The Return of Special Forces Queen novel Chapter 1

Jocelyn Quinn was dropping off the project proposal at Carter Grayson's office when she caught him fastening a ruby necklace around Yolande Sinclair's neck.

She stared blankly at the brilliant red jewels. It was the exact piece she had begged Carter to win at the auction after seeing the exhibition catalog.

In their three years of marriage, she had never asked him for a single thing. Begging him to win this necklace was her very first request, simply because it was her mother's relic.

"Look at her, staring at a piece of jewelry like she's never seen money before. I told you this orphan was shallow," Carter's buddy, Lyle Lockwood, sneered with blatant disgust.

Jocelyn ignored his taunt. She lunged forward, reaching straight for Yolande's neck.

But before she could touch it, Carter caught her wrist in a vice grip. "I already gave the necklace to Yolande."

"But you promised to give it to me!" Jocelyn snapped, a rare flash of fury breaking her usually calm demeanor.

Carter frowned, his displeasure obvious. "Stop making a scene. This is my gift to Yolande to celebrate her promotion to co-pilot."

Making a scene? A bitter chill swept through Jocelyn's chest. "What if I insist on having it?"

Beside them, Lyle scoffed. "Carter, I told you Jocelyn wasn't good enough for you. She's vain and completely useless. You should just divorce her already. A woman like Yolande is the only one who truly matches your status."

Only a select few knew that Carter and Jocelyn were secretly married, but almost everyone in their circle knew Yolande was Carter's first love.

Yolande scoffed coldly. "I simply saw it as a casual gift from a friend. I never cared about its price tag!"

"Is that so? I didn't realize friends casually handed out multi-million-dollar necklaces. I suppose Lyle is your friend too—has he ever bought you anything in the millions?" Jocelyn fired back.

Yolande was rendered speechless, and even Lyle's expression stiffened awkwardly.

"Enough," Carter interrupted sharply. "It's just a necklace. Stop blowing things out of proportion!"

Jocelyn clenched her fist around the rubies. Carter brushed it off so lightly—just a necklace! Yet this was the very necklace her mother had used in a war-torn foreign land, trading it for medicine and rations to save the lives of fifty orphans.