Gwen's eyes widened as she watched Ethan Hayes effortlessly haul a great white shark onto the boat with just a hook. The shark had to weigh at least a ton, and it dawned on her that her boyfriend had been hiding a lot from her.
Could a normal person even do this?
Ethan, standing there as if pulling a thousand-kilogram shark onto a boat was no big deal, looked back at Gwen with a casual smile.
Gwen squinted her eyes, her smile widening as she teased, "Seems like you've caught the big one, Mr. Hayes. But don't think this means I'll admit defeat! Tonight, you're going to tell me all your secrets."
She was Spider-Gwen, after all—New York's friendly neighborhood hero. No way could she lose to anyone, especially her boyfriend. But even as she baited the line and continued fishing, doubt crept in.
Maybe… maybe he's just stronger than me.
Determined to catch something, she cast her line again, focusing on the fish moving below. But the commotion from Ethan's shark had scared the other big fish away. Nothing was biting.
Meanwhile, Ethan knocked the great white shark unconscious and secured it on the deck. He glanced at Gwen, who was still empty-handed, and remained unbothered. He threw his line out effortlessly, casting it far into the sea.
The ocean was his domain, not because of some Aquaman-like lineage, but because of his mastery over water magic. Unlike Gwen's spider-senses, which were dampened by the rolling waves, Ethan could sense the exact location of every fish below the surface. He knew exactly when and where to pull.
Soon enough, Ethan had hooked another prize—a wild yellow croaker. Gwen, on the other hand, had reeled in two groupers, but they were no match for his great white shark.
Gwen frowned, feeling defeated. "Fine, you win," she mumbled.
Ethan smiled as he tossed the great white shark back into the sea. "Your spider-sense is great, but the sea is full of interference. You can only get a vague idea of where the fish are."
He sounded casual, but to Gwen, his words were like a bolt of lightning.
"You… you know?" Gwen asked, stunned.
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Of course I know, Gwen. I live next door. You don't exactly keep it quiet when you're leaping off rooftops at night. Honestly, you could be a bit more considerate. You were making a racket!"
Gwen was speechless. He knows everything! How did he—
"Wait, how…?" she stammered.
"Come on, Gwen. I know kung fu. People who practice martial arts are naturally more aware." Ethan shrugged, as if it explained everything.
"Otherwise, how do you think I could pull a great white shark onto the boat?"
"Kung fu?" Gwen repeated, incredulous.
"Definitely," Ethan said proudly, raising an eyebrow.
"And you're not curious about why I became Spider-Gwen?" she asked, still processing everything.
"Spider-Gwen? Why would I be surprised? I know who Daredevil is in Hell's Kitchen," Ethan replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Gwen was still trying to make sense of it all. Her biggest secret, the thing she had been so careful to hide from Ethan, was no mystery to him at all. And the worst part? She didn't know his secret.
Gwen felt like everything had turned upside down. "I… I think we need to talk," she said, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
Ethan took out a bottle of wine and poured two glasses. "It's a beautiful evening, Gwen. Wouldn't it be a waste not to enjoy it?"
"I'm serious, Ethan. I feel like I don't even know you," Gwen said, her frustration evident.
"I didn't plan to hide anything from you. It's just… hard to explain. How exactly do you tell someone that you're the author of Fifty Shades of Grey?" Ethan said with a helpless smile.
Gwen's eyes went wide as she jumped to her feet. "What?!"
She started pacing around him in disbelief. "You… you wrote Fifty Shades of Grey?"
Ethan shrugged. "Yeah. People are curious about certain… unspeakable things. And I figured, if I'm going to make a fortune, why not cater to their curiosity?"
He took a sip of wine, not at all bothered by Gwen's shock. "So, now that you know I'm the author of Fifty Shades of Grey, do you still want to be with me?"
Gwen was completely overwhelmed. "I… I need a minute to process this."
She couldn't wrap her head around it. Fifty Shades of Grey had been released when Ethan was technically underage. And the thought of her boyfriend being the mind behind one of the most scandalous books on the market made her blush.
Not that she hadn't read it, of course. In fact, she had secretly devoured it under the covers, blushing all the while. But now? Now, her world had flipped upside down.
"It's not about the book," Gwen stammered. "I mean, I haven't read it! I just think it's not fair that you know everything about me, but I know so little about you."
Ethan chuckled, noticing her nervous deflection. "Love's never been fair, Gwen. It's the mystery that draws you in. And now that you know my biggest secret, I hope you won't abandon me."
He moved closer, wrapping his arms around her waist.
Gwen's frustration melted as she looked into his eyes. How is he making me forget everything so easily? she thought, her heart racing.
"You don't play fair," she mumbled.
"Nope," Ethan said softly, leaning in to kiss her.
Gwen's thoughts blurred as she felt the warmth of his kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
"Want to hear my story?" Ethan whispered.
Gwen nodded, her cheeks flushed. "Yes."
"But I won, so you have to promise me one thing."
Gwen bit her lip, bracing herself. "As long as it's not about Fifty Shades of Grey," she warned.
Ethan grinned. "No, I just want to see you in the spider suit."
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