A Twist of Fate and Unexpected Help

She wished she could see things. Everything felt uncertain. The love she once had for Ethan seemed like a distant memory, replaced by anger that made it hard to breathe.

Yet, she couldn't escape—she still cared, even after the hurt. She wanted things to change but didn't know how. Lost in thought, she heard a faint creak behind her. Turning, she saw no one. Was she imagining it? Was Ethan back? And if he was, could she face him?

Sophia didn't eat breakfast, and she didn't have much appetite for lunch. She ate a little and went upstairs. She took a nap and woke up to find that it was only one o'clock in the afternoon. She had originally planned not to go to school in the afternoon, but she had nothing to do at home, and she was always thinking about some troubles, so she got up and went out. The cold winds outside made her shiver slightly. She wrapped her coat tighter around herself and quickened her pace toward the school.

When she arrived at the school gate, she unexpectedly met a colleague. It was Emily, the director of their department, who was a generation older than Sophia.

"Director Emily," Sophia greeted politely, offering a small smile.

"Sophia, heading to class Emily asked, adjusting the strap of her handbag.

Sophia nodded. "Yes, I was feeling a bit restless at home, so I thought I'd come in."

Emily smiled warmly. "Good. Keeping busy is always best. Let's catch up after work. I know a nice little tea house nearby."

When Sophia first took office, Emily had often taken care of her in various aspects, offering guidance and advice. Feeling grateful, Sophia agreed. "That sounds lovely. Let's do that."

After a brief exchange, Sophia walked into the school building, her mind already drifting to something else. She was sitting in the office when she suddenly remembered—her car was still parked at the entrance of the welfare home! She frowned, tapping her fingers against the desk. Looking through her class schedule, she saw that she had only one class in the morning and one in the afternoon. Technically, she had time to retrieve it, but she had already made plans with Director Emily. What should she do now?

She bit her lip, thoughtful. Sophia pulled out her phone, hesitating. She was still in the middle of a contention with Ethan, so she couldn't ask him for help. She swiped up on her contacts list, and a old name appeared before her eyes.

Zane.

It was a number she had by chance found in Ethan's phone and had silently written down. She had never dialled it, but she had kept it. There had been no reason to use it before. And now? Could she really call this number out of nowhere?

Sophia's fingers hovered over the screen for a few seconds before she let out a sigh and put the phone back into her bag. She'd figure something out later. For now, she catch a book and headed to the classroom.

After her class, Sophia felt tired. Standing for an hour had left her feet sore. She bent down to rub them, and at that moment, her phone slipped from her pocket and fell to the ground with a soft thud.

She reached out to pick it up but hesitated. Her hand froze in mid-air. The screen was lit up with an incoming call.

Zane.

Her breath hitched. What the hell was going on? Why was Zane calling her? He shouldn't have her number. Had she accidentally called him earlier? Or maybe, while incompetent with her phone, she had pressed it unknowingly?

The ringing continued, urging her to act. The phone in her hand felt like a time bomb wrapped in sugar—tempting, yet dangerous. She wanted to answer it, but at the same time, she didn't dare. "Sophia, what are you doing? You dropped your phone and didn't even pick it up. There's a call!" Director Emily's voice jolted her back to reality. Sophia quickly grabbed the phone and, without thinking, swiped to answer. But just as she did, the call was disconnected from the other end. She exhaled a breath she hadn't realized she was holding—relieved yet strangely disappointed.

However, before she could fully compose herself, the phone rang again.

Sophia's heart pounded harder this time. She looked at the screen, her hands trembling slightly as she swiped to accept the call. "Hello?"

She could hear the tremor in her voice. She tried to swallow and calm herself, hoping to sound more natural.

There was silence on the other end. A long, heavy silence.

Sophia felt like her heartbeat was deafening in the quiet. If the person didn't speak soon, she was afraid she might just pass out from the suspense.

Finally, the silence broke.

"Why did you take so long to answer the phone?" The voice was familiar. But it wasn't Zane's.

Sophia makes a face, her brain working fast. Who was it? The voice was recognizable, yet in her current nervous state, she took a few extra seconds to place it.

Then it clicked.

"Ethan?" she blurted out.

She wiped her face, realizing her skin was a little warm. She stole a glance at Director Emily, who was absorbed in paperwork, thankfully unaware of her disturbance.

"I was in class just now, and my phone was on silent," she explained, trying to keep her voice steady. "What's the matter? Where's your phone? Why are you calling me from someone else's number?" Another pause. Then Ethan answered, "My phone's out of battery. I just wanted to let you know that I've sent someone to get your car back for you."

"Oh…"

Sophia blinked. She hadn't even asked him for help.

She barely had time to say thanks before the call abruptly ended. Staring at the screen, she saw the call log: 23 seconds. The first time she had spoken to this number. Why had he been so considerate after everything that had happened between them?