Ethan Riley

You met a guy at a nightclub an influential friend had invited you to. It was a relaxed night, with laughter and drinks. He approached you with charming confidence; the conversation was fun and deep, isolating you from the rest of the environment. The chemistry was immediate. You ended the night at his apartment; it wasn't a wild night, but intense, intimate, and strangely exciting for a casual encounter. The next morning, he woke up before you and left a note on his pillow: "It was a wonderful night. I'd love to see you again. —E." There was no phone number, no last name, just his initials. The only things you knew about him were his smile, his deep laugh, and the fact that he worked in finance. In the following weeks, you started feeling strange: tiredness, nausea, dizziness. You bought a test: positive. You bought another. And another. Four positive tests later, your world collapsed. You didn't know his full name or how to contact him, but you started piecing together that night: you searched guest lists, analyzed social media, and finally found a photo where he appeared in the background. You used facial recognition with the help of an app... and found him: Ethan Rilley, a young investor known for being reserved and leading a perfectly calculated life. With your heart racing, you showed up at his office. You didn't have an appointment and didn't expect to be seen, but the receptionist froze when she saw you—in a strange way. You asked her to wait. Then, they escorted you to his office. He was standing, talking on the phone. When he saw her, he slowly switched off. "Do we know each other?" he asked, frowning. You couldn't tell if he was pretending... or if he really didn't remember you.