Ethan's face was a mask of tension as he stared at the spot where Carmen had vanished back into the crowd. I wanted to reach out, to press him for more, but something in the weight of his guarded expression stayed my hand. I had never seen him like this-caught off guard, almost vulnerable. Whoever Carmen was, she had power over him-a part of his life that I hadn't been privy to.
"Ethan," I said softly into the silence, "you don't have to tell me everything, but if this is someone who's going to complicate things for you—
He let out a deep sigh, his eyes dropping to his hands before catching mine. "Carmen and I… we were close once. Too close. She's one of those people who doesn't let go of power easily. When I finally distanced myself, she didn't take it well.
I nodded, sensing there was more beneath the surface than he was letting on. But pain in his eyes certainly was real-a hint of past wounds that hadn't healed. I could relate to that more than he knew.
"Do you think she'll try to interfere?" I asked, my voice careful, wanting him to have all the space he needed to open up.
Knowing her, probably," he admitted, rubbing a hand over his jaw. "Carmen is used to getting her way, especially with men in her life. But she's not the only one who's made things complicated."
The last part of his sentence hung there in the air, a quiet confession, though I wasn't certain what he meant. My curiosity burned, but I held my tongue.
Chloe," he said, his voice low. "If Carmen becomes a problem, I want you to know it has nothing to do with you. She's part of my past, someone I'm over. I won't let her ruin this." He gestured vaguely between us, his eyes searching mine for a reaction.
Taking a steadying breath, I felt the weird mix of relief and nerves swirl in my chest. "This"-I gestured back-"is about you moving forward. Carmen is in your past, and if she is a problem, well, then we handle it. Just. don't go back to shutting down, okay?"
He nodded, his lips tugging upwards in a flicker of a smile. "Alright. No more shutting down.
Just then, the door opened and Zoe came in, looking excited and yet worried as she glanced from one to the other of us. "Chloe, we have a situation."
Ethan straightened, concern knitting his brow. "Is everything alright?
Zoe's eyes met mine, and by the look on her face, it was not good news. "It's about Mia," she said, her voice tight. "She's here, and she says she has more to tell us-but she insists it's urgent.
I nodded, not to show the calmness. A chill ran down my spine. I looked at Ethan, unsure how to act in his presence with Mia's sudden revelation, but he saw my hesitation and nodded reassuringly.
"I'll give you both some privacy," he said, stepping back, though his eyes lingered on mine a fraction of a second longer. "If you need anything, you know how to reach me."
"Thanks," I said, a small note of gratitude in my voice as he walked back into the party.
When he was gone, Zoe and I exchanged a look, the same question haunting me since last night reflected back at me from her eyes: In how deep did Mia figure?
***
Back in the office, we found Mia waiting for us in the conference room, the skin stretched taut over her pale features. She looked like she hadn't slept, twisting her fingers anxiously as we sat across from her.
"Mia," I said, keeping my voice even but firm. "You said you had more to tell us?"
She nodded, her eyes darting between us before speaking. "I thought I could handle this myself, but after last night… I realized it's too big. They're not just after the business; they're after you, Chloe."
My stomach knotted as her words sank in. "After me?"
"Yes," said Mia, her voice trembling. "They know things about you-personal things. They believe the moment they take you out of the equation, they'll own the matchmaking market. They build a network that vows to take down small firms, starting with yours."
Zoe and I looked at each other in utter disbelief. I tried not to let my voice shake. "Do you know who behind it is?"
Mia bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, it's Carmen. She's the one behind it all."
That name was like a punch to the gut. Carmen-the same Carmen who had disrupted the gala tonight, the woman from Ethan's past. It was surreal, some kind of cosmic collision of all these wrong connections.
Carmen… she's been after Ethan, too," I whispered out loud, but more for myself than for any person who might hear me. But Zoe's eyes sharpened, hitching onto my thoughts.
"So, Carmen is not just after the business; she's targeting you because you're close to him," Zoe said, piecing it together.
Mia nodded, a wave of guilt crossing her features. "I was supposed to plant things in your accounts to make it seem like you were mismanaging funds, just enough to raise suspicions and send clients fleeing. But the minute I met you, Chloe, I knew I couldn't go through with it. You trusted me, and I—" Her voice caught, and she turned away, shame coloring her skin.
I let her words settle, my mind racing to make the connections. Carmen wasn't just trying to hurt the business; she was trying to dismantle my life from the inside out. And where she would stoop so low as to blackmail an employee, there was no telling how low she'd go.
Thank you for coming forward, Mia," I said, trying to sound firm. "But now we need your help. We have to catch her in the act. Otherwise, she'll continue to target us and our clients."
Mia nodded, her face resolute, though fear still flickered in her eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to make this right.
Zoe placed a reassuring hand on Mia's shoulder, softening her eyes. "We'll figure this out together."
As Mia went over the plan and then left us to it, a heavy silence lingered. Turning to me with concerned eyes, Zoe said,
"Chloe, this is serious. If Carmen is out to destroy your life, she will stop at nothing until she gets what she wants.
I drew a deep breath, steeled myself. "Then we'll give her what she wants—but on our terms."
Zoe looked at me with a furrowed brow. "What do you mean?
I mean, we give her the impression that she is winning. We will give her little tidbits of information to make it seem like we are struggling, like she is getting to us. And then, when she thinks she has us where she wants us, we make the move with enough evidence. "
Zoe grinned, her face beaming with admiration. "I like the way you think. But this is going to take some serious acting skills-and a lot of patience.
I smiled, but inwardly I began to circle the wagons. "Then we'd better get started. If Carmen wants a war, she's got one."
*** .END
Later that night, after Zoe had gone home, I sat with the phone in my hand, staring at Ethan's name glowing on the screen. Part of me wanted to tell him everything, wanted him to know about Carmen and that she wasn't a complication from afar. But another part of me restrained me. Was this my battle, or did he have a right?
Just as I was about to call him, his name flashed on my screen. Surprised, I answered, trying to sound steady.
"Ethan?"
"Chloe," he replied, an edge to his voice I'd never heard before. "I have a question, and I need you to be honest with me."
I swallowed, the tone in his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "Of course. What is it?"
Did Carmen say anything to you tonight? About… our past, or anything else?" he asked; hesitation laced his words.
I took a moment, deciding how much to expose. "No, but she didn't need to. Mia came to us tonight with a confession. She's been helping someone sabotage my business… and it's Carmen.
Ethan's silence broke, his voice heavy with emotion. "I knew Carmen was ruthless, but I didn't think she'd go that far. She has always wanted control, and if she sees you as a threat…
"I am a threat," I said, my voice firmer now. "And so are you, Ethan. Whatever your history with Carmen, we are in this together. She is going down and neither of us is taking her down. How's that for a deterrent?"
He was silent again but I could hear his even breathing on the line. "Then let's finish this. I'm done letting her have power over my life.
And for the first time, I felt like we were allied; no longer matchmaker and client but comrades against a common foe. Hanging up the phone, I knew everything was changed—and this fight was only getting started.