The Substitute's Contract: Seven Days to Reset My Life

Chapter 17

Snowflakes drifted down silently as Ethan Smith stood beneath the covered walkway, lost in thought. A single snowflake landed on his palm, melting into a droplet in an instant. Staring at his empty hand, he was suddenly reminded of that other world—the one he had tried so hard to forget.

Three years had passed. He thought those memories had long been buried. But the sudden reappearance of Sophia Sinclair and her daughter was like a key, unlocking the floodgates of his past.

That day, after completing his mission, he had returned to his familiar bedroom. His wounds were still bleeding, the pain so sharp it sent cold sweat down his back. The system had granted him a final golden light of healing, and miraculously, the scars vanished. As he examined his perfectly restored hands, his mind wandered back to the days before the crossing—days when Grace Sullivan and Emily Smith had doted on him.

Then, his phone rang. The caregiver’s excited voice came through: "Sir! Mrs. Sullivan and Miss Emily—they’ve woken up!"

He didn’t even bother changing clothes, just grabbed his coat and bolted out the door. The driver sped through the streets, but to Ethan, it still felt too slow. When the elevator took too long, he sprinted up five flights of stairs without hesitation.

The moment he pushed open the hospital room door, sunlight spilled across the bed. Grace had lost weight, her face pale but softened by a gentle smile. Emily peeked out from her mother’s arms, and the instant she saw him, tears began to fall.

"Daddy!" The little girl wriggled free and flew into his arms like a butterfly. He dropped to his knees, holding her tight as his own tears fell uncontrollably. A five-year-old who had faced life and death clung to his collar with tiny, desperate hands.

Grace reached out, brushing away his tears before pressing a kiss to his cheek. She pulled both of them into her embrace, her voice as soft as a spring breeze: "I’m sorry we worried you. From now on, we’ll never be apart again."

A passing nurse paused at the sight and smiled. "For two patients to wake up at the same time—it’s a medical miracle. With luck like this, things can only get better."

Ethan buried his face in Grace’s shoulder. In that moment, he finally understood what it meant to have lost something precious—only to have it returned.