The Contracted Ever After novel Chapter 688

Harold's situation was already on thin ice with his boss, and recent events only made things worse. He'd been slacking off in training, and to top it off, a hefty sum of money had gone missing from his barracks. All signs pointed to Harold as the thief. His accuser was relentless, not just wanting him down and out but also dragging up old dirt about Harold cheating at Birchwood College. Once labeled a thief, it seemed impossible to shake off. And as if that wasn’t bad enough, they even brought up his mom's job, painting a picture of a struggling family.

No one knew that Janice worked tirelessly at the Ronans', not caring about the meager pay. The common assumption was that anyone in a caregiver role had a rough life and was looked down upon.

In a moment of fury, Harold lashed out and beat up his accuser, who almost seemed to be asking for it, provoking Harold into a mistake.

One thing led to another, and Harold was dishonorably discharged from the military.

At college, the shadow of plagiarism still hung over him. Now, kicked out of the military for alleged misconduct and theft, Harold felt a deep sense of injustice. He believed in his own integrity, yet it seemed he was always the target of someone's scheme, losing both his educational and military opportunities.

But Harold kept his military disgrace a secret from his family, fearing their reaction. So, he rented a modest apartment in Millstone's suburbs, ready to job hunt.

His place was a mess, littered with cigarette butts, as he sat shirtless, smoking, his bachelor's degree not making the job search any easier.

Samantha, having not heard back from him on Messenger, decided to send a voice message.

Harold didn't really like Samantha and wasn't keen on talking, but her persistent calls were hard to ignore.

With a resigned sigh, he answered.