After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 1075

Isabella hesitated.

She had made this call specifically to ask if York Austin had appeared in his past-life visions, and if so, exactly who the man was.

What was York's purpose in coming to Cabinda?

But hearing how breathless and exhausted Ethan sounded, coupled with Stephanie's warnings about his frailty, Isabella wasn't sure if it was safe to press him for details.

"Isabella, was there something you wanted to ask me?"

Ethan prompted. "Just say it. It's only my grandmother and me in the room."

"It can wait until you're feeling a bit stronger."

"Are you trying to ask about York Austin?"

Ethan guessed.

He had asked Stephanie to warn Isabella to stay away from York, but he hadn't explained why.

He had been too weak to elaborate then, and Isabella must have waited until now in the hopes that he was doing better.

"Yes,"

Isabella admitted. She needed to know who York really was.

"He's an underworld boss with a massive criminal syndicate behind him," Ethan managed to say. "Dave worked for him. In those visions of my past life, I took York down. I compiled a mountain of evidence on his operations and handed it straight to the authorities."

"He was sentenced to death."

Just getting those words out sent Ethan into a breathless coughing fit. Stephanie hurriedly pulled the phone away, soothing his chest and helping him sip some warm water until his breathing leveled out again.

Judging by the sheer anguish in Ethan's eyes when he woke from his coma, Isabella knew he truly had avenged her in that other life.

He had loved Natalie so fiercely. In the past, he had broken Isabella's heart time and time again just to protect the other woman. Normally a rational man, the moment Natalie was involved, all his logic went out the window.

He had been utterly blind, spoiling Natalie to a fault and enabling her every toxic flaw.

Even when Isabella and Natalie clashed, and Ethan knew full well Isabella wasn't at fault, he always chose to side with Natalie. He trusted Natalie and never gave Isabella the benefit of the doubt.

For a man like that to stubbornly hunt down her killers and bring them to justice... it must have been agonizing for the Ethan of that timeline.

On the other end of the line, Ethan was desperate to keep talking, but Isabella had already hung up.

He tried to ask for the phone back, but Stephanie refused.

"Ethan, you're practically skin and bones right now. Your injuries were catastrophic, and you lost too much blood. Focus on recovering. Everything else can wait."