Chapter 5

THIRD PERSON’S POV

Ethan fixed his eyes on Lucy, his eyes unwavering and unblinking. Lucy didn't want to look away, but after a while it got weird. She looked away and breathed out heavily. “What is this? A staring competition?” She thought to herself.

Ethan smirked. “What would you like to order?” he asked.

“I am okay with what I am having right now.” She crossed her legs and sat up properly. “I didn't come here to eat; we both know that. So why don't we skip to what brought us here?”

Ethan chuckled softly. “You are just like they all say.” He muttered under his breath.

Lucy's eyes narrowed. “What was that?” She replied sharply.

Ethan's lips curled up in a small smile. “Ohh, it's nothing,” he replied. “I haven't had anything to eat today, so I would like to order something if you do not mind.”

Lucy nodded. “Go ahead.” She replied.

Ethan made his order, and while they waited, they sat in an uncomfortable silence. Soon the server appeared with the food. He dropped Ethan's order in front of him and the other plate in front of Lucy.

“Wait!” Lucy immediately called out to the server. “I didn't order anything.”

“I did." Ethan answered.

Lucy's eyebrows furrowed. "The audacity of this man."

"I know you well enough to know that you haven't eaten anything today. And I know you are about to argue, but please don't. We will have the discussion that brought us here, but we can eat while we do that.” He said to her, This time he wasn't smirking or smiling. He looked sincere.

Lucy swallowed heavily. “How does he know me so well? He even ordered something I like. That is weird,” she thought to herself. She looked around the room, suddenly feeling a bit insecure.

Ethan dropped his cutlery on his plate and looked up. “Did I make you uncomfortable?” He asked.

“How do you know so much about me?” Lucy asked instead of giving him a reply to his question.

He picked up the napkin and wiped off his lips. “I have known you for a while. I know how weird that sounds, but it's true. I have been keeping tabs on you since you were in college.” He replied, maintaining eye contact.

Lucy's eyes narrowed. “Since college? That is over 10 years or at least almost.” She replied in shock. “Why? Who are you?” she asked.

“That is an interesting question. It is also a valid question. Well, let's start with who I am. I am Ethan, the man you saw on the road bleeding and at the point of death whom you also rushed to a hospital.” He replied.

Lucy cocked her head to the side, the confusion evident in her face. “I saved you?” She asked, surprised.

He leaned back into his chair and crossed his arms, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “I can see that you do not remember.”

Lucy leaned in. “Are you serious about this?” She asked. "I think you got the wrong person, Mr Ethan.

Ethan's eyebrow raised. “Do I look like I am not serious? I think you should have been in your second year in college then.” He said.

Lucy's eyes scanned him. "You look well put together, so I can't say if you are mentally unstable or not. But it has to be that, or you got the wrong person."

Ethan burst into laughter. His voice was not too loud to attract attention to them but enough to have Lucy's eyebrows raised.

He took out his phone, and after pressing something on it, he handed it to her. “Here, look at this. It might bring back the memories.” He said to her,

Lucy carefully took a phone and looked at it. It was a newspaper article about an accident. In the front picture a lady was holding a stretcher which was carrying a bloody Ethan. She gasped, “Oh my gosh, that's me." She muttered as it finally clicked. "I had forgotten about this. That was you? I didn't even know that this made it to the news.”

“Yes. That was me. I am important enough to make it to the news." He said smugly.

"And if you hadn't seen me that night and called an ambulance, I would have died. I was really grateful for your act of kindness, so after I got better, I sought you out. I hoped to get an opportunity to pay back the kindness.” He replied.

“So all these years you stayed in the shadows and kept yourself updated on my life. Why?” Lucy asked skeptical

Ethan cleared her throat. “Don't say it like I am some sort of weirdo. I didn't keep myself updated on your life. What I did was help you from the shadows.” He replied.

“Help me?” Lucy asked.

“Yes. Not that I am trying to toot my own horn, but I was your first investor when you were starting your law firm.” He leaned back into his chair.

Lucy looked at him surprised. “That was you?” Suddenly it was all starting to dawn on her. “It is all starting to make sense. The one who recommended me for contracts and high-profile cases was you.” She pursed her lips. "I always wondered how I managed to land those jobs as a newbie in the law field. None of it made sense to me, and when I couldn't find any answer, I just settled that maybe I was just lucky. But I wasn't; it was you all along?”

“It wasn't me. It was your kind heart and hard work that brought you this far. I did nothing other than recommend, and then you proved yourself to them. Don't give me the credit.” He replied nonchalantly and continued eating.

Lucy visibly relaxed and started eating. Now that she knows who he is, she is more comfortable. “But why did you appear now? Why did you decide to show yourself now?” She asked.

Before he could answer, she noticed someone walking towards their table.