Chapter 4

A cheerful voice called out behind me. I turned around, puzzled.

It was her! The girl I had helped on the street!

The next second, my eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

Clinging tightly to her arm was none other than Ethan.

She beamed, enthusiastically pulling me into the restaurant lobby. "This is my fiancé! He proposed to me recently, so we came here to celebrate... Remember our deal? You promised to let me buy you dinner if we met again!"

She looked up at Ethan with an adorable, teasing pout. "Babe, this is the amazing woman who rescued me on the street the other day! I know tonight was supposed to be just the two of us, but can she join us?"

Ethan's face drained of all color, shifting from pale to green.

He never could have imagined, in a city of millions, that our paths would cross like this.

Cornered, he had no choice but to force out, "Sure."

The dining room was dimly lit and breathtakingly elegant. The food smelled divine.

Yet every bite tasted like ash.

I had asked Ethan to bring me here months ago.

He brushed it off back then, complaining it was ridiculously overpriced and promising we'd only go on a milestone anniversary.

Turns out, he was saving it for someone else.

Sensing the awkward tension, the girl tried to break the ice. "I haven't introduced myself properly yet! I'm Claire, and this is Ethan."

"Chloe," I said evenly.

"Did you come alone tonight, Chloe?" Claire asked casually. "I remember you said your husband was waiting for you last time. Where is he?"

"..."

Right across the table, sharing bread rolls with you.

Ethan began coughing violently, shooting frantic, pleading glares at me.

I found the whole scene pathetic. That was when my eyes fell on his wrist.

Claire noticed my gaze and giggled shyly. "They're matching couple watches! Pretty cute, right? If you like it, you should totally buy one for your husband!"

Ethan choked on his water, coughing even harder.

No wonder he didn't care about the watch I bought him. Someone else had already put a leash on his wrist.

"I'm full," I said, picking up my purse. "I should head out. Thanks for the meal, Claire."

"Wait! Let us give you a ride!" Claire insisted. "My dad drove us here in his SUV. It's totally on our way!"

I declined repeatedly, but her persistence won out.

"Alright. Thank you."

Ethan obviously couldn't let me be alone with her, so he rushed along behind us.

The atmosphere in the car was suffocatingly tense.

I took a deep breath.

"Claire, there's actually something I need to tell—"

"LOOK OUT OVER THERE!" Ethan yelled at the top of his lungs, his face flushed scarlet.

His sudden shout startled Claire's father, who slammed his foot on the brake—

The next second, blinding headlights barreled into my side of the car!

Brace!

In that split second, I instinctively looked at Ethan.

He threw his entire body over Claire, shielding her tightly in his arms. "Don't be scared, I've got you!"

The world flipped upside down. The violent momentum slammed my head violently against the side window.