“Excuse me, miss… are you all right?”
A man’s voice broke through the cold fog of the night, but Alyssa could no longer answer.
Her steps were unsteady, her body trembling. Her stomach ached—she hadn’t eaten since yesterday. She didn’t even know where to go after being thrown out.
The rain still drizzled when she stopped in front of an upscale café glowing with warm lights behind its large windows.
The scent of coffee and toasted bread drifted out—comforting yet cruel to someone who didn’t even have a single coin in her pocket.
“Just a little…” she murmured weakly, gazing inside.
But her vision began to blur. Her steps faltered, her body swayed—and in the next moment, everything went dark.
Thud!
Alyssa collapsed onto the wet pavement right in front of the café door.
Gasps erupted around her. “Help! Someone’s fainted!”
A man rushed forward, his black coat fluttering in the night wind. He knelt beside her, gently patting her cheek.
“Hey, open your eyes…” His voice was deep and calm, yet laced with worry.
When Alyssa slowly opened her eyes, through the haze she saw a face that felt strangely familiar—
Sharp, warm eyes. A strong jawline. Broad shoulders beneath a dark suit.
“E… Ethan?” her voice was hoarse, barely audible.
The man froze. “Alyssa?”
He stared at her, disbelief flooding his expression—as if he couldn’t reconcile the fragile woman before him with the elegant lady who once graced every family gathering.
“What happened to you?” he asked quickly, helping her sit up.
Alyssa lowered her gaze, breathing weakly. “I’m just… a little tired.”
She tried to smile, but her lips were pale and trembling.
“A little?” Ethan muttered. “You nearly collapsed on the street, Alyssa. Come on, get inside.”
He helped her to her feet, guiding her into the café—which fell silent as soon as they entered.
A waiter rushed forward. “Mr. Ethan! Would you like the private room?”
Ethan nodded. “Yes. And bring something warm, please.”
They sat in a quiet VIP room upstairs. The sound of rain was faint beyond the wide window.
Alyssa stared at the cup of hot chocolate before her, too afraid to drink it. Her hands were still shaking.
“You didn’t have to do this,” she said softly. “I don’t want to trouble anyone.”
Ethan studied her for a long moment. “You haven’t changed… still refusing help even when you clearly need it.”
His tone was gentle, tinged with an old, unspoken regret.
Alyssa gave a bitter smile. “Maybe because I’ve been saved too many times. And every time it happened… I ended up more broken.”
Ethan fell silent. He knew who she meant. Rafael.
The name that once made him give up on the love he never had a chance to claim.
“So… he hurt you,” Ethan murmured at last.
Alyssa looked out the window. “He took everything. The house, the company… even my dignity.”
“Bastard,” Ethan muttered, his fists clenching. “I should’ve known he was never good enough for you.”
Alyssa turned to him. “Let it go, Ethan. I don’t want to talk about the past. I just need time to stand again.”
Ethan leaned forward, his voice low and firm. “And I want to help you stand.”
Alyssa shook her head quickly. “No. I don’t want your pity.”
Ethan’s eyes met hers, unwavering. “Who said anything about pity?”
He took a deep breath. “I couldn’t protect you before, Alyssa. So now, let me stay by your side—not out of sympathy, but because I still care.”
Her chest tightened at his words. She looked down, fighting back the tears threatening to fall. “You don’t know what you’re saying, Ethan. I’m not the same Alyssa anymore.”
Ethan’s lips curved faintly. “That’s exactly why. The old Alyssa trusted too easily. The woman sitting before me now—she’s stronger. And I want to see her rise again, not pity her.”
Alyssa fell silent. A strange warmth spread through her chest—a mixture of old pain and fragile hope.
She looked at Ethan, the man who once could have been her future, now returning when everything else had fallen apart.
“Why now?” she whispered. “Why appear only when it’s too late?”
Ethan’s eyes softened. “Because sometimes fate waits until we’re broken… before it brings us the person we were meant to meet.”
For a moment, silence filled the room. Only the rain spoke.
Alyssa took a slow breath and nodded faintly. “Then… I’ll accept your help. But only for a while.”
Ethan smiled—a small, knowing smile—but his eyes carried something deeper than sympathy. “A while is enough… as long as I get to see you smile again.”