Ethan was lost in a deep slumber when a burst of sunlight streaming through the window hit his eyes, forcing him to groggily open them. As he squinted, he made out his mother's figure standing by the window, her expression stern. It was clear she had pulled back the curtains, flooding the room with light. Ethan let out a disgruntled groan. "Mom, seriously? Close the window. I've got a killer headache." He rubbed his temples, trying to alleviate the throbbing in his head.

His mother didn't budge, her arms crossed over her chest. "Have you gone crazy, Ethan!?" She yelled. "Did you forget what today is? It's your engagement party, yet you went ahead and got yourself wasted last night. You need to get up and get ready."

Ethan let out a frustrated sigh and pulled the blanket over his head. "Five more minutes, Mom. My head is banging.'' Ethan replied, but his mother wasn't having it. She strode over to the bed and yanked the blankets off him, then she grabbed the glass of water on his bedside table and threw it on his face.

"Mom!" Ethan yelled, instantly getting up. "What was that for?" He questioned, annoyed.

"To sober you up. You're lucky your father knows nothing about what you did last night, or he would be even more furious than I am. Get out of bed and get ready, the guests will be arriving soon, and I'm not going to let you ruin the plans we've made for today. Don't make me come back here." His mother warned, her voice firm. She shook her head in disappointment and walked out of the room.

Ethan let out a frustrated sigh, his hand unconsciously went to the stranger's necklace which he now wore. He had no idea why he took it. He shouldn't have kept it but a part felt so drawn to it that he was compelled to take it. He knew he was never going to forget about the stranger or that night, and this necklace would serve as another reminder of everything.

Although he didn't want this wedding, there's nothing he could do about it, his fate was sealed. He slowly got out of bed and headed straight to the bathroom. It was time to get ready.

****

The Engagement Party....

"Congratulations on your engagement, Mr. Ethan, and Happy birthday. Greetings to you too Mr. Fabian, this is a lovely party." A business associate greeted as he approached Ethan and his father.

"Thank you, Mr. Lucas." Ethan replied, forcing a smile.

The man nodded, then he spoke again. "I don't see the bride anywhere, I would love to give my greetings to her as well.''

"The bride will be joining us soon, they're just running a bit late." Mr. Fabian, Ethan's father, replied.

"I understand."

"Please, do enjoy the party, and thank you for coming." Mr. Fabian said.

He gave a nod and a smile before leaving them to rejoin the party.

Mr. Fabian leaned closer to Ethan and whispered. "I'll leave you to welcome your guests. Fix your smile and do not give people the impression that you're unhappy with this engagement."

Ethan clenched his jaw. "But I'm not happy with this engagement, and I'm only doing this because you're forcing me to."

"It's your duty to see that the company progresses in every aspect, and this marriage is a step in that direction. If you want to keep your position as the heir to all I own, then you'll make sure everything goes well with this engagement. Your marriage with Lily will happen and nothing will stop it." His father stated and walked away with a smile on his face ready to mingle with the guests. Not giving Ethan the chance to argue further.

Ethan balled his fists in rage, he felt like punching something so hard, but managed to control himself.

His best friend soon came to join him. "Hey, man. What's with the angry look on your face? It's your engagement. You need to put a smile on that face or your father will murder you." His friend teased, and laughed.

"Get lost, Marcel. I'm not in the mood for this. Besides, I think it's high time you start acting more mature, don't you?" Ethan looked at him, his expression cold.

Marcel raised his hand in surrender. "No need to take your anger out on me, man, I was only trying to lighten up the mood, I'm sorry." He apologized.

Ethan heaved a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I thought I could do this, but I don't think I can put up with this any longer. I wanna leave this place, man. It's suffocating. I don't even love this woman!"

"Bro, you don't love any woman except your mother." Marcel replied, hinting on Ethan's affection for the same gender.

Ethan glared dangerously at him. Marcel nervously cleared his throat and apologized. He knows how Ethan was when it came to that subject. It was his biggest secret known only to him. He's also warned him never to bring it up in public.

"Anyways, you can't leave even if you want to, it's your engagement and birthday party." Marcel said. "And why is Lily not here yet? I really can't believe she's late. Have you tried calling her?"

"Why would I want to do that? You know at this point I'm wishing she's had a change of heart and won't even be showing up, at least I can easily get out of this mess." He groaned in frustration.

"Well, that's too bad because here she comes." Marcel said, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.

Ethan's head jerked toward the direction Marcel was staring, and his world came crashing down. Standing beside Lily was the stranger he'd shared a passionate night with — the same eyes, the same smile.

Ethan's mind reeled with shock. "What the....?" He muttered, his legs turning to jelly.

Marcel chuckled knowingly. "Looks like you didn't get your wish." Before Ethan could react, Marcel pulled him toward the entrance, where Lily and the stranger stood.

As they approached, Lily's face lit up with a radiant smile. "Hi, Ethan," She said, her voice bubbling with warmth. But Ethan's attention was hijacked by the man standing beside her. Their eyes met, and for a fleeting moment, Ethan could swear he saw a flash of recognition, a hint of amusement. The man's gaze lingered, and Ethan felt his heart skip a beat as he realized the stranger remembered him — remembered their night together. Ethan's face went numb, his mind reeling with the impossible coincidence. The man's eyes seemed to bore into his soul, and Ethan's instincts screamed for him to look away, but he was frozen, trapped in the intensity of their shared gaze.

Lily chuckled, noticing Ethan's stunned gaze at the man beside her. "I guess introductions are in order. Ethan, this is my older brother Alex. Alex, meet Ethan, my fiance."

The words hit Ethan like a ton of bricks, leaving him reeling. His world seemed to be unraveling before his eyes.

Alex's smile grew, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand. "For the first time." The smirk that followed spoke volumes and Ethan's face burned with the secrets they shared. Frozen in shock, Ethan struggled to process the unexpected twist. How could fate play such a cruel joke?

The events of last night began flashing through his mind, and his own moans from their love making echoed loudly in his ears.

"I'm fucked!!"

"Ethan!" Marcel nudged his arm, and that brought Ethan back to reality.

"Please excuse me." He immediately excused himself and left there in a hurry.

"Ethan!" Marcel called out to him, but Ethan completely ignored him.

Lily furrowed her brow in confusion. "Is he okay? Is something wrong?" She asked Marcel.

"No, he's just nervous, I'll go check on him." Marcel replied and apologized to her for Ethan's behaviour before leaving. Unknown to Marcel, Alex secretly followed him.

Marcel went straight to Ethan's room. He found him there pacing back and forth with a worried expression on his face.

"What's wrong, Ethan? I know you don't want this wedding, but leaving like that was wrong. You made Lily feel bad."

"Just leave me alone, Marcel. I want to be alone right now, I...I'll apologize to her later." He replied, running his hand through his hair as he let out a frustrated sigh.

Marcel studied him for a moment. He's been friends with Ethan since they were in college, and he could easily tell that what was bothering him wasn't his engagement with Lily; it was something else. "Tell me, Ethan. What's going on? You're worried about something, and I can tell it isn't your engagement." Marcel urged him to speak up.

Ethan looked at him, wondering if he should tell him the truth or not, but how would that sound? Although Marcel was his best friend, he was still worried that he would judge him for sleeping with his fiancee's brother. Not like he knew, otherwise he would never have slept with him.

Marcel wanted to say something else when a knock on the door interrupted them, almost sending Ethan into panic mode.

"I'll go see who it is." Marcel said before leaving to answer the door. Ethan walked to his window, pulled apart the curtains and opened the window to let in some fresh air as he was starting to feel suffocated.

He stood there for a moment, his head spinning with so many thoughts. He soon noticed that Marcel was taking too long at the door. "Why are you...." He trailed off when he turned to see Alex standing behind him with no sign of Marcel in the room.

"Alex." Ethan whispered in shock, he wasn't expecting to see him there. Why was he here? Was he going to talk about last night? Ethan's heart was racing so fast, and he was starting to feel even more suffocated.

"You look like you've seen a ghost." Alex chuckled, taking a step forward. "Relax, I only came to take back what's mine." To Ethan's confusion, he opened his palm, not clarifying what he meant.

"I...I don't understand." Ethan stuttered. He couldn't believe how calm Alex was, he acted like nothing happened between them, he's being way too calm for Ethan's liking, as though last night was a dream.

"My necklace, I know you have it." Alex stated.

Ethan scoffed loudly, he just couldn't understand, but for some unknown reason, he felt annoyed by Alex's nonchalance. His shock was instantly replaced by anger.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, and why should I have your necklace when I've never met you in my life." Ethan replied, his expression stern.

Alex chuckled softly. "I see." He approached Ethan once more, and stopped mere inches away from him. "I'm pretty sure that wasn't how you felt when you moaned and begged for more last night."

Ethan's eyes widened with shock, in a moment of panic, he instantly placed his palm on Alex's mouth. "You'll say nothing about what happened between us, nothing!!! so you better shut the hell up!"

Alex smirked, he slowly took Ethan's hand off his mouth. "Why? Didn't you claim to never have met me in your life?" His eyes narrowed on Ethan.

"You want the damn necklace? Fine!" Ethan took off the necklace, and angrily slapped it in his palm. "There you go, you can have it back!" He said, feeling annoyed.

"You knew who I was, didn't you? You knew I was your sister's fiance, right!!?" He questioned, feeling used.

"No." Alex replied, his face emotionless. "I've only just returned to the country two days ago, and decided to have some fun at the club you visited. I didn't know who you were or had any idea that you were my sister's fiance." Alex explained, but Ethan didn't seem to believe him. "Anyways, it'll be best if you forget about what happened between us, we can put it all behind us and act like nothing happened. I'm not like you, and what happened last night was a mistake." Alex bluntly stated.

"What?" Ethan said, unable to believe his ears. "You're not like me? What happened was a mistake? Are you kidding me? Is this a joke to you? Do I look like a kid or someone you can toy with?" Ethan angrily pushed him away. "You're not like me, yet you had sex with me last night!" He spat in rage, feeling so offended by Alex's words.

"You came on to me like someone who was so desperate. You kissed me first, and I was equally drunk last night, I wasn't thinking straight, that's why I did what I did. It'll be best for us and everyone else if we forget what happened last night. So let's just end this right here and act like two strangers who've never met each other. It's bad enough that I had sex with my younger sister's fiance, don't make me feel more disgusted with myself." Alex spat, and for a brief second, anger flashed in his eyes. "I'm leaving, I only came to get my necklace back." He stated and walked away.

The sting of Alex's words left Ethan speechless. "Disgusted with himself?" The phrase echoed, piercing his pride. Why did it hurt so much? Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that Alex's disgust wasn't just about the situation, but about him, about who he was. The thought seared, fueling a burning resentment. Being attracted to the same gender wasn't something to be ashamed of, so why did Alex's reaction feel like a personal attack?

From then on, Ethan developed a strong feeling of hatred in his heart for Alex, and he thought of so many ways to exact his revenge on him. He felt so insulted and used, and that wasn't okay with him.

He was going to make Alex pay for what he did, and what could be more perfect than molding him into the very thing he professed to despise. Ethan's mind whirred with the possibilities, a plan unfolding with sinister precision. He'd turn the tables, making Alex succumb to the same desires he'd so vehemently rejected.

He's going to make Alex fall for him, make him crave him, and then he'd walk away, leaving him shattered. The game was on.

The perfect revenge!!

As Ethan descended the stairs, Lily's face lit up with relief. "Hey," She said, slipping her hand into his. Ethan's instincts recoiled at the touch, but he forced a reassuring smile.

"Marcel said you got nervous and left. Are you feeling better now?'' She asked, concern etched in her voice.

"I'm fine now." Ethan replied. His gaze wandered, scanning the crowd for a familiar figure. He spotted Alex laughing with a group of ladies and a plan began to take shape. Ethan's eyes locked onto Alex, a calculating glint sparkling in their depths. He squeezed Lily's hand, feigning affection. "Wanna dance?"

Lily was stunned by his question, but it made her happy; although she knows that their marriage is mainly because of their family businesses, and Ethan doesn't truly love her, but she loves him so much and is willing to wait for him to fully accept her; she'll do everything to make sure he accepts her. "Sure." She replied with a smile, trying to hide her excitement a bit.

Ethan held her hand and led her to the dance floor. When the musicians sighted the couple, they instantly changed the music to a slow and lovely one. Most of the guests even gave the couples some more space to dance, letting them be the only ones who occupied the dance floor.

Ethan slowly wrapped his hand around Lily's waist, then he pulled her close to him, and they both began slow dancing to the rhythm of the music. While they danced, Ethan would occasionally glance at Alex, he didn't know if it was his mind playing tricks on him, but he thought he could see some sort of jealousy in Alex's eyes as he watched them dance. Anyways, tricks or not, he's just happy to have his attention.

Carefully, Ethan began asking Lily questions regarding her brother, and Lily who saw it as something normal answered all his questions.

"Why did he leave the city?" Ethan asked.

"To study." Lily replied. "He studied abroad and when he was done, Dad had to put him in charge of his business there, but it was more like a test. The company wasn't doing so well over there, and Alex miraculously brought it back to life." She laughed, her eyes shining with pride; yes, she was super proud of her older brother and everything he's accomplished. "Dad just wanted to make sure he was fully ready before bringing him back here to oversee things at the company, and Alex is ready, so he'll be in charge of most things now."

Ethan nodded in understanding, then he asked the question he was most curious about. "I hope you wouldn't mind me asking, but I would like to know if he also has a fiancee." He asked.

"I don't think so, Alex doesn't really talk about those things, he's a bit private, and if he does have someone, I should know about it, but I doubt he has someone he's serious with. He's been with some ladies, but it was never serious."

"Just ladies?" Ethan unknowingly blurted out.

Lily furrowed her brow in confusion. "I don't understand."

Ethan mentally scolded himself for speaking too fast, but he was quick to deal with the situation. "I mean, he's really good looking, I'm pretty sure it won't just be the ladies who are after him, you know what I mean." He winked.

Lily laughed. "That can never happen, Alex is literally disgusted with the idea of being with a man. I've teased him about it once. When he wasn't taking any of the women he's been with seriously, I asked if he liked men instead, and you should have seen the look of disgust on his face.'' She shook her head. ''He's straight, so even though some men approach him, it's all going to be a waste of time."

Ethan didn't say anything more, so Alex was indeed telling the truth, he really didn't know he was his sister's fiance, and him doing what he did must have truly been because he was drunk. But that didn't make any difference, and hearing Lily's words made Ethan even more determined to carry out his plan.

The dance ended to thunderous applause, and congratulatory smiles flooded in. Lily radiated with genuine happiness, her eyes sparkling as she accepted well-wishes. Ethan could only fake a smile and pretend to be happy. He sensed Alex's piercing gaze and met it across the room, their eyes locked in a charged moment. The air seemed to vibrate with tension before Ethan broke away, murmuring an excuse to Lily. He slipped outside to the garden, the cool afternoon breeze a welcome escape from the suffocating charade.

Lost in thought, Ethan didn't notice the approaching figure. But as a presence loomed behind him, he spun around, his eyes locking onto Alex's chiseled features. For a moment, he was caught off guard by Alex's piercing gaze and chiseled jawline. Ethan's mind momentarily stuttered, his breath catching in his throat. He swiftly collected himself, mentally chastising his reaction. What's wrong with me? I'm supposed to hate him, not admire him!

"Why did you leave the party again?" Alex asked, a serious expression on his face.

Ethan scoffed, "That's none of your business, and I'd appreciate it if you can give me some privacy." He replied, glaring hatefully at Alex.

"You don't seem to be happy with this marriage, and anyone with a good eye will be able to see it. Tell me something, Ethan." He took a step closer to Ethan. "Knowing who you really are, why are you agreeing to this marriage? Why would someone who isn't interested in women want to marry one? Why not tell everyone the truth, and I'm only saying this for my sister's sake. She likes or maybe loves you, and I don't want her to get hurt in the end. She's an amazing person and doesn't deserve that."

Ethan's anger was simmering below the surface. "You think you know everything, right? You know nothing! So don't just come here and try to make me the bad guy. I didn't ask for this. I never wanted any of this, and if you also don't want me to get married to your sister, then do me a favour and ask her to call off the wedding herself." Ethan replied, a very angry look on his face.

Alex's expression remained impassive, unfazed by Ethan's words. "Why don't you just tell your parents the truth - that you're gay and can't marry my sister? Don't ruin her life to hide your own secrets. If you're not going to speak up, then I will.''

Ethan immediately burst into laughter. "Really? Be my guest. But please don't leave out the part about you having sex with your sister's fiance, and to think we even did it more than once." He chuckled. "I wonder what your family would think about that, and your dearest sister who seems to adore you so much." He shook his head, feigning sadness. "Imagine how she would feel when she finds out that her brother has actually slept with the man she's supposed to get married to in a few months. I'm sure she would feel betrayed, and she might even hate you. Your family won't see you as someone who's so righteous anymore. You still want to tell them? I won't be going down alone, Alex. I'll be sure to take you down with me." He threatened, his gaze cold.

For the first time, Alex finally showed his anger. "I told you I didn't know you were my sister's fiance, and I was drunk!" He half yelled.

Ethan shrugged. "That wouldn't matter when you tell them the truth, so let's go then, let's go tell everyone, at least I'll be getting out of this marriage I don't even want in the first place, and I won't be the only one who's at the risk of losing everything." Ethan replied. He made to leave, but Alex grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"You won't be going anywhere!" He stated, his voice firm.

Ethan could only smirk inwardly. "Why? Don't you want your sister to get out of this marriage as well? What happened to the over protective brother?" He taunted. "You also claim to be disgusted by who I am, but that clearly wasn't how it looked last night. You obviously seemed to be enjoying yourself when you were doing it."

"Enough!!" Alex said through gritted teeth.

Ethan jerked his hand free from Alex's grip. "Don't play games you can't win." He warned, turning to leave. But Alex's anger flared, and he lunged to grab Ethan's arm. In his haste, his feet tangled, and he stumbled. Ethan spun around just in time to see Alex's face contort in a mixture of rage and surprise. Then Alex crashed into him, sending them both tumbling to the floor. Ethan's back hit the ground, and Alex landed on top of him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they just stared at each other, the world around them melting away

As they lay there, Alex's anger dissipated, replaced by a newfound awareness. He found himself gazing into Ethan's eyes, and his features seemed different now — sharper, more defined. Ethan's jawline, his nose, his lips.... Alex's gaze drifted to Ethan's mouth, and he felt a jolt, he could also feel his manhood throbbing in his pants the longer he stared. Those lips were slightly parted, and Alex's eyes lingered there, his mind going still. For a moment, the world narrowed to that single point of contact, and Alex felt himself drawn in, his thoughts unraveling.

Ethan felt a shiver run down his spine as he caught Alex staring at his lips. He should push him away, create some distance, but instead, his body seemed to move of its own accord. Without thinking, Ethan's eyes locked on Alex's , and he felt an inexplicable pull. In a moment that felt both reckless and inevitable, Ethan's lips brushed against Alex's, sparking a connection that neither of them could ignore.

Just as things were about to get out of hand, Ethan's mother's voice cut through the air, calling out his name. Panic surged through Ethan, and he shoved Alex off him. "Shit! What do we do? My mom can't see us like this," He whispered urgently.

Alex's eyes darted around the garden, and he spotted a large statue. "Let's hide behind that," He whispered back, grabbing Ethan's hand. They sprinted towards the statue, their hearts racing. They managed to slip behind it just as Ethan's mother reached the spot they'd been lying. "Ethan?" She called out, but there was no response. After a moment, she gave up and walked away. Ethan and Alex let out a collective sigh of relief, their chests heaving with exertion. They peeked around the statue, ensuring they were alone once more.

"That was close," Ethan whispered, relief washing over him. Alex's face softened, and a small smile played on his lips. Ethan's eyes widened in surprise; he'd never seen Alex smile before.

As their eyes met, the weight of their shared moment lingered in the air, unspoken but undeniable. Alex's expression shifted, his features tightened as a shadow passed over his face. His voice, once warm, turned cold —resolute.

"What just happened can't happen again," He said, his tone clipped. "You're engaged to my younger sister, and this—this isn't something we can keep letting happen. I'm not like you, and I never will be. I won't feel the same way, so please... we need to put this behind us. Forget it ever happened. It's best if we act like strangers—as if none of this ever existed between us.''

Alex's gaze was unwavering, his words carrying the weight of both regret and cold resolve. "I need you to rethink this marriage.'' He said, his voice low but firm. "I can't call it off myself, but you can—somehow. It wouldn't be fair to my sister, spending her life with someone who will never love her, never truly be drawn to her. And as much as it sickens me to admit it, someone who has been with her brother."

His expression hardened, a storm of emotions flashing across his face. "I'll never forgive myself for that night. It should never have happened. All of this is a mistake." He exhaled sharply, his frustration raw. "So do something about it. End things with my sister. Don't use her as your excuse, your shield. I may not be able to reveal the truth about you to everyone, but I won't stand by and let you have an affair with anyone else until you call off this marriage."

Alex leaned forward, his voice turning steely. "If you insist on going through with this marriage, then fix yourself. See a therapist. Get a cure. Do whatever you need to. Because I swear, as long as you're engaged to my sister, I won't allow you to be with anyone else."

The words struck like a blow. And with one final, cutting look, Alex stood up and walked away, leaving Ethan frozen in place —stung, humiliated, and utterly alone.

Ethan's pulse quickened as Alex's words echoed in his mind, each syllable sharpening the anger burning in his chest. A therapist? A cure? As if his existence was something to be fixed. The sheer audacity made his stomach twist. He blamed himself for what happened. How could he have let his guard down, even for a moment? What was wrong with him? He was supposed to hate Alex, not feeling drawn to him. And yet, he had allowed his emotions to cloud his judgement, let himself forget, even for a second, the kind of person Alex truly was.

Humiliation simmered beneath his skin, hardening into something darker. Alex's words had cut deep, but instead of wounding him, they reforged him—stronger, colder.

This wasn't about fleeting desires anymore. Ethan clenched his fists, jaw tightening. He would make Alex pay for what he had done.