« Come on, breathe! » he gasped. His palms burning, he didn’t stop. Minutes seemed like hours before a faint breath escaped the man’s mouth.
Then the sirens sounded.
Upon their arrival, the paramedics quickly took over. One of them called out to Ethan, who was breathless and dripping wet: « You did the right thing, kid. You probably saved his life. »
Ethan nodded weakly, then looked at the time on his phone — 9:05. The exam had started. The gate would be closed.
He remained rooted to the spot on the sidewalk as the ambulance drove away, disappearing into traffic. The adrenaline wore off, leaving only exhaustion and anxiety.
This single act of kindness — which he did not regret — had just cost him the future he had worked for for years.
And as the rain continued to fall, Ethan’s world seemed to crumble with it.
Three days later, Ethan sat in his tiny dorm room, staring blankly at untouched textbooks. He had already received the email from the university: « Failure to attend the final exam will result in disqualification. »
It was official. He wouldn’t get his diploma.
His phone vibrated from time to time—friends checking in, teachers expressing their regrets—but he didn’t have the strength to answer. How could he explain losing everything because he hadn’t been able to walk past a dying stranger on the sidewalk?
Then, one morning, a white envelope arrived in his mailbox. No sender, only his name carefully written: Ethan Miller.
He tore it up.
“Dear Mr. Miller,
You don’t know me, but I believe you saved my father, Charles Bennett’s, life last week. He is the chairman of the board of Bennett & Co. Holdings. The doctors said that without your immediate intervention, he would not have survived. My father told me that, because of him, you missed something very important that day—your final exam.
He would like to meet with you in person to express his gratitude. Please contact us at the number below.
Sincerely,
Emma Bennett”
Ethan blinked in disbelief. Bennett & Co. was one of the largest groups in the United Kingdom — a name he had only seen in the business pages.
He hesitated, thinking it might be a mistake. But curiosity got the better of him. The next day, a polite assistant called him to arrange a meeting at the company headquarters.
Upon his arrival, he was led into a large office overlooking the city skyline. Behind the mahogany desk stood the man he had saved — Charles Bennett himself.
« Mr. Miller, » said the elder warmly, rising with some difficulty. « I am happy to finally meet the young man who gave me a second chance. »
Ethan smiled nervously. « I’m just glad you’re okay, sir. »
Charles stared at him for a moment, then asked, « Your university refused to make an exception, didn’t it? »
Ethan nodded. « Yes, sir. Rules are rules. »
The president’s eyes softened. « Then perhaps it’s time someone rewrote the rules. »
He picked up his phone. « Emma, put me through to the dean of Westbridge University. »
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