The Risky Question
PART 2 — The Date
The next evening, Ethan is waiting outside the mansion at exactly 7:00 PM. No uniform tonight. He’s wearing the best clothes he owns, but he’s visibly nervous.
Victoria walks out of the mansion wearing an elegant dress.
Ethan freezes for a second.
Victoria: “Are you going to stare all night?”
Ethan: “Sorry… you look incredible.”
Victoria: “Better.”
She notices Ethan’s old car parked outside.
Ethan immediately gets embarrassed.
Ethan: “It’s not exactly what you’re used to.”
Victoria looks at the car, then at him.
Victoria: “I agreed to dinner with you. Not your car.”
For the first time, Ethan relaxes.
They arrive at a small family-owned restaurant.
Nothing luxurious. No expensive champagne. No private room.
Ethan starts apologizing.
Ethan: “I probably should’ve picked somewhere better.”
Victoria: “You apologize too much.”
Ethan: “Occupational hazard.”
Victoria almost smiles.
They sit down.
At first, Ethan can barely eat. Victoria notices his hand shaking when he reaches for his glass.
Victoria: “You were brave enough to ask me out yesterday. What happened?”
Ethan: “Yesterday I thought you’d say no.”
Victoria: “And now?”
Ethan: “Now I have something to lose.”
Victoria becomes quiet.
After a while, Ethan finally asks what has been bothering him.
Ethan: “Can I ask you something personal?”
Victoria: “You already asked your married boss on a date. I think we’re past personal.”
Ethan looks uncomfortable.
Ethan: “Why did you say yes?”
Victoria’s expression changes.
She looks away.
Victoria: “My husband and I haven’t been husband and wife for a long time.”
Ethan stays silent.
Victoria: “We live in the same house. We attend the same events. We smile for the same photographs.”
She looks back at him.
Victoria: “That’s where it ends.”
Ethan doesn’t look relieved.
Victoria: “You don’t seem happy.”
Ethan: “Because you’re still married.”
Victoria leans back.
Victoria: “Are you judging me?”
Ethan: “No, ma’am.”
She gives him a look.
Victoria: “We’re on a date. Stop calling me ma’am.”
Ethan: “Sorry… Victoria.”
He struggles even saying her name.
She notices.
Ethan takes a breath.
Ethan: “I’ve wanted this for six years. But I don’t want it like this.”
Victoria’s face becomes serious.
Victoria: “Explain.”
Ethan: “If I’m just something you need because you’re unhappy with him… I can’t do that.”
Victoria stares at him.
Victoria: “You think I came here because I’m lonely?”
Ethan: “I don’t know why you came.”
A long silence.
Then Victoria says:
Victoria: “Do you remember my birthday three years ago?”
Ethan thinks.
Ethan: “The party?”
Victoria: “Three hundred people inside that mansion.”
She pauses.
Victoria: “My husband forgot my birthday.”
Ethan looks at her.
Victoria: “You didn’t.”
Ethan remembers.
He had left a tiny birthday card at the security desk for her.
Ethan: “That was nothing.”
Victoria: “To you.”
She looks directly at him.
Victoria: “I still have it.”
Ethan is speechless.
Suddenly the entire dynamic changes.
Ethan realizes she has noticed him for years too.
Ethan: “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Victoria almost laughs.
Victoria: “I’m your employer, Ethan.”
Ethan: “That didn’t stop you tonight.”
Victoria: “No.”
Ethan: “What changed?”
Victoria goes quiet again.
Then:
Victoria: “I filed for divorce three weeks ago.”
Ethan freezes.
Ethan: “He knows?”
Victoria: “He signed the papers yesterday morning.”
Now everything makes sense.
She wasn’t secretly beginning an affair.
Her marriage was already ending.
After dinner, Ethan drives her back to the mansion.
They arrive at the gate where everything started.
Ethan gets out and opens her door.
Victoria steps out.
For a few seconds, neither speaks.
Ethan: “So…”
Victoria: “So?”
Ethan: “Did I prove myself?”
Victoria looks him up and down.
Victoria: “Not even close.”
Ethan’s face drops.
Then Victoria continues:
Victoria: “One dinner isn’t enough to prove anything.”
Ethan realizes what she means.
Ethan: “Does that mean…?”
Victoria: “Friday. Eight o’clock.”
Ethan can’t hide his smile.
Ethan: “That’s a second date.”
Victoria: “Don’t make me cancel it.”
She starts walking toward the mansion.
Then Ethan calls after her.
Ethan: “Victoria!”
She turns.
For the first time, he speaks without fear.
Ethan: “Friday, I’m picking somewhere nicer.”
Victoria looks at his old car.
Victoria: “Don’t.”
Ethan looks confused.
Victoria: “I liked tonight.”
She walks inside.
Ethan stands alone at the gate with a huge smile.
Then he looks at the PRIVATE sign he’s leaned against every night for six years.
Yesterday, he was the man guarding her mansion.
Tonight, for the first time, he was simply Ethan.
