Later that afternoon, Ethan made the call. The security team prepped the car and within the hour, Lena, Ethan, Christian, and Cue were in the backseat of a sleek black SUV heading toward the hospital.
Lena cradled Cue in her lap, eyes shimmering with the kind of joy Ethan hadn't seen before. She looked like a girl who got back a piece of her heart she hadn't realized was missing.
Audrey didn't know they were coming. Ethan wanted the moment raw, unrehearsed.
As they pulled into the hospital parking lot, Lena's fingers tightened on Cue's collar.
"He might not recognize him," she said nervously. "Aud's been through so much. He might not—"
"He will," Ethan said softly, surprising them both.
Inside Audrey's hospital room, the nurse gave them a curious look but stepped aside when Ethan nodded. He stood near the door with Christian, letting Lena walk in first, Cue held gently by the leash.
Audrey sat up in bed, sipping juice from a straw, scrolling on his phone. He barely glanced up.
"Hey," Lena said casually.
"Hey," Audrey replied, distracted.
Then Cue let out a single, low bark.
Audrey's head jerked up. His straw fell. His eyes widened slowly, disbelief flooding his face. The room went utterly still.
Cue barked again.
"Cue?" Audrey whispered.
Cue broke free, launching himself onto the bed. Audrey let out a sob that choked halfway in his throat. "Cue! Cue! No way—no way—how—"
He buried his face into the dog's neck, arms wrapped tightly around the golden fur. Cue licked his cheek, whimpered, barked again, tail wagging madly.
From the doorway, Christian cleared his throat and stepped back, trying not to show emotion. Ethan watched quietly, arms folded, his gaze drifting briefly to Lena—whose eyes were shining again, but with a peaceful glow this time.
The woman who'd brought Cue watched the scene from the hallway. Ethan stepped out to meet her.
"We can wire you something for the trouble," he offered. "You took good care of him."
She shook her head firmly. "No refund. I believe he was meant to be with them. Look at that boy. That dog was waiting."
She patted Ethan's arm lightly, eyes kind. "Just take care of him." And then, quietly, she left.
Back in the room, Audrey finally looked at Lena. "How did this happen?"
"It's a long story," Lena smiled. "But Christian and Ethan made it happen."
Audrey gave Ethan a look—half grateful, half surprised. Ethan didn't say a word, but he gave a small, respectful nod.
Later, outside the hospital as the sun started to sink, Ethan and Lena leaned against the car, watching the sunset paint gold across the parking lot.
"Thank you," she said after a pause. "You didn't have to do that, but you did."
He shrugged lightly. "He needed it. You both did."
"I should've been with them that day," she said suddenly.
Ethan turned to her.
"The day of the accident. I was supposed to go with them. But…" She laughed softly. "Cue saved my life. I was home with swollen eyes and a red nose. My allergies were so bad that day."
Her smile faded.
"I begged to go with them. But Mom made me stay. She said I'd be miserable sneezing the whole trip."
She looked up at the sky.
"Sometimes I think… maybe if I was there, things would've been different. Maybe I'd have seen something. Stopped something. Or maybe… I wouldn't be here."
Ethan watched her quietly. He didn't speak, but something in his eyes softened.
"You're lucky, Lena," he said finally. "Even when you don't think you are."
She chuckled faintly, brushing a strand of hair back. "I don't know if I believe in luck. But I do believe in strange timing."
She glanced at the hospital window where she could still see Audrey playing with Cue.
"I should go," she said suddenly. "Audrey's happy. I don't want to ruin that by staying over. He's waited so long for something good to happen. I want him to enjoy it without worrying about me."
Ethan nodded. "I'll make sure you get home safe."
She gave him a soft smile and opened the car door. "Thanks again. For Cue. And… everything."
As the door closed and the car pulled away, Ethan remained standing in the lot, hands in his pockets.
For the first time in a while, he felt something close to warmth.
He just wasn't sure what to do with it.
---
Back at the car, as Audrey and Cue stayed behind under the watchful care of the nurses, Christian leaned against the backseat door, glancing between Ethan and Lena.
"I'll take her home," he said, nodding toward the kind woman who'd brought Cue. "You two can take the longer lane back. You'll need the space."
Ethan raised a brow but didn't question it. As Christian escorted the woman away, Ethan climbed into the driver's seat beside Lena, who gently ran her fingers through Cue's fur one last time before closing the door.
They were barely out of the hospital parking lot when Ethan's phone buzzed on the dash. Christian was calling.
He pressed the green button and set it to speaker. "Yeah?"
Christian's voice came through the speaker, calm but urgent. "Hey. The lawyer just called. Frederick's giving himself up tonight."
Ethan's eyes flicked toward Lena instinctively. She stiffened slightly but stayed silent.
"He asked for one thing before turning himself in—he wants to apologize to Lena first. On a video call. Can you put her on?"
Ethan hesitated. "Alright. Great timing, huh?"
He ended the call, then slowed the car down to a quiet spot by the roadside, engine humming beneath them.
"What's going on?" Lena asked, frowning slightly. "Why did you stop?"
Ethan turned to face her, expression unreadable. "Because... there's one more surprise. Cue wasn't the only thing planned for tonight."
Lena blinked. "Okay? Is it in the contract or something?"
Ethan gave her a half-smile. "Let's not make it weird. This isn't business."
"Then what is it?"
He exhaled slowly. "Do you remember how you said you never believed your parents took the wrong lane? That something about that accident never made sense to you?"
Her heart began to pound.
"There was video evidence," Ethan said gently. "Dash cam footage. Someone covered it up, but... it came to light recently."
She froze.
"The man responsible for your parents' crash—he's giving himself up. His name is Frederick. But before that, he asked to speak to you. To apologize."
Lena said nothing at first. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.
"Ethan…"
He pulled up the call, then held out the phone. On the screen appeared an older man with grey-streaked hair, a worn expression, and guilt carved deep into the lines of his face. His hands trembled slightly as he held them up in front of him.
"Lena," Frederick began, voice shaky. "I—I don't know if there are words enough for what I've taken from you. I was drinking. I was angry that night. I took the wrong lane. Your parents tried to swerve—your dad honked—but I was going too fast."
Lena's chest rose and fell sharply.
"I watched the footage again and again. I couldn't believe what I did. I... I should've come forward sooner, but I was afraid. Of prison. Of shame. I thought if I disappeared, it would go away."
A tear slipped down Lena's cheek.
"I took your family, your safety, your peace. I just wanted to say... I'm sorry. I'm sorry to you. To your brother. To your parents—God rest them. I'll carry this until I die, but I won't run anymore."
The call ended seconds before he was taken into custody.
Ethan said nothing. He didn't have to.
Lena's shoulders shook. Silent tears streamed down her face, hands clenched in her lap.
Without a word, Ethan pulled the car to a stop along the curb.
He leaned over gently, and for the first time in what felt like forever, wrapped his arms around her.
No words. Just warmth. Quiet. Steady.
And Lena cried into his shoulder—finally allowing herself to feel the weight of the truth.
A truth that hurt.
But also… healed.