Chapter 9: The Rival's Secret

Caspian froze. Before he could even process it, the line went dead.

Marco looked over, curious. "Boss? What's wrong?"

Caspian frowned. "Zane has a woman with him..."

Marco smirked. "Can't blame him. Guess the rumors are bullshit—so much for him being a cold-blooded freak who doesn't touch women."

Caspian kept his mouth shut, but the voice had sounded damn familiar. A little too much like Lorelai.

He quickly scoffed at himself, shaking off the thought.

Lorelai and Zane didn't even know each other well enough for something like that to happen.

Still, an uncomfortable feeling settled in his chest.

For the first time since beginning his little game, Caspian felt something he had not expected to feel.

Jealousy.

"Find out who that woman is," he ordered coldly.

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because I said so."

Marco studied him for a moment before nodding. "I will look into it."

Caspian leaned back in his chair, trying to convince himself that he did not care.

Lorelai was his wife. She had loved him for twenty years. Even if she was angry now, she would eventually come crawling back.

That was how it had always been.

At least, that was what he believed.

Across town, I sat quietly in Zane's estate, staring at the ocean through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

My heart was still racing from the phone call.

I had wanted Caspian to hear me with another man. I wanted him to feel even a fraction of the humiliation he had forced me to endure.

But Zane's reaction surprised me.

He had not looked amused.

He had looked furious.

When the call ended, he lowered his phone and stared at me for several seconds.

"Was that necessary?" he asked.

I swallowed. "I wanted him to know I am not waiting for him anymore."

Zane's expression remained unreadable.

"You are trying to make your husband jealous."

I looked away. "Ex-husband, eventually."

Silence filled the room.

Then Zane walked toward me and stopped directly in front of me.

"Lorelai." His voice was low. "If you are using me to get revenge on Caspian, tell me now."

I looked into his dark eyes.

For the first time, my playful act faltered.

"At first, maybe I was," I admitted. "But I do not know what this is anymore."

His gaze softened for the briefest moment.

"Neither do I."

Before I could respond, his phone rang.

He answered with a single word. "Speak."

His expression changed almost immediately.

"Repeat that."

I watched him silently.

After a few seconds, he ended the call.

"What happened?" I asked.

Zane looked at me.

"Someone has been digging into your medical records."

My stomach tightened.

"Who?"

"Caspian's people."

I clenched my fists.

Even after everything, he was still watching me.

Zane stepped closer. "There is something else."

"What?"

"The hospital report from the night you fell has been altered."

My blood ran cold.

"Altered?"

"Yes. Someone removed several minutes of security footage from the hallway."

I stared at him in disbelief.

My fall had not been an accident?

Zane's eyes hardened.

"I think someone wanted you to disappear."

The room suddenly felt much colder.

I remembered the figure I had seen rushing toward me before everything went black.

I had assumed it was Zane.

But now I was not so sure.

Zane reached for my hand.

"From now on, you stay beside me."

I looked at our joined hands, then up at him.

"And if Caspian comes looking for me?"

A dangerous smile touched Zane's lips.

"Then he will have to come through me first."