The next afternoon, Lena was curled up on her living room couch, nursing a cup of coffee, when the doorbell rang.
She padded over, still in her soft loungewear, and opened the door to find Sophie standing there with a mischievous smile and a paper bag of pastries.
"Emergency sugar delivery," Sophie said, wiggling the bag in front of her.
Lena couldn't help but smile and step aside to let her in. "Come in."
They settled into the living room, Sophie tossing her bag onto the coffee table and sinking into the couch with a dramatic sigh. For a few minutes, they nibbled at the pastries in comfortable silence, the smell of buttery croissants filling the room.
Then Sophie leaned over, her eyes gleaming with barely contained excitement. "Okay, I have something to tell you."
Lena raised an eyebrow, amused. "This sounds dangerous already."
Sophie grinned, practically bouncing with energy. "After you left the pub last night… I slept with James."
Lena blinked, caught completely off guard. "Wait, what?"
Sophie laughed, a little breathless. "Yeah. It just... happened. We were talking, laughing... and then he offered to walk me home, and one thing led to another..." She flopped against the couch cushions with a dreamy sigh. "Lena, he's so sweet. Not just in, you know, that way—but after, too. He stayed the night, made sure I was comfortable… it was just... really good. Different."
Lena shook her head in disbelief, a smile tugging at her lips. "Wow, Sophie. That's... unexpected. So what now? Was it just a one-night thing?"
Sophie's grin softened into something a little more serious. "Actually... we're trying out dating. Like, officially."
Lena's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Seriously?"
Sophie nodded, a little shy for once. "Yeah. We talked about it this morning. James said he doesn't want it to be casual. He wants something real."
Warmth bloomed in Lena's chest as she reached over to squeeze Sophie's hand. "I'm really happy for you."
Sophie's eyes shone. "Thanks, Lena. You know how messy my dating history's been. I've never really... had someone steady. Someone who truly cared."
"You deserve it," Lena said simply, and meant every word.
For a few moments, they sat there in companionable silence, sipping coffee and stealing bites of pastries.
Then Sophie leaned forward again, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But enough about me. What happened with you last night?"
Lena hesitated, fingers tightening slightly around her coffee mug. "I..." She sighed. "I actually tried to push you and Ethan together."
Sophie blinked, confused. "You what?"
"I thought you two would click," Lena said quickly, defensive. "You both talked and he responded to you."
Sophie shook her head, laughing. "God, Lena."
Lena offered a weak smile, then her face grew serious. "I'm sorry I thought that way. But last night, Ethan..." She swallowed, her heart pounding. "Ethan told me he liked me."
Sophie's laughter died immediately. "Wait. What?"
"And..." Lena continued quietly, "he told me something else. Something bigger."
Sophie sat up straighter, sensing the weight in Lena's voice.
Lena looked down at her coffee, then back at her friend. "The night I was almost kidnapped... it wasn't Anthony who saved me."
Sophie froze, her mouth slightly open. "No way."
"It was Ethan," Lena said softly. "He was the one who pulled me out of there. Anthony just... took the credit."
Sophie stared at her for a long moment, then exhaled a shaky breath. "I need a minute," she muttered.
Lena gave a small, tired laugh. "Yeah. I needed more than a minute."
After a long silence, Sophie shifted, guilt flickering across her face. "Lena... there's something I should tell you."
Lena frowned. "What?"
"I've... kind of been updating Ethan about you. Over the years," Sophie admitted, wincing. "He would call sometimes, or text. Just checking in. Asking how you were. If you were happy."
Lena's breath caught, stunned.
"And," Sophie added, her voice softer now, "James told me once—ages ago—that Ethan's always had feelings for you. Even back in high school. He just... never said anything."
Lena's heart twisted painfully in her chest. All this time. All those years. And she never knew.
Sophie reached out and gently squeezed her hand. "Lena... Ethan's a good man. He always has been. You should seriously consider giving him a chance."
Lena stared down at their joined hands, emotions swirling inside her like a rising tide.
"I..." she whispered, then shook her head helplessly. "When he told me everything, I didn't know what to say. I still don't. I actually feel bad. Really bad."
Sophie gave her a moment, just quietly sitting with her.
"I have no idea how to even face him now," Lena admitted, her voice trembling slightly. "And honestly... I don't understand what's so good about me that kept him waiting for so long."
Sophie squeezed her hand a little tighter, her voice steady. "Maybe you don't see it yet. But he does. He always did."
"You don't have to figure it out tonight," Sophie added gently. "Just... don't shut him out because you're scared. Give him—and yourself—a real chance."
Lena exhaled shakily, her fingers curling tighter around her coffee mug.
After a long pause, she nodded once, almost imperceptibly.
"I'll think about it," she whispered.
Sophie beamed, leaning back into the couch with a satisfied sigh. "That's all I ask."
Sophie leaned back against the couch, then seemed to hesitate, chewing her lip thoughtfully. After a moment, she reached for her phone.
"Actually," she said slowly, "I can show you."
Lena blinked. "Show me what?"
"The messages. Over the years," Sophie said, unlocking her phone and scrolling. "Whenever Ethan checked in on you."
Lena stared at her, heart thudding strangely in her chest.
Sophie handed the phone over, the screen lighting up with a long list of old text conversations.
At the very top was the first one—dated all the way back to Lena's first day of college.
Ethan:Hey, how did Lena's first day go?
Lena's breath caught. She scrolled down.Every message was about her.
Ethan:Did she settle into the dorms okay?
Ethan:Is she eating enough? She used to skip meals when she got too focused.
Ethan:Did she make any friends yet?
Never once anything casual, never anything flirty or random like he was trying to keep a connection with Sophie for himself. It was always about Lena.
Lena swallowed hard, scrolling further. There were occasional attempts from Sophie to turn the conversation around, to ask about him.
Sophie:How's life in the special forces? Must be exciting, right?
Ethan's responses were always polite, but short.
Ethan:Busy. Nothing much to tell.
Ethan:Same old.
Ethan:Doing fine. Anyway—how's Lena doing?
The conversation always found its way back to her.
No matter what.
Lena tightened her grip on the phone, overwhelmed by the quiet devotion woven into every word Ethan had sent.He had cared. Even from a distance, even when she hadn't even known.
All those years, while she had been trying to move forward, piecing herself back together from the cracks no one else could see—he had been there, quietly asking about her life, worrying about her in the background, never asking for anything in return.
Sophie watched her quietly, not pushing, not rushing.
Finally, Lena handed the phone back with trembling fingers.
"I..." she tried, but the words got stuck. A thousand emotions knotted in her chest—guilt, regret, wonder, disbelief.
Sophie set the phone aside and squeezed her hand again.
"You have no idea," Sophie said softly, "how long he's been looking out and caring for you."
Lena dropped her head back against the couch, closing her eyes briefly, trying to steady herself. Tears pricked behind her lids, but she refused to let them fall.
She had learned so much in the past twenty-four hours—truths that shattered the lies she had built her life around, truths that demanded she see Ethan Calloway in a way she had never dared to before.
"What am I supposed to do with you, Ethan Calloway?"