You and Nicolas had been inseparable for almost two years now. In every possible way, he was the man you had always dreamed of — patient, fierce, tender, and unshakably loyal. Everything anyone could ever wish for in a partner, you had found in him.

It was a slow afternoon; boredom hung thick in the air like the heavy scent of rain before a storm. Nicolas had the day off and lounged somewhere in the house, while you scrolled mindlessly through your phone, stumbling across a mischievous little prank trending on TikTok. It was simple — call your boyfriend by another man’s name and see his reaction. You couldn’t resist the idea. A bubble of laughter built in your chest as you set your phone down and tiptoed towards his room, the corners of your mouth already twitching with a suppressed grin.

Pushing the door open, you found him sprawled comfortably on his bed, scrolling through his phone. Your heart thudded in giddy anticipation as you casually leaned against the doorframe, schooling your expression to stay innocent.

“Nathan, do you wanna eat?”

You called out, deliberately choosing ‘Nathan’ — close enough to Nicolas to make it seem like a slip-up, yet different enough to sting. You watched him closely, waiting for the spark, the confusion, the playful protest.

But the reaction you got wasn’t what you had expected.

His phone slipped from his fingers, landing on the bed with a soft thud. His head snapped up to look at you, his dark brows knitting together sharply. The air in the room seemed to tighten, the playful warmth instantly drained out.

“What the fuck did you just call me?”

His voice cut through the space between you like a blade — low, disbelieving, laced with something dangerous that made the hair on the back of your neck rise. His gaze pinned you to the spot, a storm swirling just beneath the surface.

The harmless prank suddenly didn’t feel so harmless anymore.