The morning sun over Marrakech spilled gold across the riad's mosaic walls. The call to prayer had faded, replaced by the hum of the waking city beyond the courtyard. Ethan sat at the breakfast table, fingers wrapped around a steaming cup of mint tea, but his mind was miles away.
Caroline's words still clung to him like smoke.
I need access to Vanessa's private accounts.
She hadn't bluffed. Her tone had been too measured, her smile too calculated. He knew she had leverage—he just didn't know what kind. Yet.
Vanessa appeared from the archway in a silk robe the color of midnight, her hair loosely tied back. She poured herself coffee and leaned against the wall, watching him over the rim of the cup.
"You didn't sleep," she said softly.
"I was thinking."
Her lips curved faintly. "Dangerous habit."
---
They ate in silence for a few minutes. Ethan could feel her eyes on him, measuring, just as Caroline had measured him.
Finally, he said, "What's your history with Caroline?"
Vanessa's hand froze midway to her lips. A flicker of something—annoyance? Pain?—passed over her face before she set the cup down. "We were… involved. Years ago. Before you. Before I knew what she was capable of."
"Capable of what?"
Vanessa's gaze dropped to her plate. "Let's just say Caroline has a talent for finding people's weak spots… and using them."
Ethan's mind churned. If Vanessa was hiding the truth, it meant there was something bigger at stake than jealousy or a love triangle.
---
Later that afternoon, he found himself in a quiet café in the medina, across from Caroline. She had summoned him there with a single, curt text: Today. 3 p.m. Don't be late.
She was already seated when he arrived, wearing sunglasses despite the shade, her white dress crisp and immaculate.
"You came," she said, stirring her coffee slowly. "I was beginning to think you'd run back to Vanessa and tell her everything."
"I'm here because I want to make a deal."
Her smile was feline. "Good. I like men who know how to compromise."
Ethan leaned forward. "I'll get you what you want. But you stay away from her."
Caroline laughed softly. "Oh, Ethan… this isn't about staying away from her. This is about owning her."
---
As she spoke, Ethan's mind split into two streams—one playing along with her demands, the other plotting a way to dismantle them from the inside. If he could find proof of what Caroline wanted before she got it, he could expose her and protect Vanessa at the same time.
But to do that, he'd have to play Caroline's game.
---
Back at the riad, Vanessa was on the balcony, her robe replaced by a fitted cream dress that shimmered in the afternoon light. She didn't turn when he stepped outside.
"Where were you?" she asked.
"Walked the medina. Needed air."
"You're lying."
Ethan froze. "What makes you say that?"
Vanessa finally turned to face him, her eyes sharp but unreadable. "Because you move differently when you've been with her. I can smell her perfume on you."
He opened his mouth to deny it, but she stepped closer, pressing her hand flat against his chest. "Don't think I don't know what she wants, Ethan. I know exactly what she's after."
Her gaze held his, unflinching. "The question is—do you?"
---
That night, as they lay tangled in bed, Ethan thought about her words. If Vanessa already knew about Caroline's plan, then she was letting it play out for a reason. The realization sent a chill through him, even as her fingers traced lazy patterns across his skin.
"Do you trust me?" she murmured.
He swallowed. "With my life."
Her lips curved faintly. "Then don't get in my way."
---
The next day, Ethan met with Caroline again—this time at a rooftop bar overlooking the city. The sky was painted in deep oranges and purples, the air heavy with the scent of jasmine.
"I've been thinking," he said. "If you want me to get into her accounts, I'll need more than just passwords. I'll need leverage. Something I can use to push her without raising suspicion."
Caroline's eyes glinted. "You're smarter than you look." She slid an envelope across the table. "Inside is everything you'll need. You have seventy-two hours."
He took it without opening it. "And if I don't?"
Her smile was slow, dangerous. "Then Vanessa's world comes crashing down. And I'll be the one standing in the rubble."
---
When Ethan returned to the riad, Vanessa was waiting in the dim light of their suite. She didn't ask where he had been. She simply took the envelope from his hand and opened it, her eyes scanning the contents.
"I see she's still predictable," Vanessa said softly.
"You knew she'd give me this?"
"Of course. She's not after my money, Ethan. She's after me. And she'll burn down everything I own just to watch me crawl back to her."
Ethan felt a knot tighten in his chest. "Then why let me play this game with her?"
Vanessa stepped close, her voice low and dangerous. "Because if you're in the middle, she'll underestimate me. And that's when I'll strike."
Her fingers brushed the side of his face. "Do you trust me enough to let me lead?"
He nodded, but inside, a different question burned: If she's playing Caroline… is she also playing me?
---
By the time dawn broke the next morning, Ethan knew one thing for certain—this wasn't just a war between two women with history. It was a chess game where he was both pawn and weapon. And whichever one of them won… he wasn't sure he'd survive untouched.