Chapter 22: Isabela Pérez

Chapter 22: Isabela PérezAtlanta’s Sunday traffic was surprisingly light, an unusual blessing for a city infamous for gridlocks, especially at this hour.

Ethan’s Audi sped smoothly across the open lanes, the buildings blurring past him as he drove.

He kept one hand on the wheel, the other resting against the armrest. He enjoyed the low hum of his car’s engine and the occasional whooshing of passing signs.

He took a quick glance at the time, noting that it was still 8:43 AM, which meant he was still on schedule.

The airport was only fifteen minutes away, maybe ten at his current speed so Ethan wasn’t too bothered about being late.

The only thing bothering him right now was the fact that he wasn’t sure he clearly remembered what Isabela looked like but that was soon solved when his phone let out a ding.

He reached for his phone in the center console and glanced at the screen for just a second—long enough to read:

María: Here’s a picture Incase you forgot what she looks like.

Attached was a photo.

Ethan tapped it open with one thumb at a red light just before the final exit ramp.

Isabela Pérez stood in front of a stone fountain, suitcase beside her, one hand casually tucked into the pocket of her oversized black hoodie.



She had Short Auburn hair with gray eyes that rested behind a pair of round glasses. She had a soft smile on her face as she looked directly at the camera.

But her smile made it seem like someone had forced her to take the picture.

"Introvert," was the first thing that came to mind as Ethan saw the picture.

In his original timeline, he’d refused to host her, assuming she’d be too much trouble—but looking at the image now, she didn’t look like trouble at all. If anything, she looked like someone who preferred quiet corners and books over anything remotely chaotic.

Ethan stared at the photo a moment longer, committing the features to memory before putting the phone back on the console and continued driving as the light had turned green.

A few minutes later, he pulled into short-term parking at Hartsfield–Jackson and found a spot close to the terminal entrance.

He shut the engine off and stepped out, locking the doors with a soft beep as he adjusted his jacket and slid his phone into his pocket before walking into the airport.

Ethan checked the arrivals board.

Flight 191 — LANDED — Terminal T.

Right on time.

He made his way to the arrivals section and stood near the rail, his hands in his pockects as he scanned through the slow trickle of passengers stepping through the wide glass doors.

It didn’t take long to spot Isabela the moment she stepped out. She looked exactly like the photo María had sent, short auburn hair tucked neatly behind her ears, round glasses slipping slightly down her nose, and the same oversized black hoodie that she wore in the picture.

He realized that she might have taken the photo just before she left.

She clutched the same navy-blue suitcase from the photo, her eyes scanning the crowd with visible unease. It was clear she wasn’t comfortable being around this many people.

Ethan raised a hand in a casual wave.

Isabela’s eyes paused on him. A brief flicker of recognition crossed her face, followed by the smallest of nods. She walked toward him, her pace steady but without urgency.

"Isabela Pérez?" Ethan asked, just to be polite.

"Yeah," she replied, her voice soft but clear.

"I’m Ethan," he said. "María sent me."

"I figured," she murmured, glancing at his outfit then, subtly, at his watch. Her gaze flicked back up just as fast. "You’re early."

"María would have my head otherwise," Ethan said with a chuckle before reaching for her suitcase handle. "I’ll get that."

"I can—"

"I know," he interrupted gently, "but let me."



Isabela hesitated, then let go of the handle. Her hands slid into the pocket of her hoodie as they turned toward the exit.

Isabela quietly observed Ethan as they walked to the exit, trailing behind slightly. Of course she knew him from church but he never seemed interested in interacting with anyone who wasn’t María, so they never really became friends or even the least bit close.

So she was a bit surprised when María told her that he’d agreed to host her while she was here for her ’internship’. He seemed warmer than she remembered.

They walked for a while before Ethan stopped and took out a key fob from his pocket and clicked a button, causing the Audi to chirp in response.

"That’s your car?" Isabela asked in surprise

He started the engine and eased the car back into traffic. "We’re about twenty minutes from the apartment. If you’re hungry, we can stop somewhere. María said you didn’t eat much before your flight."

"I’m okay," she said. "Just tired."

Ethan nodded after her reply and focused on streets again.

"Thank you," Isabela muttered in a low tone.

"Hmm?" Ethan turned to her as he didn’t hear her the first time, the gentle hum of the road filling the silence between them.

"I said thank you," Isabela repeated, just a bit louder, her gray eyes focused on the window beside her. "For coming to get me. For letting me stay."

Ethan glanced at her briefly, then returned his eyes to the road. "You don’t have to thank me. María asked. That’s more than enough reason."

Isabela gave a small nod, but didn’t reply. She tugged slightly at the sleeves of her hoodie and rested her cheek against the window.

"You can sleep a bit if you want," Ethan offered. "It’s not a long drive, but... might help."

"It’s fine," was what she said but her heavy eyes were already slowly shutting and before she realized it, she was lulled to sleep.

He glanced at her sleep form and chuckled before focusing back on driving.

Fifteen minutes later, Ethan pulled into the underground garage of his apartment building. The Audi rolled to a smooth stop in his reserved space, and he killed the engine.

Isabela didn’t stir.

So Ethan tapped the back of her seat gently. "We’re here."

Her eyes fluttered open, still dazed from sleep. "Sorry... I didn’t mean to..."

"It’s fine," Ethan said simply, already stepping out of the car.

She followed him into the building, still groggy but alert enough to keep pace. The elevator hummed quietly as they rode it up to his floor. He couldn’t let her drag that suitcase up the stairs.

"You’ll have the guest room," Ethan said as they stepped out of the elevator, "It’s not much, but it’s quiet. And it should be fine for work or sleep."



Isabela gave a small nod. "Thanks. Really."

Ethan nodded and unlocked the door to his apartment, letting her step inside first.

Taking Marìa’s advice, Ethan had used the reward gained from the system to setup his apartment, making it look completely different from before.

It was way cleaner now, with all the old furniture discarded and replaced with new ones, while also fixing the water issues he previously had.

"Bathroom’s this way," Ethan said as he pointed to the direction of the guest bathroom. "If you need anything, just ask."

He paused.

"And one more thing" he said as she turned back toward him. "You don’t have to act like you owe me something. This isn’t a favor, I’m doing this for María."

"Got it," Isabela nodded with a soft smile before Ethan walked into his own room.

Closing the door behind him, Ethan took off the jacket he wore and took a seat on his work desk.

But before he could open his laptop and get to work, the system’s holographic screen appeared in front of him with the text:

[New mission available]

A small smile appeared on his lips as he said, "alright system, show me the mission."