A Call That Changed Her Entire Life

Estelle was wrong. Ethan was still a jerk. He had only gathered up the guts to flirt with her because he had failed to find the girl he was looking for.

Of course Estelle knew that. It had only slipped her mind because she was worried about her father.

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. She stomped away, her heels clicking on the tiles.

But the next thing she knew, Ethan was in front of her with raised eyebrows. "Why did you come here? Was this how you wished to thank me?" he asked.

With a grin on his face, he fished his car key out of his pocket and twirled it around his finger. "Were you waiting for me outside that door to invite me somewhere?"

His tone was suggestive.

Estelle took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. She looked up at Ethan, who was now casually leaning against the wall, and then clenched her teeth and said, "Fine. Let's go out for dinner. My treat."

As much as she hated to admit it, Ethan was right. She had been waiting for him outside the consultation room to invite him to dinner as a way to say thanks. Also, she wanted to talk to him about paying him back for enlisting experts for her father's case.

She had just gotten distracted by Ethan's antics and forgotten about it for a while.

Ethan, on the other hand, had just taken a guess as to why Estelle was outside the consultation room. Much to his surprise, he was right. She was actually going to invite him to eat. He still could not believe it.

Estelle started walking. "Are you coming?" she asked when Ethan did not move.

"Yes, of course." Ethan beamed. He quickly fell into step beside Estelle and put his arm around her shoulder. "You rarely ask me out to eat. How can I not go?"

His hand felt heavy on her shoulder.

She tried shaking it off but failed, which Ethan found amusing. However, he loosened his grip a little.

There was no underground parking lot in the hospital, so they could only park the car outside. They walked together toward the hospital's drop-off area. "Aren't you going to get the car?" Estelle asked, looking up at Ethan. Ethan just grinned at her, let go of her shoulder, and started toward the parking lot.

He took another glance at Estelle. Then, horror flashed in his eyes.

knew, Estelle was pressed under his body. They had both fallen to the ground.

all happened so fast. Estelle felt dizzy and could not find her voice.

hurt a little. She

they were at the hospital entrance. Passers-by stopped and stared

Estelle felt embarrassed.

up with much difficulty. He

that something was wrong. Some concerned bystanders had come to help her and

Estelle saw small traces of fresh blood

to her throat. She quickly took Ethan's face in her hands and looked directly in his eyes. "Ethan, are you okay?" she asked nervously. "I'm fine,"

helped them. "What happened just now?" she

her things were scattered everywhere. An exploded bag of date pits now sat at the spot where she had been

his arm. "Some idiot threw a bag of date pits

of date pits like that was heavy enough to seriously hurt someone. It could even

Otherwise, the bag would

out whether it

had a hole around the right elbow, possibly the one Ethan had used to catch his weight when he cushioned her fall. Blood was oozing out of

go have that checked out." Her

helping Ethan walk back to

head and said, "No,

out with Estelle was more important. He could not waste this opportunity. He grabbed her with his uninjured arm and said with a smile, "Are you reluctant

was not the right time for him to

were scattered on the ground. "Don't be ridiculous. Have your wound treated first, and then we'll go out

disinfectant." Ethan refused to go back

looked like a

had no choice. It was not good for Ethan to be bleeding on

"Fine. Let me just clean and dress it simply for now. It may get

Estelle ushered him to a bench. He wished he could stay longer