The click of Ethan’s door shutting behind me echoed in my mind long after I left his penthouse. Something didn’t sit right. The way he looked at his phone earlier-the quick glance, the flicker of guilt in his eyes-had set off every alarm in my head. I’d learned to trust my instincts, and right now, they screamed that Ethan wasn’t telling me everything.
I wasn’t the kind of woman who sat back and waited to be played. If Ethan was up to something, I needed to know what it was-and fast.
Later that night, I followed Ethan.
Baltimore’s cold air wrapped around me as I kept to the shadows, trailing him from a safe distance. My heart pounded, the weight of suspicion heavy in my chest.
He moved like a man with a purpose, checking his phone every few minutes as he made his way to a quiet, upscale bar. Not exactly his usual scene-Ethan liked grand entrances, not discreet ones.
He slipped inside, and I waited a few moments before following. The bar wasn’t busy-just a handful of people nursing drinks at small tables-but Ethan didn’t linger in the main area. He made his way toward a private back room, the door closing firmly behind him.
I clenched my fists. If he was going to have a secret meeting, I’d make sure I knew every word spoken.
With a glance around to make sure no one noticed, I crept toward the room and pressed my ear to the door. My pulse thundered in my ears, making it hard to hear, so I took out my phone, fingers shaking slightly, and hit the record button.
At first, there was only the murmur of voices-too low to make out. I strained to catch anything, praying that whoever was inside would speak louder.
Finally, a voice cut through the muffled conversation. Ethan’s.
Ethan: “The deal stands. I’ve lured her in. Xavier will make his move soon.”
I froze, my stomach twisting violently. Lured her in?
Unknown Voice: “Good. She’ll be the bait. Xavier won’t be able to resist coming for her.”
Ethan: “I told you, I want full immunity. When this is over, I’m done with all of it-both the business and Xavier.”
There was a long pause, then the sound of papers shuffling.
Unknown Voice: “You’ll get what you asked for. But don’t forget-if anything goes wrong, we won’t hesitate to throw you under the bus.”
Ethan: “It won’t go wrong. Alyssa’s the perfect hook. Xavier’s obsession with her will make sure of that.”
My chest tightened, anger bubbling under my skin. He wasn’t just using me-he was setting me up to be bait in some twisted trap.
The voices continued, but I was barely listening. My mind raced, piecing together the betrayal unfolding right in front of me.
Ethan had dragged me into this world, made me believe he was the only one who could protect me-and all along, I’d just been a pawn in his plan to take down Xavier and secure his own freedom.
I clenched my jaw, fighting the urge to kick the door open and confront him right there. But that wouldn’t help me. If I wanted to survive this, I had to play smarter than both Ethan and Xavier.
I pulled the phone away from the door, stopping the recording just as the conversation began to wrap up inside. Quietly, I slipped out of the bar, every nerve in my body on edge.
The cold night air slapped me in the face, but it did little to cool the fire burning in my veins. Ethan Harris-charming, cunning Ethan-had betrayed me. And worse, he thought I was too blind to see it coming.
I shoved my phone into my pocket, my mind racing with what to do next. Confronting him would be satisfying, but it wouldn’t solve anything. No, I needed a plan-a way to turn this situation around.
And I had just the tool to do it: the recording on my phone.
I pulled out my phone and listened to the recording again, my anger deepening with each word Ethan had said.
Ethan: “She’s the perfect hook. Xavier’s obsession will make sure of that.”
My stomach churned. I couldn’t believe I had ever trusted him. But now I knew the truth. And I wasn’t going to let him use me without consequences.
By the time I made it back to my apartment, my hands were shaking-not from fear, but from adrenaline. I paced the floor, trying to calm my racing thoughts. I had evidence now, proof of Ethan’s betrayal. But the question remained: What do I do with it?
Giving it to Xavier was out of the question. The man was dangerous enough without more leverage to manipulate me. But I couldn’t exactly go to the cops either-Ethan was already working with them, and who knew how deep that connection ran?
No. If I was going to survive this, I had to outsmart both of them.
I sat down on the edge of my bed, the weight of everything pressing down on me. My father’s death. Xavier’s obsession. Ethan’s lies. It was like I was standing in the middle of a battlefield with no idea which way to run.
But one thing was clear: I couldn’t trust anyone. Not Ethan. Not Xavier. No one but myself.
I grabbed a notebook from my nightstand and started scribbling down everything I knew. Connections. Timelines. Clues. If I was going to get through this, I needed to be three steps ahead of everyone else.
And the first step was simple: I needed to keep pretending I was still in the dark.
Ethan thought I was just some naive waitress caught in a game too big for her. He had no idea I was already playing my own game-and I intended to win.
A notification buzzed on my phone, pulling me out of my thoughts. It was a text from Ethan.
Ethan: “I’ll swing by tomorrow. We need to talk about Xavier. I’ll explain everything.”
I stared at the message, my lips curving into a bitter smile. He was still playing his part, still pretending to be the knight in shining armor.
Fine. Let him come.
I typed a quick reply: “Looking forward to it.”
Then I tucked my phone away, my mind already working through the next steps.
Tomorrow, I’d play the part Ethan expected-the confused, grateful woman who didn’t have a clue about his betrayal. But the moment he let his guard down, I’d strike.
I wasn’t sure how this would end, but one thing was certain: I wasn’t going to be anyone’s pawn ever again.