Chapter 3 The Charismatic and Cunning Wade Chilton

LILY RUSSELL'S POV

“DID SOMEONE SEND YOU TO KILL ME? TELL ME!”

I could feel his anger just like how I feel the tip of my own knife on my neck. My breathing was also getting faster. I didn’t think he would catch me this quickly. No. He won’t find out about my plan if I don’t confess. I need to think of an answer to him immediately. I need to think of a way to mislead him.

“You came to me intentionally, right Miss Russell? Do you think I wouldn’t notice how you deliberately grabbed my attention earlier at the auction? What do you take me for? Born yesterday?”

All I could do now was swallow my own saliva. Even so, I needed to stay calm.

Wade smirked. He let go of the knife he was holding and slowly choked me by the neck.

“Your bag is fake. I can tell just by looking at it. So tell me, where did you get your money to compete with me at the auction earlier?”

Wade tightened his grip on my neck even more. I could barely breathe, but I still tried to calm myself.

“Aren’t you going to speak, Miss Russell? Do you want to just die here, huh?”

I choked. I tapped his hand as a signal that I would speak. He immediately loosened his grip, just enough for me to speak properly.

“Nobody sent me. I’m just like those women who are crazy about you!” Please, let this work. I no longer know what kind of excuse he would believe.

He slowly let out a loud laugh. He really sounds like a demon when he laughs. Well, he really is a servant of evil!

“You think I’ll believe what you’re saying?”

His eyes widened and he tightened his grip on my neck again. I tapped his hand once more. Finally, he let go of my neck! I held my throat and coughed. My eyes widened when I saw him pick up the knife he had thrown earlier. Relax, Lily. This is not how everything will end.

“I’m not going to force you to believe me. About the money, I really don’t have that kind of amount. As I said earlier, I just did it to catch your attention,” I said calmly once I could breathe properly.

Wade smirked. “The bag. How will you explain that? Why are you hiding a knife behind your nightgown?” He raised both eyebrows.

“I’m not going to use it against you. It just so happened that you felt the knife at my back. It’s normal for me. I always carry weapons wherever I go, even when I sleep. I had some trauma when I was a teenager. Because of what happened, I almost died. My mom taught me to carry a weapon anytime, anywhere. She actually gave it to me. Like you said earlier, men are dangerous. I’m just protecting myself. Accidents and casualties happen suddenly. No one can tell when misfortune will strike, so there. I always carry weapons. It’s up to you whether you believe it or not, but if I really intended to use it on you, I should’ve done it earlier. I had a lot of opportunities. Did you see me take it from my back? No, right?”

I don’t know where I pulled that alibi from. All I know is it seems effective.

“You’re brave. You stayed calm in front of me, even though you were already struggling to breathe earlier.”

“Is that a compliment, Mr. Chilton? If so, then thank you. I’m glad that you admire me for being like that. I... I really like you a lot... You’re very handsome in person and very intelligent as well. I really admire how cunning you are when it comes to your line of work.” I smiled. You’re really a liar too, Lily.

Wade picked up the knife from the floor and placed it on the table. He fixed his clothes and then stepped closer to me again. He wrapped his arm around my waist, bringing our bodies closer once more.

“If you’re into me, then give me an unforgettable night, Miss Russell. You’re lucky. I usually don’t accept a woman’s feelings toward me,” he whispered.

I closed my eyes as he caressed my back. I immediately kissed his neck to ease the remaining doubts in his mind.

“Alright. You can stay here tonight. We can—”

I was cut off when his cellphone suddenly rang.

“Speak,” he said with full authority.

“Mr. Chilton, our men have already caught the traitor. We are now in your office,” the person on the other line said.

“Alright. I’m on my way.”

Wade pushed me onto the sofa. What the hell is wrong with him? My heart started racing again when he grabbed my neck.

“Do you really think I will buy your story, Miss Russell? Let me tell you this. You were unlucky to have met me. I will keep my eyes on you. Once I discover that you are plotting something against me, I will not hesitate to kill you. Remember that,” Wade said softly but firmly before letting go of me.

He quickly left my hotel room without even looking back at me. I held my chest. Because of fear, I grabbed a bottle of alcohol and poured myself a drink, then I drank it straight.

“Wade Chilton, I will not be intimidated by you. I will make sure to kill you. I need to think of another way to get close to you again, but before that, I need to remove the fear and anxiety from my system. I should expect this already. You are ruthless and heartless. A cunning man like you deserves a cunning woman like me.”

I poured myself another drink and drank until I finished the entire bottle. I need to sleep well tonight. I need to prepare for our next meeting.