Chapter 2

The air in the bedroom turned icy, the silence so thick it was suffocating.

My gaze locked on his burning red ears, my voice was icy, cutting through the silence. "Why didn't you stop me? Why didn't you tell me right away I had the wrong person?"

Jamie's fingers fidgeted nervously with the sheets, his whole demeanor awkward and flustered. His voice was barely a whisper, shaky with embarrassment. "I didn't have time. The moment you walked in, you just clung to me and wouldn't let go for a second."

"You didn't have time?" I arched an eyebrow, fixing him with a sharp stare.

"You looked so wiped out," he said, glancing up at me with those hurt, innocent eyes. "Your eyes were all red, you seemed totally out of it, just completely exhausted.

"If I'd pushed you away right then and told you the truth, after you'd been waiting all week to see him you would've felt so awkward and upset.

"So I figured I'd just go along with it for now, and wait until you'd calmed down and realized what was going on before saying anything."

My scalp tingled, and a chill ran down my spine.

He actually played along with me.

He knew I thought he was Eric. He knew this whole night was way out of line, but he just kept quiet and let it happen, went through the whole night with me, never stopping me once.

"Do you even realize what just happened?" I asked, my voice low and heavy, trying to keep my panic, fear, and guilt from spilling out.

"I know," Jamie replied, looking straight at me without a hint of hesitation. His eyes were clear and honest, no trace of embarrassment or playfulness. "I was completely aware the whole time."

I was left speechless, unable to say a single word.

He knew exactly what was happening, but he never stopped me.

Jamie, Eric's innocent little brother, the one I'd always treated politely and kept at a distance, now caught up with me in the most ridiculous mess imaginable.

Seeing me go quiet, Jamie panicked. His voice was urgent and sincere. "Sis, I swear I wasn't trying to do anything wrong to you. I just couldn't stand to see your hopes crushed after waiting all week.

"I know I messed up big time. If you want to yell at me, blame me, or punish me, I'll take it. I deserve it."

"Don't call me that," I cut him off coldly. The way he said it stung, every word hitting me right where it hurt.

He pressed his lips together and nodded obediently. "Okay."

The silence was suffocating, broken only by the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears. I glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand, it was 2:40 AM.

"When's Eric coming back?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.

"Around four," Jamie answered carefully. "He just texted, he'll head home as soon as he finishes up at work."

Less than two hours left.

My fingers were ice-cold, my whole body wound tight. The moment Eric walked in, the rumpled sheets, the scent of intimacy hanging in the air, every trace would be obvious. Three years together, gone in a heartbeat.

I took a deep breath, locking eyes with him, my voice dead serious. "Tonight stays buried. It never happened.

"You don't tell Eric, you don't tell anyone. Pretend it never happened. Understood?"

Jamie's eyes flickered with a mix of complicated emotions. He hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded quietly. "Understood."

"After your basketball game tomorrow, you need to move out," I said, keeping my voice calm but firm. "I'll pay for your rent. Don't mention it to Eric."

His fingers clenched the sheets, the light in his eyes fading. His voice trembled, barely audible. "Is it that you never want to see me again?"

"We have to keep our boundaries," I said, avoiding his stubborn gaze. "You and Eric are brothers, and I'm his girlfriend. If we keep living together, we'll just end up repeating the same mistake."

He stayed silent for a long time, his young face turning pale. Finally, he gave in, his voice soft. "Okay, I'll do as you say."

His overly obedient attitude only made my guilt and embarrassment worse. If he had argued or shifted the blame, I could have blamed him and felt better. But he owned up to everything, quietly taking all the responsibility, leaving me nowhere to hide my shame.

I got up, scooping up my scattered clothes, deliberately avoiding his eyes. "Let me clean up a bit."

"Wait," Jamie called out softly, his voice shaky and almost pleading. "Do you hate me now?"

My steps faltered; embarrassment, fear, and guilt piled up inside me. After a few seconds of silence, I finally said, my voice low and uncertain, "No."

"But from now on, we need to keep things proper and stick to our boundaries," I added.