Chapter 87: Hope
A part of him still couldn’t believe it. That all along, it hadn’t been Ivy beside him. It had been her. Ruby. And somehow, everything made sense now. Her warmth. Her hesitation. Her care.
His thoughts were interrupted by the vibration of his phone in his coat pocket.
He quickly pulled it out and answered, voice taut with anticipation when he saw who it was.
"Ethan?"
"I found something," his best friend said without preamble.
Stefan’s heart skipped a beat and he sat up straighter. "What is it? What did you find?"
"I’ve been checking travel counters like I told you," Ethan said, his voice calm but urgent. "And I got confirmation. Someone matching her description booked a flight. She left Zeden two days ago."
Stefan’s fingers tightened around the phone. "Where did she go?"
"Florittle."
Stefan’s brow furrowed. "Wait... isn’t that where you are now? For your new company?"
"Yes," Ethan confirmed.
A strange mix of relief and anxiety flooded Stefan.
"She’s in Florittle?" he repeated, trying to wrap his head around it.
"Looks like it," Ethan replied.
check. Please. Do whatever you can. Talk to airport staff, check CCTV footage from when she landed. I need to know if she really arrived, who she met... anything. I need to know she’s safe.
"Give me a little time, but
on the line, then Ethan’s tone softened. "How are you holding up,
feels like a blur right now. The woman I thought I knew... Ivy... she ran
quiet for
was Ruby who stayed. Ruby who cared. Ruby who... who made me fall in love with her
sighed. "Damn. That’s
telling me."
plan to do once
"I
the word
them.
a beat as the word
voice unmistakable. Then his tone warmed, laced
that in the midst of all that was happening, at least there was something to be happy about and give his friend the
chest as if to calm the wild beat of his heart. "But she left. And she’s alone.
father," Ethan
I need to find her. Not just for me... but for our child. She
going to do everything I can
deeply grateful. "Thank you. Just knowing there’s a lead... it’s the first
in there," Ethan said. "I’ll call you as soon as I find anything else. We’re going to
"Yeah," Stefan whispered. "Home."
flood of emotions—relief, guilt, fear, longing. He leaned
out there, carrying his child. And he would
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