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Grabbing Noah's arm,I stammered words of thanks.
He froze,flustered.
I let go,wiping my tears,laughing."Sorry,I got carried away."
Noah,stiffly,shook his head."You're not fully healed,not yet.Rest and watch your diet."
I'd misjudged him—looks truly deceived!
To thank him,I brought a banner to his clinic.
It was packed with patients,so I waited outside for three hours.
When the crowd finally cleared,I sat down across from him.
Noah,head down,asked,"What's wrong?"
"My stomach."
"This is orthopedics,not gastroenterology."
He looked up,his serious face breaking into a big smile."It's you!Stomach trouble?"
I laughed,handing him the banner."Waited so long,I'm starving."
He took it shyly,stashing it in a cabinet with a pile of others.
I apologized."Sorry,I thought you were all talks,being so young.If I'd seen those banners,I wouldn't have doubted you for a second."
He smiled,unbothered."I should apologize for making you wait.Dinner's on me."
"You were saving lives—I should wait.You're my hero.I'm buying."
I regretted inviting Noah.
He shook his head at every dish I chose,analyzing their ingredients,enforcing my diet.
Finally,he ordered a table of bland food.
I teased,"Doctors are so strict.Where's the fun?Can't eat everything if it’s up to you."
"It's for the sakr of your health."
Curious,I stared."You're this meticulous with all of your patients?"
He looked shy."You really don't remember me?"
I studied him,racking my brain.His name rang a bell,but nothing clicked.
"We studied art together.The teacher always mentioned us—you as the prodigy,me as the villain."
It clicked.I laughed."You had long bangs and acne then!I didn't recognize you.Talk about growing up!"
He chuckled.
"Good thing you ditched painting for medicine.You'd have wasted your talent."
Somehow,tears welled in his eyes,a flicker of sadness crossing his face.
After that,Noah and I became close friends.
During my recovery,he was attentive to every tiniest detail.
Fully healed,I started painting again.
I painted about the stories I'd written over the years.
My new work,Reborn in Fire,won awards.
My home was surrounded by reporters,digging up my past.
Online,my early work and story exploded.
"Genius girl,creator of the million-dollar painting Firefly at 16,vanished—her tragic truth."
"Genius returns with Reborn in Fire."
"Emily Harper,reborn from ashes."
...
Reborn in Fire hit the auction block,soaring to$200,0000.
At the auction,the host invited me to speak.
Scanning the crowd,I spotted Ethan in the audience.
