Ethan had been sitting in his car for hours, his fingers tapping restlessly on the steering wheel. He had told himself he wouldn’t stay long, that he would leave before she ever saw him. But sothing kept him there an invisible thread pulling him toward Mara, no matter how much he fought it.
Just as he was about to turn the ignition and drive away, movent caught his eye. His heart leaped when he saw Mara sprinting out of the foundation.
A small, relieved smile ford on his lips until he noticed the figure chasing after her.
His stomach dropped. Instinct took over. He started the car, tires screeching as he pulled up to the entrance, rolling down the window. "Mara! Get in!"
Mara skidded to a halt, her eyes widening when she saw who was behind the wheel. Ethan.
For a split second, she hesitated. The mories, the past, the unanswered questions, and all of it crashed down on her. But there was no ti. She glanced over her shoulder. Philip was almost on her.
Without another thought, she yanked the car door open and jumped inside. "Go!"
Ethan didn’t need to be told twice. He slamd his foot on the gas, the tires screeching against the pavent as the car lurched forward.
A gunshot rang out. Mara flinched as Philip fired at them, his face contorted with rage. Seconds later, his n arrived, pouring into their vehicles and giving chase.
"Hold on," Ethan muttered, gripping the wheel tighter as he weaved through the streets, accelerating to top speed.
Mara hurriedly buckled her seatbelt, her pulse hamring. The car jolted as Ethan took a sharp turn, trying to shake off their pursuers. Her hands trembled as she turned to him. "Can I borrow your phone?"
"Yes," Ethan replied, his eyes fixed on the road. "It’s in my pocket. You’ll have to grab it yourself."
Mara hesitated for a mont, but with Philip and his n still on their tail, she didn’t have ti to second-guess. Swallowing her reluctance, she reached over, fumbling in Ethan’s pocket until she found the phone, Ethan flinched just a little but now was not the ti her touch no matter how small did magic to his nerves, he bit his lips, they needed to survival.
Mara noticed it but who cares about that now, she quickly dialed her brothers, but none of them answered. Frustrated, she called the police. Philip’s case was being handled by top security agents, making it impossible to disclose too many details. "Soone is after !" she said urgently, but the dispatcher started bombarding her with questions.
"Just send help!" she snapped, ending the call.
Mara turned to Ethan. "You’re not going to ask why ard n are shooting at us? And what were you even doing at the foundation?"
Ethan smirked, glancing at her briefly. "Should I answer all your questions or just focus on driving?"
Mara huffed. "Just drive. We can deal with the rest later."
"I know a safe place," he offered.
"Why not drive to the police station?" Mara countered.
"The nearest station is still miles away," Ethan explained, his grip on the wheel tightening.
Philip’s n remained hot on their trail. Then, up ahead, Mara spotted a parked patrol car near a supermarket. "There! Stop and ask for help!"
But instead of stopping, Ethan floored the gas and clipped the back of the police car. The loud crunch of tal echoed through the street.
"What the hell are you doing?" Mara exclaid.
The officer, who had been inside the supermarket, ran out, imdiately calling for backup. Within monts, sirens blared in the distance, growing louder as police cars sped toward them.
Philip, seeing the swarm of flashing lights, gritted his teeth in frustration. He knew he couldn’t risk exposure. With a furious curse, he motioned for his n to retreat.
Mara glanced back, realizing Philip was no longer following them. But now, they had a different problem, the police were on their tail instead.
Ethan chuckled. "Don’t worry. I can lose them too."
Mara wasn’t so sure, but to her astonishnt, Ethan managed to shake off the police after a series of sharp turns and backroad shortcuts. Eventually, he pulled up in front of her house and cut the engine.
Mara let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. "Thank you."
Ethan simply nodded. "You’re welco." Just like that no question asked.
He didn’t say anything more. Mara lingered for a mont, watching him, before finally stepping out and heading inside. Ethan’s breath hitched the mont he noticed Mara’s bare feet against the cold pavent. The night air had a slight chill, and the thought of her walking without shoes sent a pang of concern through him. Without a second thought, he reached for her wrist, gently halting her steps.
"Mara, wait." His voice was softer than he intended, almost pleading.
She turned, her eyes searching his, but she said nothing. There was sothing unreadable in her gaze a mix of surprise, hesitation, and sothing else he couldn’t quite place. Ethan didn’t let himself dwell on it. Instead, he released her wrist and strode to his car, popping open the trunk. Within monts, he returned, kneeling before her with a pair of white sneakers in his hands.
"Here," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Put these on."
Mara blinked, startled, but when Ethan took one of her feet in his warm hands and carefully slipped the shoe on, she didn’t pull away. His touch was gentle, and reverent, as if this simple act ant more than just offering her comfort.
He tied the laces with a practiced ease, then moved on to the other foot, his fingers brushing against her ankle for the briefest second. A shiver ran through her, though she wasn’t sure if it was from the cool air or the way Ethan was looking at her as if she were sothing precious, sothing fragile, sothing he never wanted to let go of again how good it felt that he didn’t rember who she was.
When he was done, he let his hands rest on his knees for a mont before standing. He took a slow step back, nodding at her feet. "There."
Mara swallowed, her throat tight with emotions she didn’t have words for. "Thank you," she murmured.
Ethan simply nodded, his own emotions tangled in the silence between them. He was relieved she was ho safe, but the weight in his chest wouldn’t lift. This wasn’t how he had planned to see her again.
He had only wanted to catch a glimpse of her, to reassure himself that she was okay, to remind himself that she was still real and not just a lingering mory haunting his mind. But now that he was here, standing in front of her, it was impossible to ignore the ache in his heart.
He watched as she turned toward the door, her figure illuminated by the soft glow of the porch light. A part of him wanted to call out to her, to tell her the truth—that he rembered everything, that the fog that had once clouded his mind had finally lifted. That every mont, every laugh, every touch they had shared had co rushing back like a tidal wave, overwhelming him in its intensity.
But the words caught in his throat. Would she even believe him? Or worse would she think he had been deceiving her all this ti, pretending not to rember just to protect himself from the pain of their past?
Mara’s hand reached for the doorknob. This was his mont. Say sothing, Ethan, he begged himself. But before he could find the courage, she stepped inside, the door closing softly behind her.
Ethan exhaled slowly, dragging a hand down his face. Maybe this was a sign. Maybe now wasn’t the right ti. Maybe she wasn’t ready or maybe he wasn’t.
With a heavy heart, he turned on his heels and walked back to his car. The night felt colder sohow, emptier. As he slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, he knew one thing for certain.
Sooner or later, he would have to face the truth. Sooner or later, he would have to face her.
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