THE INSANE HUSBAND IS IRON WOLF COMMANDER

CHAPTER 1-"A Fool’s Song"

"Twinkle, twinkle, little star..." Jack sang softly, wiping the glass door with circular motions.

His childlike voice carried through the house as he worked, a gentle smile playing on his face.

"How I wonder what you are..."

His mother-in-law had asked him to clean the doors, and he took to the task with innocent enthusiasm.

The cloth moved in uneven patterns as he continued his lullaby, lost in his own world.

Jack, a son-in-law of the Johnson family, was once the commander of the Iron Wolf Battalion.

But during war, he was attacked by the enemies, and he lost his memory, and now he was a mentally retarded useless son-in-law of the Johnson family.

"Up above the world so high..." he hummed, swaying slightly.

"Like a diamond in the sky..."

The front door slammed open, making Jack jump.

Mike Johnson stormed in, his work boots leaving muddy tracks on the freshly mopped floor.

"Hey! You!" Mike barked, dropping heavily into a chair.

"Get me some water. Need to wash my feet."

Jack turned, tilting his head like a curious child.

"But I'm cleaning the door for Mommy Lisa's mommy!" He giggled, waving his cleaning cloth.

"See? Making it all shiny!"

Mike's face darkened.

"I don't care what you're doing. I said get me water!"

"No, no, Uncle Mike!" Jack laughed, clearly not registering the danger in Mike's tone.

"You're so funny when you're angry. Your face gets all red like a tomato!"

"Uncle?" Mike stood up slowly, his fists clenching.

"I'm not your uncle, you idiot. And you don't get to refuse me in my own house!"

Jack's smile faltered slightly, but he still didn't understand the gravity of the situation.

"But you're older than me, so you're Uncle Mike! And look—" he pointed at the muddy footprints, "—you made mess! I have to clean again!"

Something snapped in Mike's eyes. In three quick strides, he reached the garden decorations by the window.

"You want to play games?" he snarled, grabbing a terra cotta flowerpot.

"Let's play a game of respect!"

"Mike, no!" Lisa's voice came too late as she rushed into the room.

The flowerpot connected with Jack's head with a sickening crack.

His eyes went wide with surprise, then rolled back as he crumpled to the floor, the cleaning cloth floating down beside him.

"Oh God," Lisa gasped, running to her husband.

"What have you done?"

"Taught him a lesson," Mike spat, still breathing heavily.

"Can't have him disrespecting me in my own house. Calling me uncle like I'm some joke!"

The next hour was a blur of ambulance sirens and hospital corridors.

Now, Jack lay unconscious in the sterile hospital room, a white bandage wrapped around his head.

The steady beep of monitors filled the silence.

"Mrs. Sullivan," the nurse said firmly, "your husband needs observation. With his pre-existing condition and this new injury, he shouldn't be left alone."

Lisa stood by the doorway, wringing her hands.

The past year had been hard, caring for Jack after the accident that left him with the mind of a child.

She loved him, but sometimes...

"He brought this on himself," Mike insisted, pacing the room.

"Acting like a fool, refusing to help family. Maybe this knock on the head will fix whatever's wrong with him."

"Mike, please," Lisa whispered, torn between her husband and her brother.

"Come on," Mike grabbed her arm.

"Let's go home. Let him think about what he's done."

Mike grabbed his sister's arm.

"Come on, Lisa. We're leaving. Let him wake up alone – might teach him some gratitude."

"But the nurse said—"

"The nurse isn't family," Mike cut her off.

"He's been nothing but a burden on us. Let him figure things out on his own for once."

Lisa took one last look at Jack, guilt washing over her face.

"I... I'm sorry," she whispered, though whether to Jack or the nurse, it wasn't clear.

Then she let her brother lead her away, their footsteps fading down the corridor.

The nurse shook her head disapprovingly before checking Jack's vitals and leaving him to rest.

The hospital room swam into focus as Jack opened his eyes.

Something was different. The fog that had clouded his mind for the past year was... gone.

"Commander Sullivan," he whispered, testing the words. "Iron Wolf Battalion..."

A nurse hurried in, noticing his movement. "Mr. Sullivan! You're awake. How are you feeling?"

Jack sat up straight, his posture completely transformed. "I need a phone. Immediately."

"Sir, you should rest—"

"The phone." His voice carried an authority that made the nurse pause.

This wasn't the same confused man they'd admitted earlier.

"I... yes, of course." She hurried out, returning moments later with a hospital phone.

Jack's fingers moved with practiced precision, dialing a number few people knew existed.

After several rings, a mechanical voice answered: "Encrypted line activated. Authorization required."

"Authorization code: Sierra-Echo-Seven-Four-Nine. Commander Jack Sullivan, Iron Wolf Battalion."

Silence. Then, "Commander? Sir... is it really you?"

"Hello, Marcus," Jack smiled, recognizing his former communications officer.

"Still manning the emergency lines?"

"Sir, we... we thought you were dead! After the battle with Kane's forces—"

"Reports of my death were somewhat premature." Jack touched the bandage on his head.

"Though not entirely inaccurate."

"Sir, what happened? We searched for months!"

"Kane's explosion did more damage than expected. Brain injury. Lost my memory." Jack's jaw tightened.

"Spent the last year living as a mentally impaired servant for my wife's family. Quite the fall from commanding a million troops, wouldn't you say?"

"Jesus Christ, sir. That's... that's..."

"Absurd? Indeed. But now I remember everything. The battle. Kane's defeat. The explosion that should have killed me." Jack's voice hardened.

"And who arranged for that 'accident' in the first place."

"Your orders, sir?"

"First, I need you to look up everything about the Johnson family. Particularly Mike and Lisa Johnson. The marriage was arranged when I returned... impaired."

"The marriage wasn't real?"

"Oh, it was legal enough. They wanted my family's money, and my family wanted someone to watch over their damaged son." Jack laughed bitterly.

"What they didn't know was that some part of me remembered enough to find my way home after the attack. I just couldn't... be myself."

"And now, sir?"

"Now?" Jack stood, walking to the window.

"Now I remember who's been stealing my family's money, who's been working with Kane behind the scenes, and who tried to have me killed in that battle."

"Should I activate Protocol Seven, sir?"

"Not yet. Let them think I'm still their singing, cleaning fool for now. But I want surveillance on Mike Johnson and his associates. Full coverage."

"Yes, sir. And Mrs. Sullivan?"

Jack paused, thinking of Lisa.

"She's... complicated. She never mistreated me, but she stood by and watched. Keep an eye on her too, but discreetly."

"Understood. Anything else?"

"Yes. Contact Matilda Steel. Tell her the Commander is back, and I need her in Havenwood immediately. We have some personal matters to settle here first."

"Matilda will be overjoyed, sir. She never believed you were dead."

"Good. Because I'm going to need her help. The Carter family needs to learn that actions have consequences, even a year later."

"The Carter family, sir?"

"Alex Carter killed my friend Kyle with his Maserati. Paid ten thousand dollars and called it even." Jack's voice was ice-cold. "It's time to settle that account."

"Right away, sir. And... welcome back, Commander."