He Came Back Ten Years Too Late Chapter 01

He Came Back Ten Years Too Late Chapter 01

The day I ran into Ethan Hayes again, I’d just finished a commercial dive.

He stood at ease on the deck of a luxury yacht.

I lay collapsed on a battered fishing boat that reeked of brine and dead fish, too exhausted to move even a finger.

And yet, on instinct, he still pulled my former best friend into his arms to protect her.

It took him a long moment to realize it.

Ten years had passed since he received that call from the future.

Cassidy Lane wouldn’t be harmed and killed by men I’d hired.

And I wasn’t going to grab a knife and try to end everything with him.

He hesitated, then spoke anyway.

“Jazz, none of the things that call predicted will happen.”

“I’m here to take you home.”

I didn’t answer. I only tugged at the corner of my mouth and reached for the oars, ready to leave.

Cassidy called after me, her eyes brimming with tears.

“Jazz, I know you’re still mad at me. But even if you refuse to think about yourself, think about the baby.”

“You were willing to make a living diving in the ocean just to survive. Wasn’t that why you were waiting for Ethan to come get you?”

I didn’t explain. I didn’t look back.

My life was almost over.

I didn’t have the strength or the time to keep fighting with them.

All I wanted was to save enough funds to reach that remote island.

Then I could lie down beside the child who had waited years for me, and rest forever.

…

The rush of footsteps behind me cut through the sound of the waves.

Ethan grabbed my wrist.

“Jazz, are you still angry with me? I divorced you back then because I thought it was best for everyone.”

“If none of it happened, then you…”

He didn’t finish.

I yanked my hand free and cut him off.

When he saw the pain on my face, Ethan froze.

“What’s wrong?”

I took a step back and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead with shaking fingers.

Only then did I finally look him straight in the eye.

His face hadn’t changed. If anything, the years had given him a quiet, settled weight.

Even Cassidy, walking behind him,

It was clear he’d taken good care of her. The insecurity and timidness she’d carried as a salt-pan worker were gone.

My own body, meanwhile, had been worn down by years of poor health.

The stubborn backbone that once refused to bend, even when he drove me to the edge,

was now like waterlogged wood. The slightest touch hurt.

But there was no reason left to explain any of it to him.

I bent stiffly, hoisted the net onto my back, and turned away.

I didn’t have time to waste on them.

If the fish weren’t fresh, I wouldn’t get a decent price for them.

“Jazz, wait!”

Cassidy’s anxious voice came from behind me.

She reached out, trying to grab my arm.

“Rrrip.”

Fresh seafood spilled from the torn net, flopping and scrambling in every direction.

A few of them even bounced onto Cassidy’s feet.

Cassidy screamed, her face going deathly pale.

Ethan pulled her into his arms almost instantly.

He moved so fast he nearly knocked me over.

Once she’d caught her breath, Cassidy blinked up at me and tried to explain.

“Jazz, are you okay?”

She stroked the slight swell beneath her silk dress.

“I once suffered a terrible loss because of you. I can’t afford to take any chances now.”

As soon as she finished,

wariness returned to Ethan’s eyes when he looked at me.

The shadow I’d left over him ran too deep.

Deep enough that even after ten years,

He could still remember the time I’d lost my temper completely and confronted her in a fit of overwhelming agony, screaming that she deserved to suffer.

He remembered the loss she’d endured because of me.

It had made Ethan believe I was unstable and completely out of control.

Back then, he had stared at me through the bars with unmasked disgust.

“That call from the future was right. Your instability will get Cassidy hurt.”

But this time,

I didn’t lose my mind or fall apart the way I had before.

I simply dropped to my knees.

Then I scrambled to gather the fish and shrimp scattered across the deck.

Ethan watched me, his brow drawing tighter and tighter.

At last, he couldn’t take it anymore and hauled me to my feet.

“Enough! Look at you! What are you even doing?”

“Have you forgotten who you used to be?”

“Over a few lousy fish? Don’t you realize how ridiculous you look?”

Yeah. If he hadn’t reminded me,

I might have forgotten that I used to be a celebrated marine biologist.

I held back the sharp, bitter ache rising in my throat and let my hollow, numb gaze settle on him.

[Then who do you think turned me into a joke?]

Ethan went rigid.

He could only stare at the practiced hand signs I made.

His voice shook.

“What happened to your voice?”