The evening gown shimmered under the scorching midday sun. An impeccable military salute halted time in the marble courtyard.
Elena’s tears fell silently, blurring her cheeks like molten lead. The casket rested covered in white roses and the tricolor flag.
Behind her, a choked cry broke the rigidity of the state protocol. “You killed him!” a voice tore through her back. Elena didn’t even turn to look at Captain Mateo’s family.
The high-ranking officer didn’t lift a finger. His gaze was a wall of expression. “I need you to accompany me immediately,” the general whispered, his voice cracked but firm.
“The man in that coffin is not your husband,” the high command decreed coldly. Elena’s pulse accelerated dramatically in a second.
Around her, the indignant whispers of the attendees grew like a wave. Her mother-in-law pointed at her with a face distorted by anger and pain.
“Don’t let her get close to the body!” Mateo’s brother shouted from the back. Elena looked at the portrait with a golden frame that presided over the funeral.
It was Mateo’s smile, the same one he had sworn to protect her from before the covert mission. The general stepped forward, cutting the air with his impeccable posture.
“The Captain Mateo left a clear order for this exact scene.”
“What are you talking about?” Elena asked while the cold sweat ran down her back.
“Where is he then?” she demanded, on the verge of emotional collapse.
“That answer is hidden under the medal of honor he carries on his chest.”
A deaf murmur spread through the crowd dressed in solemn mourning. The honor guard took two steps back in a completely unexpected move.
No one in that military cemetery understood what was about to happen. Elena looked at the general, desperately seeking a glimpse of truth in his dark eyes.
“If they open that coffin right now, they will commit high treason,” a black-tie agent said.
“I have the direct authorization from the supreme command,” the general replied, unmoved.
The atmosphere became so dense that breathing hurt physically. Elena took a step toward the polished wood, feeling the accusatory gaze of dozens of people.
“Don’t do it, Elena,” Mateo’s mother pleaded, breaking down in uncontrollable tears.
“I need to know the truth,” Elena murmured, touching the frozen surface of the coffin.
The sound of the golden bolts echoed with a dry and intimidating echo. Two soldiers moved forward with white gloves and held the mahogany lid.
The general raised his hand to stop any private security intervention. “The inside is not a body,” the officer warned with the most serious tone possible.
Elena held her breath as the lid began to slowly rise. The young widow’s face completely fell apart upon seeing the inside.
The family’s accusations froze in the air. A sepulchral silence dominated the entire perimeter of the national cemetery.
(The secret inside the casket changes everything! Click “Next Page” to continue reading…)
