Once Evan had taken charge, it was now Marrie's turn. Evan had been more watchful following Ronald's downfall. more defensive. More... possessive.
This only caused Marrie to smile in delectable defiance. She had no desire for a guardian. She desired a worthy adversary. She would burn down Evan's realm first if he believed he could control her.
Marrie called Lancy that evening from her own suite with a view of the Seine.
"Please do me a favor. Do you know that Monaco-based influencer? The attraction for scandal? Bring him to our boat party in Saint-Tropez. Turn up the volume. Enough for Paris to hear."
Lancy grinned mischievously, delighted by the chaos that was developing. "Queen, done and dusted."
Even Lancy was unaware that Marrie was doing more than simply hosting a party; rather, she was setting a match to Evan's control and watching it burn.
The Yacht Party - Marrie's Masterstroke
The party night was bizarre.
Their superyacht, docked just off the beautiful coast of Saint-Tropez, was a hive of activity, with champagne fountains shining beneath the stars, crystal chandeliers swinging slightly with the waves, and bass booming.
Wearing a barely-there, champagne-gold silk wrap that clung to her curves like a lover's hands, Marrie descended the majestic staircase. With the infamous Monaco influencer by her side, she was a walking sin. Laughing. showers of champagne. Dancing wildly and carelessly.
Evan, too?
Sitting by himself aboard a sleek black yacht anchored close offshore, his eyes as icy as Arctic ice, a glass of aged scotch forgotten in his hand.
Long before Marrie saw the security drones, which were silently hidden and capturing every evil moment, she sensed his gaze.
With her eyes fixed on one of Evan's disguised lenses, she leaned in and muttered something dangerous into the influencer's ear before giving him a slow, deliberate, and devastating kiss.
Checkmate.
Lancy's Unexpected Complication
Lancy was caught in an unexpected storm as Marrie was playing with fire.
Nervan, Evan's mysterious right-hand man, stood in the upper deck's shadows, blending in effortlessly with the darkness.
A storm in a fitted suit. His deep obsidian eyes, sharp jawline, and smile gave off the impression that he could destroy someone without even coming into contact with them.
Lancy saw him right away.
He grinned and tilted his glass slightly as though toasting her unspoken challenge when he saw that she was observing him. Intrigued and agitated, Lancy was pulled into a risky new game that not even Marrie could have planned. The rules had changed for her as well in an instant.
Evan's Reaction
When Marrie got back to her penthouse in Paris the following afternoon, she froze.
The ultra-modern area was converted into a dark fairytale forest with thousands of black flowers.
A single note in Evan's recognizable, crisp handwriting was found on her bed:
"You have all of my attention if you wanted it, princess." - E.
Marrie grinned, slowly, dangerously, and with complete satisfaction.
Later, Marrie sensed a change in atmosphere at a private charity event hosted inside the historical Château de Chantilly. He was present.
Evan. Wearing a tuxedo that exuded wealth and deadly intent, he moved with the grace of a shark among minnows across the sea of billionaires and royalty. Just past the main ballroom, he discovered her by herself in a marble hallway. He said, "You had fun, I see," in a tone that could have frozen blood.
Marrie ran a well-groomed hand over her hair and inclined her head in an irritatingly composed manner. "Hmm..." With a voice full of delicious venom, she remarked, "Monaco men kiss well."
Evan moved in close enough for her to feel the heat emanating from his skin. His voice was so low that it shook her bones as he whispered, "Not as well as men who own you."
Marrie let out a quiet, deadly laugh. The piercing click of her heels echoed like a countdown as she carefully circled him. She spoke close to his ear, "You still think this is about ownership?"
"You're just a chapter in my book, baby." Evan's solid, controlling palm quickly encircled her wrist.
Marrie, however, remained unflinching. She leaned in closer, her lips grazing his jagged cheekbone. Her breath sounded like a silk whip as she said, "Then get ready for a whole new volume."
With a sinister grin, she vanished into the whirling storm of champagne and diamonds, leaving Evan standing there with his heart racing and his eyes clouded by rage and something far more deadly.
The Calm Before the Inferno
Evan's black gaze remained steady as Marrie vanished into the glittering throng.
Nervan's didn't either, but he briefly looked at Lancy, whose cheeks flushed in ways she wasn't ready to acknowledge.
Two games. Four hearts. Not a safety net. The true fight had only just begun in this conflict where love might be a deadly error and passion could be a weapon.