Regret Came Too Late

In Ethan's sight, a slim silhouette broke through the sea of white, the crimson flower in her hand burning like a

tiny flame.

Grace went into the car, shaking the snow from her hair before pulling the door shut.

She immediately held out the magnolia to him.

Ethan didn't reach for it. His gaze stayed locked on the petals, on the snow melting slowly there.

Grace thought he hesitated because of the cold and leaned in to brush the snow away, only to be stopped by his

question.

"What if this tree belonged to someone else?"

Without missing a beat, she answered, "When | pick them, they becyours."

Just as Ethan reached out, her words caught him off guard. His hand curled into a fist, and the veins on the back

becrigid.

Grace, noticing his strange reaction, quickly asked, "What's wrong?"

He ducked his head and hummed quietly before taking the magnolia carefully.

"Thank you," he added in a soft voice.

Grace could tell that his mood had brightened.

She scrambled to the driver's seat, starting the car with quick, nervous moments, afraid he would change his

mind and ask for something else.

As the car kicked into gear, the soft fragrance of magnolias from the back seat brushed against her senses.

"Do you like magnolias, Mr. Henderson? How special. Most people just see the winter's blank whiteness, but

hidden inside... there's this bold flash of red, like..."

Realizing her words might be stepping over a line, she clamped her mouth shut. Ethan was a lot like winter itself.

On the surface, he was cold and unapproachable -yet the moment he fell sick, he asked for flowers.

The contrast was almost ridiculous.

"lI do," he said softly. "No one's ever givenany."

He sounded a little stronger now, and Grace was glad she hadn't brushed him off.

At least he seemed more like himself again.

She smiled faintly and floored the accelerator.

"Mr. Bennett is missing. Once we get a signal, you should call your people at Druville and have them send a

helicopter. With the roads blocked, there's no way out. And you're still running a fever; I'd rather not risk it."

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"Are you worried about me?"

Her smile faltered.

She had the weirdest feeling about him right now—not bad, just... unfamiliar. Wasn't it normal to be worried?

"Yeah. You broughthere, Mr. Henderson. | can't just let anything happen to you."

Right after saying it, she realized they had absolutely nothing to show for the trip. Her fingers tightened around

the wheel.

"That place was nothing but ruins. If you had told us ahead of time, Mr.

Henderson, we wouldn't have dragged you all the way out here while you were still sick."

Ethan lifted the magnolia to his nose, a faint smile brushing across his lips.

"I didn't know."

Grace went silent immediately.

She couldn't blsomeone for what they didn't know. Perhaps he had only

passed by that spot once, remembered it, and never returned.

She glanced into the rearview mirror, and their eyes met.

He looked down at the flower, gently swinging it back and forth, clearly in a good mood.

"Something you want to say?" he asked.

Grace gave a small smile and answered, "It's just... near the ruins, there was this sinkhole. | remember talking

about it with my boyfriend once when we were kids, we got trapped inside. Sthings happened. Just now, bits

of that ald conversation cback think... | promised to bring him magnolias?"

But the memory was so sudden and patchy, she couldn't even tell if it was real.

She would have to check with Ed later.

Ethan closed his eyes, his Adam's apple shifting subtly.

"Not many people appreciate magnolias. Your boyfriend had good taste."

Grace gave him a sidelong look, a soft laugh bubbling up.

"Is that your way of complimenting yourself, Mr. Henderson?"

For a moment, Ethan's grip tightened-hard enough to almost snap the stem-

before he caught himself and let go.

It hit Grace then that what she had

just said might have sounded

wrong. She rushed to add, "I mean,

because you like magnolias too. You and my boyfriend you both have great taste."

Ethan lowered his gaze, running a light fingertip across one of the petals.

"Then you should stay with him and stay happy."

Grace said nothing, eyes locked on the road.

They drove for miles before the signal finally returned. She asked Ethan to contact his people in Druville, then

leaned back, finally able to relax.

The car was comfortably warm, and

the world outside was Softly om

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strahted, it would have been almost

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The response was swift-two hours later, a helicopter appeared on the horizon.

As they boarded together, Grace still couldn't figure out what the whole trip had been for.

She looked down and saw the

magnolia slipping forse hand.

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And in his urgency, the back of his hand dragged against something. A clean red line appeared instantly.

Grace was startled. She grabbed his wrist instinctively.

"You're running a fever—it's just a flower. Why risk hurting yourself?"

Even as she spoke, she watched as

the magnolia fell. It spiraled Qytq his

reach, dppginginto‘sfe’snin below

alsHarp streak of color in the

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Ethan stared at her, remaining silent. No anger, no sadness-just silence.

And somehow, that silence made Grace feel worse, as if it wasn't just a flower that

had slipped away, but something inside him, too.

She wanted that version of Ethan back-the one from the car who would smile over a flower.

Hence, she took a deep breath before turning to the pilot.

"Sorry. | left something important in the car. Can we land for just a moment?"

The helicopter began to descend.

Grace jumped out and picked up the magnolia. The snowfall had only just settled,

soft enough to cushion it perfectly.

Back on board, she placed it in front of him with a quiet smile on her face.

"I know you like it. I got it back for you, so don't be upset."

Ethan pursed his lips together. He looked at her smile for a beat, then turned to

the window and took the flower without a word.

Grace didn't know what in her words had touched a nerve-only that the silence afterward felt sharper than any

scolding.