Shocking Twist

Vincent’s POV

A pounding headache pulled me from the depths of sleep. The sharp, throbbing pain behind my eyes made me wince as I slowly came to my senses. I tried to blink the sleepiness away, but everything felt foggy, disjointed like I was moving through water. As I lifted my head, I immediately noticed a man lying beside me.

My heart skipped a beat.

What had happened between us?

The room felt alien, and the scent of unfamiliar cologne lingered in the air. I looked around, taking in the dimly lit room, the heavy curtains pulled tight against the morning light. The bed beneath me was too large to be my own, and the sheets felt too soft. I could still feel the slight warmth of the body beside me. The sheets shifted, and he turned over, his face now facing the ceiling. It was then that I saw him more clearly.

Ethan Levitt.

My college roommate.

The same Ethan who had once confessed his feelings to me, the feelings I had dismissed, telling him I was straight. He was the one who had been in love with me, the one I had rejected, more out of fear than conviction.

I stared at him for a few moments, unable to move or speak. His features hadn’t changed. He still had that sharp jawline, the messy dark hair, and the same tired expression that seemed to suggest he had carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He was the same Ethan I had known back in college, though it had been years since I last saw him. That conversation, the one where he told me how he felt, still haunted me. I had pushed him away, convinced that our friendship meant more than anything that could have bloomed into a romantic relationship. But looking at him now, the reality of the situation was undeniable.

How did we end up here?

The previous night rushed back in fragmented flashes, meeting at the bar, the drinks, the endless talking. The laughter that spilled between us, the tension that started to build as the alcohol flowed. And then, somewhere between the laughter and the low hum of conversation, I felt his lips on mine. The kiss that shattered everything. It had been passionate, unexpected, and yet, it felt like something I had been waiting for, something I couldn’t deny.

I rubbed my temples, trying to focus, but the headache was relentless.

“I really drank too much,” I muttered to myself, my words sounding hollow in the quiet room.

The reality of it all crashed into me. I had kissed Ethan. I had allowed myself to go down this path. I had no idea how far things had gone after that, what had happened between us, or how far we’d taken it. The regret, the confusion, and the pain were so overwhelming that it felt like I might drown in it.

But it wasn’t just the alcohol or the kiss that haunted me.

Pascal.

My mind immediately drifted to him, my partner, my love, the man who had been there for me through everything. How would he feel when he found out? I had cheated. I had betrayed him in the worst way possible. The guilt weighed heavy on my chest. Pascal would have been calling me all night. He always did, whether it was to check in or just to hear my voice before we fell asleep. But I hadn’t answered his calls. I hadn’t answered because of what I had done.

I looked at Ethan again, his breathing even and deep as he slept. I should’ve felt something, anything, but all I felt was a growing sense of panic. I was trapped, between my past, my present, and the uncertainty of what lay ahead.

I stood up carefully, trying to move without waking him. The cool air of the room made me shiver as I quickly gathered my clothes from the floor, tossing them on in haste. I didn’t want to stick around, not when my mind was so jumbled. I needed to leave, to think, to make sense of all of this.

As I reached for my phone, I saw the countless missed calls and text messages from Pascal, each one more desperate than the last. The guilt gnawed at me, but there was nothing I could do to take back what had happened. No apology would be enough. I had broken his trust, and now I had to face the consequences.

I dropped my card, not knowing what I was doing, I grabbed my jacket and slipped out of the room, trying to be as quiet as possible. Ethan’s figure remained unmoving on the bed as I closed the door behind me, feeling the weight of the situation press down on me. The hallway was quiet, and for a moment, I stood there, staring at the door as if hoping that somehow, I could reverse everything that had happened.

I stepped out of the building, the early morning light greeting me like a slap in the face. The air was cool, and the bustling city sounds seemed too loud after the stillness of the room I had just left. I didn’t want to go home, but I had no choice. I had to face Pascal.

At home, the silence greeted me like an old friend. I quickly showered, the water doing little to ease the tension in my body. The cold spray felt like a shock to my system, but it didn’t wash away the sense of betrayal, of being caught between two lives. One I had built with Pascal, the other, a fleeting moment with someone who had been an unresolved chapter in my past.

I dressed quickly, too quickly. There was no time to process. My mind was racing, jumping between Pascal and Ethan. I had no answers, no clear path forward. All I could do was move, put one foot in front of the other, and pretend that everything was fine. I grabbed my briefcase, heading out the door, though the thought of work didn’t even register in my brain. All I could think about was what I was going to tell Pascal. How would I face him after what I had done?

The drive to work felt endless. Each passing moment was like a countdown to something that I couldn’t quite control. When I reached the office, the usual rush of activity did little to calm my nerves. I barely registered the usual greetings from coworkers as I walked through the glass doors, heading straight to my desk.

“vincent!” Monica, from HR, called out as I passed her desk. “You’re just in time. Mr. Donald wants everyone in the conference room for a special announcement.”

I nodded, offering a tight smile, though my thoughts were elsewhere. The conference room was crowded as I stepped inside. The chatter around me was deafening, but I felt like I was in a vacuum, disconnected from everything and everyone.

Mr. Donald, the head of department, stood at the front of the room, his usually calm demeanor now replaced with an air of excitement.

“Good morning, everyone,” he began. “I’m pleased to introduce a new member of our leadership team, someone who will be taking the reins of our strategy division. Please join me in welcoming our new Head of Strategy, Ethan Levitt.”

My stomach dropped.

The door opened, and there he was. Ethan.

I froze. His eyes met mine across the room, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to stop. He gave a small, knowing smile, as though the years and the tension between us had never existed.

Ethan was now my boss. And the person who took my position as the head of strategy.