Independence

Chapter 0121

*28 BONUS

Miranda was aware of the stark temperature difference between the two locations, so she pulled out her long down coat and bundled herself up like a snowball before the plane landed. Yet, it wasn’t enough.

The freezing rain from a few days earlier had left tree branches and power lines heavy with icicles. The drizzle might have seemed harmless, but it quickly soaked through people’s clothes, turning into a cold, stiff layer.

This street was normally bustling, but in the dead of winter, and at this late hour, she couldn’t flag down a cab even though traffic was busy.

Shivering, she pulled out her phone to track the location of the ride she had booked through the app. It had shown the car was five minutes away just minutes ago, but now the arrival time had spiked to 30 minutes.

The map showed a sea of red. She realized the driver had been stuck in that spot for a while. Right when she was about to cancel the ride, a car pulled up beside her.

The window slid down, revealing a familiar face with a serene an entle expression.

Paul wore a dark gray turtleneck sweater that partially covered his Adam’s apple. From Miranda’s perspective, the shadows seemed to soften his features and lend a warm touch to his otherwise cool demeanor.

“You’ll have a hard time finding a cab at this hour. I’m heading home, too. Hop in,” Paul said.

Once Miranda got in the car, Paul noticed she was shivering and turned up the heat. Remembering there was a hand warmer in the glove compartment, he pulled it out and handed it to her. “Here, use this to warm up.”

Miranda felt as if her hands were as cold as ice. The hand warmer and the car’s heater slowly started to bring feeling back to them.

“Thanks, I almost thought I’d freeze waiting at the airport,” she said with a sniffle.

Winter had originally offered to arrange a driver for her, but she didn’t want to

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+25 BOAR

inconvenience anyone and had turned down the offer. She hadn’t realized finding a cab at the airport would be so tough.

Paul glanced at her. “They’ve put some traffic restrictions in place because of the government conferences, and even ride–hailing services are affected, so getting a ride is tough.”

Miranda finally understood. “No wonder there are so few cabs around. I almost thought I was in the wrong place.”

She turned to Paul and asked, “What about you? What’s got you at the airport at

this hour?”

“I came to pick up a relative who was arriving from overseas,” Paul said. “But she got tired of waiting and ended up taking a cab home.”

He’d started heading back after getting the call, but a sudden flash from someone’s high beams made him check the rearview mirror. That was when he spotted Miranda standing out in the cold. So, he turned the car around.

Miranda nodded and didn’t press further.

As they stopped at a red light, Paul asked, “Are you feeling warmer now?”

Miranda gave a soft hum in reply and bit her lip, looking a bit e…parrassed. I’ve been in a tropical place the past few days, so this cold is quite a shock. Oh, and I brought you a little gift.”

She suddenly remembered and began digging through her bag.

Paul blinked in surprise. “A gift?”

“Yes, not just for you, but for the professor and the others as well,” Miranda said as she handed him his. “I saw it and thought of you right away.”

Paul examined the small figurine in her hand.

It was a tiny doll dressed in a button–down shirt and slacks, with gold–rimmed glasses perched on its nose and a book clutched in its hands. The serious expression on its face stood out against its exaggerated, cartoonish proportions, giving it a look that was both charming and funny.

Paul was silent for a moment. “Really? Other than the glasses, I don’t see much

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else we have in common.”