Chapter 3

The sky was just beginning to lighten when the helicopter landed at the private helipad on the east side of the city.

The car drove out of the helipad and through the still-sleeping city streets.

I leaned back in the seat, staring out the window, lost in thought.

My phone was still off.

Twenty-three years. I knew Ethan too well.

He'd get mad, I'd coax him. He'd push me away, I'd wait. He'd come back, I'd accept him.

As if I was just supposed to stand there and wait for him.

But this time.

I didn't want to wait anymore.

"Scarlett, we're here."

I snapped out of it. The car had already stopped at my house.

The house was warm. Maria was bustling in the kitchen and looked surprised to see me back.

"Scarlett? I thought you went to the peak to see the sunrise? Why are you back so early?"

"It ended early." I took off my jacket and sat at the dining table. "Maria, I'd love a bowl of soup."

"Coming right up, dear! It'll be ready in a jiffy."

The steaming hot soup arrived. I took a bite, feeling the warmth spread through my stomach, making me feel a little better.

Maria chattered beside me. "Oh, you poor thing, it must have been freezing up on that mountain, weren't you?"

"I'm fine."

"Where's Ethan? Didn't he come back with you?"

I paused.

"He had something to do."

Maria sighed and didn't press the issue.

After eating, I went upstairs and took a shower.

The hot water streamed over me, slowly washing away the chill from the mountain.

After my shower, I wrapped myself in a robe and sat on the sofa. After some hesitation, I turned on my phone.

As soon as it powered on, it started vibrating wildly.

99 missed calls, 99 unread messages.

I opened the messages.

"Scarlett, where are you?"

"The road down is blocked. They say the mountain's closed. Was this your doing?"

"Stop messing around, hurry up and get them to open the road. We've been freezing at the base of the mountain for almost an hour."

"Was that you, the helicopter? Did you take a helicopter?"

"You're really going too far."

"Scarlett, please stop playing games, okay? It's really cold out here, Chloe's shivering."

"Scarlett Hayes, you're absolutely out of line!"

"Scarlett, I'm sorry, okay?"

"Chloe collapsed. We took her to the clinic at the base of the mountain. Are you happy now?"

Seeing that, I raised an eyebrow.

Collapsed?

Such a princess?

I didn't reply, just scrolled down.

The last message was: "I'm sorry."

Ethan Blackwood would say sorry?

In twenty-three years, he had never once said sorry to me.

When he messed up, he'd always buy gifts, take me to dinner, try to cheer me up, but he never actually said sorry.

I put my phone down and lay back on the sofa.

Outside, fireworks were going off.

I suddenly remembered my childhood.

Ethan and I were both seven or eight back then, neighbors.

Once, he broke my favorite doll. My mom told him to apologize, and he just flushed beet red, then ran home. He emptied all the money from his piggy bank and brought it over to me.

"Here, buy a new one," he said.

I asked him, "Aren't you going to apologize?"

He looked down, and after a long moment, mumbled, "I... I paid you back."

Eventually, I forgave him.

Not because of the money, but because he'd given me a whole year's worth of his allowance.

Back then, I thought he wouldn't say sorry, but he'd show he cared in his own way.

At 3 PM, my phone rang again.

Caller ID: Ethan Blackwood.

On the fourth ring, I picked up.

"Scarlett!" His voice was urgent. "Where are you?"

I didn't speak.

"Scarlett, listen to me, this morning was my fault. I shouldn't have left you alone on the mountain, I just..."

"Ethan," I cut him off.

He paused.

"How's Chloe?"

He was startled, then said, "She got some fluids at the clinic, she's fine now. She's back home."

"Good."

"Scarlett, you..."

"I'm home," I said. "I'm fine, not cold, nothing happened."

He fell silent.

"You told me to reflect, and I have," I said. "You said I was too proud, that I needed to be taken down a peg. I thought about it all morning, and you're right, I am pretty proud."

"Scarlett, I didn't mean it like that..."

"Then what did you mean?"

He fell silent again.

"Ethan, do you know what it feels like to be abandoned on a mountain on New Year's Eve?"

"I..."

"Did it ever occur to you, what if I hadn't had a helicopter to get down? What if I'd fallen on the mountain path? What if I'd gotten hypothermia?"

"Scarlett, please stop..."

"You didn't care," I said. "You only cared if I'd given in."

The phone line was quiet for a long time.

Then I heard him say, "I'm sorry."

I said, "I heard you."

"Where are you? I'm coming to find you."

"No need," I said. "Go back and be with your family."

"Scarlett..."

"Ethan," I paused. "Do you know who owns this mountain?"

He was startled. "What?"

"Skyridge Peak. Hayes Industries acquired it two years ago. It's my property. So, I don't need to beg you."