CHAPTER FIVE
The private jet skidded gracefully along the runway before finally slowing to a smooth stop. Moments later, the jet door opened and a tall, impeccably dressed young man stepped out, his presence instantly commanding the attention of the waiting paparazzi. Behind him, two men in black followed in silence, their sharp eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses as they scanned every corner and pushed the crowd aside.
Flashes exploded nonstop as reporters struggled to catch a glimpse of him or shout questions in his direction. The young man ignored them completely, striding toward the waiting black SUV as his bodyguards cleared a path through the chaos.
Standing beside the SUV was a man in a crisp suit, clutching a leather folder tightly in his hands. A polite smile spread across his face the moment he saw his boss approach. As the young man reached the vehicle, the man in the suit hurried forward and opened the door. His boss paused and glanced at him briefly.
"Welcome, Mr. Ethan," the man said.
Mr. Ethan nodded slightly.
"Did my mother know I was coming to L.A.?" he asked.
"No, boss. As you instructed, I didn't inform her," Assistant Lucian replied.
Then, hesitating for a moment, he added, "So… what business are you here for, boss?"
"I didn't come back to L.A. for business," Ethan replied simply, sliding into the open SUV.
"What?" Lucian blinked in surprise.
If not for business, what could have brought his boss back to Los Angeles?
Lucian quickly got into the vehicle as the driver started the engine.
"Not here for business?" Lucian asked again, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Then what are you here for, boss?"
"Are you sure you want to know?" Ethan asked, shooting him a cold glance.
Lucian immediately wiped the curious expression off his face.
"No__ don't worry, boss. Whatever you're here for, I'll be always there when you call,"
Lucian said, chuckling awkwardly.
"And my mother?"
"She doesn't have to know you're in L.A.," Lucian replied quickly.
"Good," Ethan whispered.
After a while on the road, Ethan slowly untied the old, worn scarf wrapped around his left hand.
"Wherever you are," he murmured softly. "I'll find you."
Lucian glanced at him, confusion clear in his eyes.
"Assistant Lucian," Ethan suddenly called.
"Yes, boss."
"I need you to help me find someone. A girl."
Lucian blinked again, startled.
"A.. a girl?" he repeated, clearly finding it hard to believe.
"Yes. A woman who was working near the place where I had that accident eight years ago," Ethan said calmly.
"You mean the accident when you were being chased?" Lucian asked. "But boss, why are you looking for a woman from around that place?"
"She saved my life," Ethan replied simply.
"What? I thought you said the cops saved you."
"It was actually a woman," Ethan said with a quiet chuckle. "If not for her, I'd be crippled by now."
As he spoke, the memory of that night resurfaced vividly in his mind.
Flashback
It was a rainy Saturday night. The downpour was relentless as people scrambled for shelter beneath shop awnings and closed storefronts.
Ethan was returning from a party, slightly tipsy and exhausted. His mother had insisted he take bodyguards with him, but he had brushed her off, saying they would ruin the mood with his friends.
As he drove down the slick road, he noticed two black cars trailing him. At first, he dismissed it, assuming they were just passing vehicles. But the way they mirrored his movements told a different story.
"What the fuck?" Ethan muttered irritably.
He knew very well how many people were after him. Being the heir to a powerful family made him an easy target.
After contemplating for a while, he decided to lose them.
He increased his speed, and just as he suspected, they sped up too. Without warning, he swerved into a side street—
___ but they followed. Minutes later, the chase became obvious. Ethan drove faster, turning sharply through different roads, trying to shake them off, but they were relentless.
"Fucking bitches!" he shouted, his grip tightening on the wheel. The rain was heavy, his vision blurred, and the alcohol in his system only made things worse.
Then he turned into a narrow road__ only to realize it ended in a dead block.
When he slammed on the brakes, nothing happened.
"Shit!"
The car crashed violently into an abandoned building. Metal screeched as the vehicle shattered, and a heavy iron beam collapsed onto him. He screamed in agony.
The two black cars stopped behind him. Two masked men stepped out, guns in hand, and began walking toward the wreck.
Just when Ethan thought his life was over, a woman suddenly ran toward the scene.
Ignoring the armed men completely, she rushed to his car, struggling to pull him free. The two men exchanged glances surprised.
"This lady's got a pretty face and too much fuckin audacity." One of the men said with a chuckle.
The other man raised his gun at her.
"Get the fuck out of here if you don't want to die with him," he threatened.
She didn't even flinch.
As the man stepped closer and aimed the gun directly at her, she moved fast__ twisting his wrist sharply, knocking the gun loose, and shoving him off balance in one smooth kick. Before he could react, she snatched the gun from the ground and pressed it against his head.
The man froze in shock.
"Drop your gun!" she yelled at the second man.
He hesitated, then slowly raised his hands and let his weapon fall.
"I've already called the police," she warned, her voice steady. "You can walk away now, or I'll blow your fucking brain out."
After a tense pause, the men turned and ran.
She dropped the gun immediately and rushed back to Ethan, who was slipping in and out of consciousness.
His vision was blurred, but he tried desperately to see her face. Yet he couldn't. Everything was faint and blurry.
She managed to pull him out of the wreckage, but blood kept pouring from his wounds. She grabbed her phone and dialed for help.
"911, what's your emergency?" the voice on the other end asked.
"I have a man here___ he's bleeding badly. He's been in an accident," she said urgently with a panic.
"Calm down, ma'am. Help is on the way. What's your location?"
"Near Funx Club."
"Okay. Stay where you are. We'll be there shortly."
The call ended. She quickly stood up, pacing anxiously.
"I can't just stand here and wait," she whispered. "He's losing too much blood."
She crouched beside him again. "I'll go get something to stop the bleeding."
As she stood to leave, Ethan weakly reached out and grabbed her scarf. It slipped free from her neck as she rushed away.
The last thing he saw before passing out was her disappearing into the rain.
When the ambulance arrived, Ethan clutched the scarf tightly, refusing to let go.
And they left before the lady was back.
Present
"Finding that woman is my main reason for coming back to L.A. I need to thank her for my life. She deserves it." Ethan said calmly.
Lucian stared at him, stunned. This was a story he had never heard___ one he never imagined existed.
"Most of the buildings around that area have been torn down and rebuilt," Lucian said carefully. "Finding her might be difficult."
"I don't think she lived there," Ethan replied. "She was probably working nearby. Her outfit looked professional."
Lucian nodded slowly.
"Alright. I'll see what information I can dig up about her."