When the Tables Turn

Jalissa pulled back suddenly, her breath uneven as she stared at Ethan. "What are you doing?" she asked again, this time more firmly.

Ethan looked conflicted, his brows furrowed as he searched her face. "I... I don't know. I guess I forgot how much I missed this. Missed you."

Jalissa stood, putting some distance between them, her emotions swirling in chaos. "Ethan, this isn't right. We're working on your product, not... this."

"I know," he said, standing as well. "I just... I got caught up. Seeing you like this, how strong and confident you've become, it's hard not to think about everything we had."

Jalissa folded her arms across her chest, her tone calm but firm. "We can't go back, Ethan. Too much has happened. And even if we could, you're engaged to Kate."

Ethan winced at the mention of Kate, running a hand through his hair. "I know, but things between us aren't... they're not what they seem. I thought I wanted this life—this partnership—but it feels empty."

Jalissa's expression softened slightly, but she quickly straightened. "Ethan, I'm not here to fix your personal life. You made your choices, and I've made mine. What we had is in the past."

He nodded slowly, his shoulders slumping. "You're right. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

The tension hung heavy in the air as Jalissa moved to the kitchen, placing her empty beer bottle in the sink. "We need to focus on the product. That's it. If you can't keep it professional, I can't help you."

Ethan looked at her, regret etched into his features. "You're right. It won't happen again. I promise."

"Good," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

The next few days passed without incident. Jalissa buried herself in her work, determined to put the moment with Ethan behind her. But it wasn't easy. His words lingered in her mind, and she couldn't shake the feeling of old wounds being reopened.

Gina returned from her trip and immediately sensed that something was off. One evening, as they sat on the couch eating takeout, she gave Jalissa a pointed look. "Spill it. What happened while I was gone?"

Jalissa hesitated, poking at her lo mein with her chopsticks. "Ethan kissed me."

Gina nearly dropped her fork. "He what? Oh, no. Tell me you slapped him."

Jalissa shook her head. "I stopped it. But it was... complicated. He said he misses me and regrets everything."

Gina's eyes narrowed. "And you believe him?"

"I don't know what to believe," Jalissa admitted. "He seems genuine, but it doesn't change what he did. And he's still with Kate."

Gina set her food aside, leaning closer. "Listen to me. That man doesn't deserve a second of your energy. He's playing with fire, and if you're not careful, you're going to get burned."

"I know," Jalissa said, her voice quiet. "That's why I told him we need to keep things professional. But it's harder than I thought."

"Then maybe it's time to cut him off completely," Gina suggested. "You don't owe him anything, Jalissa. Let him figure his mess out without dragging you into it."

Jalissa nodded, though deep down, she wasn't sure she was ready to make that decision just yet.

At work, Jalissa poured all her energy into her tasks, going above and beyond to keep Victor's schedule running smoothly. Her organizational skills had become legendary within the office, and Victor himself seemed more impressed with her every day.

One afternoon, Victor called her into his office. "Jalissa, sit down," he said, gesturing to the chair across from his desk.

She complied, her expression curious. "Is everything all right?"

"Better than all right," he said with a rare smile. "I've been reviewing your performance, and I have to say, you've exceeded every expectation. The way you handled the Japanese clients, the streamlined schedules, the flawless presentations—I don't know how I ever managed without you."

Jalissa felt a blush creep up her cheeks. "Thank you, Victor. That means a lot."

He leaned forward, his tone serious. "I'm not just saying this to flatter you. I want to discuss your future here. Have you thought about where you see yourself in the company?"

Jalissa blinked, caught off guard. "I've been focused on doing the best job I can. I haven't really thought about long-term plans."

"Well, start thinking," Victor said. "Because I see leadership potential in you. And I'm willing to invest in that."

Her heart swelled with pride, but she kept her composure. "Thank you, Victor. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't," he said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Now, get back to work before I start wondering how much I'm paying you to sit here."

Jalissa laughed, standing. "On it, boss."

That evening, Jalissa sat at her kitchen table, staring at her notebook. She had written out her goals months ago, and now she was crossing them off one by one. But the unexpected praise from Victor had her thinking bigger. What else could she achieve? How far could she go?

As she scribbled down new aspirations, her phone buzzed on the table. It was a text from Ethan.

Ethan: Can we meet tomorrow? I have some updates on the product.

Jalissa stared at the message, her mind conflicted. She knew Gina would tell her to cut him off, but part of her still felt a sense of responsibility—for the work, if nothing else.

Finally, she typed back:

Jalissa: Fine. Tomorrow at 7.

The next evening, Ethan arrived at her apartment right on time. This time, he brought coffee instead of beer, and his demeanor was much more subdued.

As they worked, the tension from their last meeting seemed to ease. They made progress on the product, identifying potential solutions for the cost issues and drafting a plan for beta testing.

By the end of the session, Ethan leaned back in his chair, looking more relaxed than Jalissa had seen him in weeks. "We're really making progress. I couldn't have done this without you."

Jalissa gave him a small smile. "It's good work. You should be proud of it."

Ethan hesitated, his gaze lingering on her. "Jalissa... I meant what I said before. I regret everything. I regret losing you."

She stiffened slightly but didn't respond.

"I know I don't deserve another chance," he continued, his voice quiet. "But if I could go back and do it all differently, I would."

Jalissa looked at him, her expression unreadable. "You can't change the past, Ethan. But you can decide what kind of person you want to be moving forward."

Ethan nodded, his eyes filled with something that looked like regret—or longing. "I guess I just wish I hadn't let you go."

Jalissa stood, gathering her notes. "Let's focus on the product, Ethan. That's what matters right now."

As she walked him to the door, Ethan paused. "Thank you, Jalissa. For everything."

She nodded, closing the door behind him and leaning against it with a sigh. Her heart felt heavy, but her resolve was firm. She wasn't the woman he had left behind anymore. She was stronger now. And she wasn't about to let him derail her progress.