Final answer:
The tension between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley was caused by a romantic rivalry.
Step-by-step explanation:
The root of the tension between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley was a romantic rivalry.
In the story, 'The Other Two' by Edith Wharton, both Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley had romantic relationships with the same man, Mr. Slade. Mrs. Slade married him and Mrs. Ansley had a secret affair with him. The tension between them arises when Mrs. Slade discovers the affair and has to confront the fact that Mr. Slade, whom she believed to be the love of her life, had also been involved with Mrs. Ansley.