Ethan Cole twitched the corners of his mouth as his thoughts raced, the smile on his face starting to falter. Reflecting on what had happened during the holiday, he suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
Seeing Ethan's silence, Felicia Hardy—who had been chatting happily moments before—fell quiet.
Although she didn't know exactly what was wrong, Ethan's expression made it clear something had changed.
After gathering his thoughts, Ethan cleared his throat and said softly, "I had an accident a few days ago… Grandpa York is no longer with us."
Felicia's mind went blank for a moment, as if a thunderclap had exploded inside her head. What had he just said?
Seeing the sudden change in Ethan's face, she immediately regretted her earlier lightheartedness.
Noticing Felicia's stiffening expression, Ethan forced a weak chuckle, masking the sadness beneath. "It's okay, Felicia. You don't need to blame yourself. It's done now."
Felicia's guilt only deepened at his words. Her mind swirled with confusion. "I'm so sorry, Ethan. I didn't know… I can't believe such a thing happened. I… I shouldn't have brought it up."
"Grandpa York… he and I…" Felicia began hesitantly.
She had also experienced the loss of a close family member—the death of her father had taken her a long time to accept. She understood Ethan's pain all too well.
Of course, Ethan didn't blame her—how could he? It wasn't her fault.
"You had no way of knowing. Don't blame yourself, Felicia."
Looking at Felicia's flustered, remorseful face, Ethan's voice softened further. "Actually, I want to thank you—for remembering him. He would have been happy to know."
"He always kept the cod pizza recipe close. If you don't mind, I can try making it for you sometime."
Ethan's gentle words eased Felicia's discomfort, though her remorse lingered. She hated having unintentionally dragged Ethan back into that sadness, reopening old wounds. Even though Ethan said little, Felicia caught the quiet sorrow hidden deep in his eyes.
"But you should prepare yourself," Ethan added with a small smile. "Grandpa York's cod pizza recipe is… unpredictable. You might find it a bit strange."
Felicia smiled back, gently clasping Ethan's hand. "Even so, I'll finish every bite."
Feeling the warmth of her touch, Ethan felt a faint glow stir in his chest.
He had friends now—people who cared. He was no longer the lonely kid from before. When Grandpa York passed, Ethan had even thought of following him, but the arrival of Venom had changed everything.
Felicia wanted to say something to remind Ethan he wasn't alone, but before she could, Ethan suddenly stood up.
"Sorry, Felicia. I just remembered something urgent I have to take care of." Ethan hurriedly gathered his things, a hint of awkwardness in his voice.
Felicia quickly waved her hand, signaling it was fine. The abruptness confused her, and she swallowed the words she wanted to say.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Ethan smiled and said, "Thanks for talking with me. It's been a tough time, but I'm feeling better. I hope to see you again soon."
With that, Ethan grabbed his belongings and made his way to the door. Before leaving, he turned around to wave at her once more, then dashed out.
"Did Ethan suddenly remember something?" Felicia whispered to herself, worry creasing her brow as she watched him leave.
At the far end of the street, his back disappeared into the distance.
"Is he upset because of what I said?" Her heart tightened.
"But he just thanked me for talking."
"What if it was just words… and he didn't truly mean it?"
"Is it because he doesn't want to continue talking to me, so he left in such a hurry?" Felicia Hardy muttered to herself, her frustration growing with each passing second.
"Ouch~! How could this happen~!" She suddenly shouted in exasperation, her voice losing grace as she covered her face with both hands. Then, she collapsed back onto the table and began absentmindedly running her fingers through her tangled blond hair.
This scene did not go unnoticed. The baristas and other customers in the café glanced over curiously. Gossip, after all, is part of human nature.
Most likely, they assumed this strikingly beautiful woman was emotionally entangled with the handsome young man who had just left abruptly. The boy's sudden departure left Felicia in an awkward and visibly distressed state — a situation that to onlookers clearly hinted at some kind of romantic fallout. Otherwise, her current disarray made no sense.
The waitress standing nearby shared similar thoughts. She appeared conflicted, as if wanting to approach Felicia to offer some comfort but hesitated, unsure if she should intervene.
After a brief pause, the waitress decided against joining in. Instead, she silently cheered for the beautiful young woman from a distance.
Unaware of the whispered speculation around her, Felicia's mind was a tempest of chaotic thoughts. Emotional turmoil and guilt churned relentlessly in her heart.
She blamed herself for unintentionally striking a nerve with Ethan Cole's hidden pain, and she felt tangled in the confusion caused by his sudden, determined exit.
Though Ethan had explained he suddenly remembered an urgent matter and needed to leave, Felicia couldn't shake the gnawing doubt: did her words hurt him more than she realized?
Once such worries took hold, they intensified uncontrollably. Felicia remained slumped on the table, her hair wild and her spirit low.
After some time, she slowly lifted herself upright. Her eyes settled on the half-finished latte before her as she silently vowed: "Even if Ethan said he wasn't bothered, I should still apologize. God must have put him through a lot."
Felicia was deeply familiar with the sadness etched in his eyes—the kind that comes from losing someone irreplaceable. She had endured the loss of her own father, so she knew all too well the ache of grief and how it weighs down the soul.
Meanwhile, Ethan Cole was oblivious to Felicia's turmoil and self-reproach. His mind was singularly focused on one thing: returning home to monitor the data feed.
The discreet device sewn into his cuff vibrated and sent a signal—meaning the home surveillance system had detected a figure matching Rick Foley's description, or perhaps even Rick Foley himself.
It was an unexpectedly fortunate start. Though there was no guarantee the figure was truly Rick Foley, this breakthrough marked a promising beginning.