I felt as if my world was spinning. So, James already had accompanying family members on base, and he’d even held a wedding here? 

What was that possible? 

Just as I was feeling at a loss, the young guard’s words ignited my hope once more. 

“Why don’t you ask around? There are many people who share the same name, so the person you’re talking about might not be the same one I know. It just so happens that Ms. Samson is here. She knows everything there is to know around our base, so you can ask her!” 

As soon as he said that, he warmly called out to the woman he mentioned. 

He was right. There were many people named James these days. 

So, I put on my friendliest smile and asked the smiling woman, who introduced herself as Regina Samson, about him. 

The woman had been smiling and praising Jasper for being such an obedient child. However, her smile slowly faded away when she heard my question. 

It was instead replaced by a disgusted expression. 

“Did you say your husband’s name is James Zeller, and he’s from Taxtus? And did you say he’s also a captain and has been married to you for seven years? Furthermore, you say this is his son?” asked Regina, her voice growing louder and louder. 

Jasper covered his ears in fright. 

Her face was terribly sullen, and even the young man from just now had gone silent. 

As I was still wondering why she’d suddenly become so agitated, she slapped my face harshly. 

Regina was as strong as a bull, and she’d slapped me with all her strength. 

I was slapped so hard that I became dizzy. 

When Jasper saw me being bullied, he threw himself in front of me with his arms spread wide, crying. 

However, Regina shoved him aside rudely. “Do you think I won’t dare hit you because you’re young, brat? Get lost, or I’ll beat you up too!” 

When I saw Jasper fall to the ground, the rough surface scraping his delicate face bloody, I almost cried from distress. 

Just as I was about to go over and hug him, Regina grabbed me by the clothes and tossed me to the ground. 

The ground was covered in rough, sharp stones that tore my clothes and sliced into my skin. 

Blood flowed down my arm the moment I lifted my hand. 

Jasper was so frightened by the sight of me bleeding that he burst into tears. 

When Regina saw my blood, she became even bolder, as if she were a bull who’d seen red. She started beating me up while hurling insults at me. 

I’d traveled a long way to get here with Jasper, eating only a few biscuits along the way to sate our hunger as we rushed here. 

Therefore, my strength was no match for Regina’s at all. 

All I could do was shout for help. The young man standing guard was sweating profusely, but he didn’t dare to abandon his post without permission. 

My screams attracted a crowd of people—family members of military personnel staying on base. 

They rushed over to restrain the violent Regina, and it was only then that I had the chance to crawl to Jasper’s side. 

He threw himself into my arms and cried until he was out of breath. The sight of his swollen ankles made my heart ache. 

He’d been pampered since he was born and had never been so badly hurt before. 

I was furious. I simply couldn’t understand why I had to endure a beating just for asking about someone. 

“I have no quarrel with you, so what right do you have to beat me and my son up like this?” 

I didn’t know my words would end up angering Regina, who’d just been pacified by the other accompanying family members, even further. 

She spat, “It’s precisely because of who you are that I beat you up! You should be thanking me for not sending a homewrecker like you off to the firing squad! And you even dared to bring a bastard child to our doorstep! Yes, it’s you that I want to beat up, you slut!” 

The expressions of the other family members, who’d been looking at me sympathetically, morphed into disdain. 

I’d been beaten up for no reason, and my son had been called a bastard child. 

“If you dare bully my son, you won’t hear the end of it from me! I’ll have you know my husband is a captain here!” I yelled at Regina. 

Unexpectedly, Regina wasn’t the least bit afraid of my threat. On the contrary, she broke free of the people restraining her and kicked me hard. 

“Your husband? Well, guess what? I’m his mother-in-law!”