CHAPTER 9

ETHAN

I sat on my comfy chair in the sitting room, staring at the two letters on the table before me: the promotion offer letter on the right and the resignation letter on the left. This promotion was a fantastic chance, a huge step up in my career, and something I had always wanted—but it came with strings attached. Memories of that night with Lizzy kept flashing in my mind, making my decision even harder.

I sighed, rubbing my temple, an act I do whenever I was indecisive and stressed. I needed to make a decision quickly. Today marks the end of the submission deadline for the promotion. Uncertain of what to do, I decided to reach out to Mike for advice. I picked up my phone, dialing his number.

After several rings, it connected, and I could hear his husky voice behind the phone.

"Hey, Ethan! What's up?" Mike answered, sounding like I had just woken him up from a deep sleep.

"Hey, man. Got a minute? I need your advice on something," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Sure, shoot. What's bothering you?"

"I got a promotion offer." I began with an unhappy voice.

"Wow, that's great news! Why do you sound so gloomy about it?" Mike asked, genuinely curious.

"Well... it's complicated. It involves Lizzy, you know."

Mike chuckled. "Ah, your boss, Lizzy. You don't have a thing for her, do you?"

I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment. "It's not that. There was this one night..." I said, trying to explain without getting misinterpreted.

Mike burst into laughter. "You mean you actually bedded her? Mr. I'm loyal to my fiancée, Ethan, you dog!"

"Shut up, Mike. It's not funny. It's making things really awkward at work," I said, bowing my head in shame.

"Moreover, Stella cheated," I added, redeeming myself. "I know this wasn't a good reason to sleep with my boss, but hey, life happens."

"Alright, alright. Calm down," Mike said, still chuckling. "It was expected from Stella. I warned you. So, what do you want to do about the promotion?" Mike asked.

"That's the thing. I don't know. What would you do?"

"Honestly? I'd quit and move on. Save yourself the trouble. Getting involved with your boss is one thing, knowing she has a thing for you is another." Mike began to analyze the situation.

"Quitting seems a bit drastic, don't you think?" "You know how much I have always wanted this promotion," I stressed out.

"Maybe. But do you really want to deal with the awkwardness every day?"

"Maybe not." I sighed in defeat.

"Tell you what, call Dave. See what he thinks. You know he's good with this sort of stuff."

"Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks, man," I said, ending the call.

At this point, I felt opting for a resignation was better; it wasn't as if there weren't opportunities out there, but Douglas Mines was still the most sort-out company, and getting an opportunity to work with them was rare.

I immediately dialed Dave's number. After a few rings, Dave picked up.

"Yo, Ethan! Long time, man. What's up?"

"Hey, Dave. I need your advice on something serious."

"Spill," Dave replied.

I explained the situation, detailing the promotion and the night with Lizzy.

"So, what should I do?" I asked after finishing my story.

Dave laughed. "Man, you really got yourself into a mess, didn't you? But, hey, you don't need to quit. It was consensual, wasn't it?"

"I think so. Well, I was dead drunk."

"Take the promotion, but request a transfer. You get the career boost without the drama." Dave smartly suggested.

"That actually makes sense," I thought aloud. "Why didn't I think of this?"

"Of course it does. Now stop worrying and go celebrate."

"Thanks, Dave. I owe you one."

"No problem, buddy. Let's catch up soon."

"Definitely. Take care," I said before hanging up.

I knew my choice already; there was no doubt anymore. I stood up feeling more certain; I had decided to take Dave's advice and visit the office.

"Good evening. Is Mr. Douglas in?" I asked Janet politely.

"Yes. Do you have an appointment with him?" She raised an eyebrow, like I was an unwanted guest invading her space.

I knew she was just trying to be professional, so I didn't take it to heart.

"No, but I would like to submit this." I responded, holding up the envelope above the desk level.

"You can just hand it over to me," Janet said, stretching her hand out.

"I'd prefer to give it to him personally," I insisted.

She gave me an annoyed look as she picked up the phone to inform Mr. Douglas of my presence.

"You can go in," she said a few seconds later.

"Thank you." I politely responded.

As I walked in, I couldn't help but think of Lizzy. It had been over a week with no sign of her around.

I was glad to not cross path with her. I had no idea what her reaction would be and i didn't know what to say if i saw her. It's so weird how one night could change it all, our friendship had gone through a flip because of a silly mistake. I thought.

"Ethan, good to see you. Finally made a decision?" Mr. Douglas asked, looking up from his desk.

"Good to see you too, sir. I've made my decision," I said, standing tall.

"And?" Mr. Douglas asked, his eyes curious.

"I'd like to accept the promotion, but I have a humble request."

Mr. Douglas raised an eyebrow. I'm sure he must be wondering what request I had this time."Go on."

"I'd like a transfer to another department. It's a personal decision," I said firmly.

Mr. Douglas studied me for a moment. "Alright, Ethan. I respect your decision. I'll arrange the transfer." He obliged without questioning me further since I had stated it was a personal decision.

"Thank you, sir. I appreciate it," I politely bowed, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.

"Congratulations," Mr. Douglas said as I turned to leave.

Just then, the door swung open, and Lizzy stormed in, her face pale and her eyes wide open.

"You can't!" she yelled, her voice trembling.

Mr. Douglas looked startled and a bit annoyed by the way she barged in. "Lizzy, what is the meaning of this?"

Lizzy took a deep breath, her eyes locking onto mine. "Ethan cannot transfer or resign."

"And why is that? Who gave you the right to make such decisions for him?" Mr. Douglas confronted her with a firm tone.

"Dad…" Lizzy began with tears welling up in her eyes. It was evident she was battling to stabilize her voice. "I….I'm pregnant. With Ethan's child." She dropped the bombshell.

The room fell silent; the weight of her words was hanging heavily in the air. Mr. Douglas' expression shifted from confusion to shock as he looked between me and Lizzy.

I stood there motionless, my breath seized. It was as though the world had halted for this moment. The sound of a pin drop could actually be heard in the office from the quietness between us three.

My heart pounded in my chest, and my mind raced back to the night with a thousand thoughts as I tried to process what Lizzy had just revealed.