Chapter 4 - THE NEXT MORNING
Brianna called off the engagement.
Not because Ethan hated her.
Because she finally understood something.
She had spent months bragging about marrying a hero while humiliating the woman who had saved him.
Ethan didn’t leave because my identity was impressive.
He left because Brianna had shown him what kind of person she was when she believed nobody important was watching.
The next morning, my parents sat around the kitchen table.
My mother held my hand.
“I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“For believing you were doing something ordinary.”
I smiled.
“Mom, ordinary isn’t bad.”
“I know.”
She squeezed my hand.
“But I should have been proud of you either way.”
My father nodded.
“You never needed a medal for me to be proud.”
I looked down.
“I know.”
Then Ethan arrived.
He stood outside the door.
“Can I come in?”
My father nodded.
Ethan walked inside.
He wasn’t wearing his uniform.
He sat across from me.
“I owe you something too.”
“What?”
“A proper thank-you.”
I laughed.
“You’ve thanked me.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“Not properly.”
Then he stood.
He walked toward me.
And in front of my parents, he saluted.
Not casually.
Not symbolically.
A full military salute.
I stood.
And returned it.
My father started crying.
Ethan lowered his hand.
“Three years ago, I thought the woman who saved me was someone I’d never meet.”
He looked at me.
“Now I know she was sitting at family dinners while everyone ignored her.”
I smiled.
“That’s life.”
“No.”
May you like
He shook his head.
“That’s changing.”
