Unraveled Secrets

Ethan watched as Jack disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of running water soon filling the otherwise quiet apartment. Jack's citrusy shampoo wafted through the air, a comforting familiarity that made Ethan's heartache. He was left alone in the living room, the paused series's glow casting a soft light around him. The room was filled with the smell of their dinner, a homemade pasta dish Jack had insisted on cooking. The scent was a mix of garlic, tomatoes, and basil, a comforting aroma that now felt like a punch to the gut.

They had been binging a fantasy series they had randomly chosen from the streaming service. The characters on the screen were frozen mid-action, their faces illuminated by the soft glow of the paused screen. The room was filled with the remnants of their laughter, the echoes of their shared joy now starkly contrasting with the tension in the air.

Ethan and Jack had given each other the passcodes to their phones: no more hiding, no more anxiety, no more worries. It was a promise, a pact of honesty and openness. Jack's phone lay abandoned on the coffee table, the screen lighting up with a barrage of incoming messages. Ethan's gaze flickered to the smartphone, curiosity piqued. Jack had given him the passcode and had told him he had nothing to hide. But this... this was different. This was an invasion of privacy, wasn't it?

The first message came in, the screen lighting up with the name 'Helena Van Olst.' Ethan recognized the name but couldn't quite place it. He watched as the screen went dark again, the message left unread. He shouldn't look. It wasn't his place. But then another one came in, lighting up the screen once more. And then another. And another.

With each new message, Ethan's curiosity grew. He found himself drawn to the phone, his heart pounding. He picked up the phone, his fingers hovering over the screen. He'd summarize the messages for Jack, he reasoned. Nothing more. It was something they had spoken about, promises of honesty—no more secrets.

His eyes scanned the first message, each word hitting him like a punch to the gut. "Jack, where are you? You're not answering your phone. Your father came by at our house looking for you."

Ethan felt a chill run down his spine. Jack's father? Why would he be looking for Jack? He put the phone down, his mind racing. But then another message came in, pulling him back.

The following message was a photo of a beautiful diamond ring set in a platinum band. "Why did you leave this at home, Jack? Your father saw it. He's asking questions."

Ethan's heart pounded in his chest. A ring? Was Jack engaged? He put the phone down again, his mind spinning. He needed to breathe, to think. But the phone lit up again, pulling him back in.

"Jack, please. We need to talk. This isn't something we can ignore."

Ethan felt a knot form in his stomach. Ignore? What was Jack ignoring? He put the phone down, his hands shaking. He needed to stop, to wait for Jack. But the phone lit up again, the light piercing the dim room.

"Jack. I'm worried. He looked angry."

Ethan felt his breath hitch. Angry? Who was angry? He picked up the phone, his heart pounding in his chest. He needed to know. He needed answers.

"I am not joking around. What if he knows the truth?"

The truth? What truth? Ethan felt a cold dread settle in his stomach. He put the phone down, his mind racing. He needed to stop, to wait for Jack. But the phone lit up again, the light piercing the dim room.

"Jack Van Derloch, please do not tell me you are hiding at Ethan's house. Your obsession will ruin us both."

His heart pounded in his chest, a cold dread settling in his stomach. The words on the screen seemed to echo in his mind, each a blow. Was Jack engaged? To Helena Van Olst? The COO of a big company? Was that ring his? She did talk about their house and his father.

He felt a wave of nausea wash over him, his mind spinning. He reread the messages, hoping he'd misunderstood. But the words were clear. Jack was engaged. He had a fiancée. And she knew about him. Knew about them.

Betrayal. Deception. Lies. The words echoed in his mind, each a sharp stab of pain. He felt his breath hitch, his chest tightening. His stomach churned, ready to get everything out of his system. He'd thought they were starting something real, something meaningful. But it was all a lie. Honesty? Openness? All false promises.

Then another message popped up, "Jack, we have the charity event next week. We're supposed to appear together as a couple. What are we going to do? Your father is expecting us. He told me we are supposed to dance and greet important guests."

Ethan's heart clenched. He was also invited to that event. Was he supposed to see Jack there with Helena as a couple? Had Jack even thought of what would happen? Did he believe that he wouldn't be there? The thoughts were like a knife in his chest, twisting and turning.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the bathroom door open. He didn't notice Jack until he stood before him, a towel draped around his waist, his hair damp from the shower. The scent of Jack's shampoo filled the room, a harsh reminder of the intimacy they had shared.

"Starlight? What's wrong?" Jack asked, his voice filled with concern.

Ethan took a deep breath, his hands shaking as he handed Jack the phone. "Read," he said, his voice ice cold as he could barely utter one word.

Jack took the phone, his eyes scanning the messages. His face paled, his eyes widening in shock as he kept reading. "Ethan, I..."

"Who is Helena, Jack?" Ethan interrupted his voice barely a whisper. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind racing. He needed answers. He needed the truth.

Jack was silent for a moment, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Helena is... she's my fiancée," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ethan felt as if the air had been sucked out of the room. His heart pounded in his chest, a cold dread settling in his stomach. "Your fiancée," he repeated, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.

Jack nodded, his gaze still fixed on the floor. "Yes. But Ethan, it's not what you think. We... we're not in love. It's... it's complicated."

"Complicated?" Ethan echoed, his voice rising in disbelief. His eyes darted between Jack and his phone as a chuckle escaped his lips.

"You're engaged, Jack! Unbelievable...How could I have been this stupid, this dumb?"

Jack ran a hand through his hair, a look of desperation on his face. "Ethan, please. Let me explain."

Ethan felt angry and spat his words toward the blonde, hoping they stung. "Explain?

How can you possibly explain this, Jack? You lied to me. You betrayed me. I trusted you."

"I... I know," Jack said, his voice filled with regret. "And I'm sorry, Ethan. I'm so, so sorry."

Ethan felt his anger deflate, replaced by profound sadness and disappointment. "Sorry doesn't fix this, Jack. Sorry doesn't change the fact that you lied to me. That you betrayed me."

"I know," Jack said, his voice filled with sorrow. "And I'll do whatever it takes to make this right. To earn your trust back."

Ethan shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "Trust? Jack, trust isn't something you can just earn back. You cannot fix it with a simple 'I'm sorry.' You broke my trust, Jack. And I... I don't know if I can ever trust you again. I don't know. Can I ever trust anyone again?"

Jack looked at him, his eyes filled with pain. "I... I understand, Ethan. And I'll... I'll give you all the time you need. You don't have to forgive me... Please let me explain. That's my only wish."

He put his hands in his raven-black hair, fighting tears. This was not okay. Why would he listen? Why would he trust him?

"No."

He shook his head, taking deep breaths while he stormed off, a silent rage boiling to the surface. He needed time, needed space, and a place to be alone. Ethan sat on the cold floor, his back against his bedroom door. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. He could hear Jack on the other side of the door, his pleas for understanding, his desperate attempts to explain. But Ethan was done listening. He was done with the lies, the betrayal.

His words had been harsh, cutting like a knife. "You're a liar, Jack," he had spat, his voice cold and unforgiving. "You've been lying to me from the start. How could you do this to me? To us?" He had wanted to hurt Jack, to make him feel his pain. And he had succeeded. He could hear the pain in Jack's voice, could listen to the desperation. But it didn't bring him any satisfaction. It just made him feel empty.

He was about to get up, to hide under the covers and leave Jack's pleas behind, when he heard a sound that made him freeze. Sobs. Uncontrollable, heart-wrenching sobs. Jack was crying.

Despite the anger, the betrayal, and the hurt, Ethan felt his heart soften. He didn't want to see Jack hurt. He didn't want to be the cause of his pain. He had said things he didn't mean and had let his anger and hurt get the best of him. And now, he was regretting it.

"Explain. I will listen. Just... listen," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He wasn't ready to forgive Jack, not yet. But he was willing to listen, to hear him out.

He heard Jack take a deep breath, his sobs subsiding. "Thank you, Ethan," he said, his voice shaky. "I... I don't know where to start."

Ethan remained silent, waiting for Jack to gather his thoughts. He heard Jack's phone buzz, more messages coming in. "Read them and tell me what you're replying to," he said, his voice cold.

He heard Jack pick up his phone, heard him unlock it. There was a moment of silence; then Jack read the messages out loud.

"Jack, why aren't you replying? Where are you?" Helena's message read. "We need to talk about this. We can't just ignore it."

Jack was silent for a moment; then, he began to type. "I'm with Ethan," he said, his voice steady. "We're talking about everything. I'll call you later."

Ethan felt a pang of satisfaction. Jack was choosing him, was putting him first. But it didn't erase the betrayal, the hurt. It didn't change that Jack had lied to him and kept such a big secret from him.

"I'm sorry, Ethan," Jack said, his voice filled with regret. "I never meant to hurt you. I never wanted any of this to happen."

Ethan remained silent, his heart heavy. He wasn't ready to forgive Jack, not yet. But he was willing to listen, to hear him out. And maybe, just maybe, they could find a way to move past this. But for now, all he could do was listen.

Helena's messages kept coming, her confusion and worry evident in her words. "Jack, what's going on? Why are you with Ethan? What are you talking about?"

Jack hesitated, his fingers hovering over the screen. "I... I can't talk right now, Helena," he typed, his voice barely a whisper. "I'll explain everything later. I promise."

Ethan listened, his heart aching. He could hear the regret in Jack's voice, the pain. He knew Jack was hurting and was torn between his feelings for him and his loyalty to Helena. But it didn't make the betrayal any less painful.

"I'm sorry, Ethan," Jack said again, his voice filled with so much regret that it was almost palpable. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to hurt you."

Ethan remained silent, his heart heavy with a mix of emotions. He was angry, hurt, and betrayed. But he also felt a strange sense of understanding. He knew that Jack was hurting too, that he was struggling with his feelings and guilt.

"What was the truth she talked about?" His wavering voice spat out.

"The truth?" Jack hesitated for a moment before answering. "Helena and I... We have known each other since we've been children."

"So?"

"She has always been more suited to running businesses and being a family head than me. Helena has ambition, unlike me. I'm just a failure." A sarcastic chuckle escaped Jack's lips, making Ethan hesitate momentarily.

The blonde took a moment before he continued his story. "My father caught me in bed with a man. He was furious. The man screeched like a banshee, calling me things I would not like to repeat. The whole scandal was handled, and they forced me to pick a fiancee. Helena and I were close friends; she knew about my sexuality and preferences, while I could give her exactly what she wanted."

A heavy silence could be felt in the air, the tension between them palpable. Ethan listened closely to his lover, using deep breathing techniques to stay calm and collected.

A soft buzzing killed the silence together, with Jack's loud groan. "Stop it, Helena, you're only making this worse. Ethan knows now about you and me. We'll talk. Later."

"So? What does she want? What do you get?" Now that he had taken some good deep breaths, he felt calmer. A lot calmer.

"Do you want to know?"

Ethan hit the door behind him, echoing through the living room. "Jack. Tell me."

"Marriage, my position, and... an heir."

Laughter filled the air. It was hard to tell what he felt since the man himself had no clue. The woman wanted a child in exchange for his freedom. Of course.

"Jack. Please stay in the guest room. I'm not heartless enough to throw you out. Even though I hate you enough to want to kill you, I still love you. So please do not make me regret this. I do not want to see a trace of you in the morning." Ethan was ice cold but trembled slightly. He had to think about this. About them, together.

No reply came from Jack.

All Ethan could do was bury himself under the covers of his bed. The tears filled his eyes as he tried to stay strong. There was no need to shed tears over Jack. It was not worth it. It was over before it even started.