“How could she treat me like that? How dare she?” he thought, his anger boiling over.


    Zac clenched his fists, furious. In that moment, he made up his mind. If Liz ever came back begging for another chance, he wouldn’t make it easy for her.


    Beside him, Xena sat in silence, her head lowered, her expression unreadable.


    Neither of them spoke until the car pulled up outside her apartment building. Zac finally turned toward her.” Thanks for tonight.”


    Xena looked up, her face already softened into a gentle smile. <b>“</b>It’s nothing. I was happy to help,”


    “You should go on up. I’m heading back to my ce tonight”


    “Okay.”


    She reminded the driver to go slow, then stepped out of the car.


    Smiling faintly, she watched Zac’s car disappear down the road. But as soon as he was out of sight, her expression turned ice cold.


    She turned and headed inside the building, pulling out her phone. After a few rings, someone picked up.


    “Start the n,” she said tly. “It’s time.”


    She ended the call and slipped her phone back into her purse. A cold smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. The next morning, Liz had just woken up when she received a message from Tammy.


    “Liz, after the reunionst night, Ethan was rear–ended on his way home. He’s in the hospital now.”


    Liz froze for a moment, then immediately called her back.


    “How is he? Is it serious?”


    “He has a fractured right leg and a few scrapes and bruises. Nothing life–threatening, but the doctor said he’ll need at least a month of rest.”


    Liz let out a breath of relief. “As long as it’s not life–threatening, Which hospital is he at? I’ll head over now.”


    Tammy gave her the name and room number. Liz ended the call, quickly got ready, and drove straight to the hospital.


    Just as she reached the doorway to the room, she heard a sharp, angry voice from inside.


    “Ethan, are you sure you’re not going to tell Liz about this?”


    Liz stopped in her tracks.


    There was a pause, then Ethan’s voice came through, sounding weak. “This has nothing to do with her. I don’t want to drag her into it.”


    The other person let out a coldugh. “Nothing to do with her? If not for her, would you even be lying in this hospital bed?”


    Ethan’s tone was weary. “The police just gave us the ident report. You heard them. The road was slippery, and the driver couldn’t brake in time. It was just an ident.”


    “With Zac Lincoln’s resources, faking a police report would be child’s y.”


    “His driver was the one behind the wheel. That doesn’t mean he had anything to do with it. It’s over now. Let it go. And don’t bring it up again–especially not in front of Liz.)


    Right then, the door swung open.


    Both men turned toward the entrance, and their expressions shifted when they saw Liz standing there.


    Tyler’s expression immediately darkened. His eyes held a sharp trace of displeasure as he looked at her. If it hadn’t been for her, Ethan never would have gotten dragged into this mess.


    “A slippery road andte braking? What a joke,” he scoffed inwardly.


    He didn’t buy any of it. Only someone as kind as Ethan would believe a report like that.


    Ethan, on the other hand, looked mildly surprised for a moment, then managed a faint smile. His lips were pale, but he kept his voice light. “I didn’t expect word to travel so fast. Who told you I was here?”


    “I just heard Tyler say the one who hit you was Zac’s driver. Is that true?”


    Ethan’s smile faltered slightly. After a pause, he said, “Don’t read too much into it. It really was just an ident. I don’t think Mr. Lincoln had anything to do with it.”


    +15 <b>BONUS </b>


    Chapter <b>53 </b>