know my current position, don't you? I'm the General's adjutant. And once she rises, I'll rise with her. If we're talking family background, sure, the Terrell family might not be as powerful as the Ulrichs.

"But the gap isn't as big as you think. And you? You may be the eldest son, but who knows how long it'll take before you're actually in charge. I'm not like that. All I need to do is stay on course, stick with the General, and someday I might just marry into the elite families of Chetvine."

As she spoke, a look of pride and dreamy ambition bloomed across her face.

Ryder was instantly crushed, feeling deeply ashamed and bitter. He had not expected this from Leslie. When they first entered the military, they were both naive young people who felt helpless and lost.

However, he had never stopped caring for and looking after Leslie.

Leslie had also appreciated his kindness back then, calling him by his first name in private. During those warm moments, they would even sneak away together to watch the sunset while leaning against each other.

Back then, Ryder had thought Leslie had agreed to be his girlfriend and that they had pledged their love to each other. However, everything changed after Leslie became Luna's aide.

She became aloof and distant, barely acknowledging him anymore. She stopped calling him by his first name and started addressing him as "Captain Ulrich". Moreover, she would follow closely behind Luna wherever she went, never giving anyone else a second glance.

Once, when Ryder was punished at the base, he begged Leslie to ask Luna to give him a break. However, Leslie flatly refused and said some very heartless things to him.

Actually, from that moment on, Ryder knew that the once innocent girl had changed completely—he had just been lying to himself, unwilling to admit it.

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