Chapter 301

I froze, my heart racing as if time had stopped at that moment. I bent down and carefully picked up the paper crane, which lay quietly in my palm as if it were telling an unfinished story. Only Ethan and I understood the significance of this paper crane. Its sudden appearance here meant that he had been here, or perhaps he was somewhere nearby, silently watching my every move. I looked around; the crowd bustled about, everyone preoccupied with their own affairs, completely unaware of the crane in my hand. Yet, I could feel a strong gaze fixed on me—so intense that I couldn't ignore it. "Why did you pick up a paper crane? Do you like these little things?" William was the typical man, oblivious to the deeper significance behind the crane. His confusion was evident as he looked at it. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the excitement rising within me. The crane's presence reaffirmed that my previous feelings were not mere illusions. "It's not that; it just reminds me of an old frie