Ethan leaned against the counter, his grip on the phone tightening as Olivia's voice echoed through the line.
"Who is this?"
She sounded the same—sharp, controlled, and slightly wary. In their past life, Olivia had always been untrusting, and for good reason. The apocalypse had forged her into a warrior, but also left her scarred and isolated.
Ethan exhaled, steadying his voice. "Ethan Blake. We need to talk. Now."
A beat of silence.
Then—a low chuckle.
"Ethan? Haven't heard from you in years. What's so urgent?" Olivia's tone was casual, but he could hear the underlying caution in her voice.
He had two options:
Tell her everything—that they had both died and been reborn.Play it smart—drop just enough information to make her listen.
Ethan chose the latter. She wouldn't believe the truth just yet.
"Something big is coming," he said instead. "Something that will change everything. I need you to trust me."
Another pause. Then, Olivia sighed. "You sound like you've lost your mind."
"Maybe. But I know things you don't." He let his words sink in before adding, "Meet me at Holloway Café in an hour. No questions. Just come."
Silence.
Then, finally—"Fine. But if this is a waste of my time, I'm leaving."
Click.
Ethan lowered the phone, his heart pounding. She had taken the bait.
Now, he just had to convince her before the world collapsed.
Holloway Café – 11:15 AM
The café was only half full when Ethan arrived. The scent of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the distant hum of city traffic. Everything looked so… normal.
It was unsettling.
He spotted Olivia almost immediately. She sat in a corner booth, arms crossed, dark eyes watching him like a hawk. She hadn't changed much—long black hair, sharp features, an aura of quiet danger.
Ethan slid into the seat across from her. She didn't offer a greeting.
Instead, she tapped her fingers against the table. "Talk."
He studied her, wondering how much she could handle. Finally, he said, "What if I told you the world is going to end tomorrow?"
She didn't blink. "I'd say you need therapy."
Ethan smirked. "And what if I told you I could prove it?"
Olivia leaned forward, eyes narrowing. "Go on."
He reached into his jacket and slid a small notepad across the table.
"In five minutes, a car crash will happen outside that window." He pointed toward the street. "A red sedan and a delivery truck. No one will die, but the driver will break his leg."
Olivia raised an eyebrow. "A lucky guess?"
CRASH!
The sound of screeching tires and twisted metal filled the air. A red sedan slammed into a delivery truck, exactly as Ethan had predicted. People outside rushed forward, shouting.
Olivia's expression finally changed.
Ethan leaned back, crossing his arms. "Still think I'm crazy?"
For the first time, Olivia looked shaken. But she was quick to recover.
"How the hell did you know that?" she demanded.
Ethan hesitated, then decided to tell her the truth. "Because I've lived through this before."
Silence.
Then Olivia's lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. "Prove it."
Ethan met her gaze and smirked. "Gladly."