Chapter 3

Liliana walked past Lucas without so much as a glance and sat down next to Wilson. Wilson's gaze followed her, his usually sleepy eyes now tinted with a deeper shadow. Liliana silently started eating. Beside her, Lucas was suddenly in a chatty mood and wouldn't shut up. "Damn, who are you, angel? Got a name—or should I guess? And hey, do you come with equally gorgeous sisters?" She ignored him, but Lucas grew even more enthusiastic. "How'd you and Wilson meet? Man, you're way cuter than that plain Jane from the Johnsons. Don't worry, bro's definitely gonna dump her. That whole relationship? Wilson's way out of her league—it's like watching a prince date a peasant." Liliana clenched her jaw. A peasant? Seriously? Lucas went on, unaware he was digging his grave. "Oh, you don't even know, funniest part? That country bumpkin Liliana actually had the nerve to diss my bro! Blind, I swear! Ugly and blind! She and Ethan are just two peas in a pod!" Liliana: I'm DONE. "Excuse me?" She slammed her fork down, eyes blazing. "Tell me, who is the country bumpkin ? Who is blind an ugly? Big mouth, bigger ego, and nothing to back it up." Lucas blinked, confused. Why was she so mad all of a sudden? Wilson turned slightly, caught off guard—but then that lazy smirk tugged at his lips. His voice, calm and smooth, dropped: "Butler, Mr. Dayton's clearly had one too many. Take him home—let him sober up." Lucas's eyes widened in horror. What the hell?! He didn't even DO anything! But the moment he met Wilson's cold, deadpan stare, he zipped it, sulking as the butler led him out. On the way, he pulled the butler aside and whispered pitifully, "What on earth did I say to piss him off?" The butler shot him an almost sympathetic look. "Mr. Dayton... that was Miss Johnson just now." Our boss's one and only. Miss Johnson? Lucas's pupils practically dilated as he sucked in a breath. Only one sentence ran through his head: Holy. Freaking. Crap. That "ugly" country girl... was the actual goddess? Once Lucas was out, the dining room felt noticeably quieter, just Liliana and Wilson left now. Wilson scanned her head to toe, eyes lingering, which—god knows why—put Liliana on edge. Wait. Am I really that bad-looking? Right then, she looked up and locked eyes with him. Suddenly, she heard the Demonlord's completely unfiltered thoughts, dripping with obsession: Wilson:[Lili... what are you doing to me? All I can think about is tasting you..] What the hell?! Her cheeks flushed red instantly. "I—I'm done," she muttered, dropping her utensils, desperate to leave. But just as she was about to bolt, the butler came back in, clearly flustered. "Sir, Mr. Brooks and Miss Marsha are here... they said they're here to take Miss Liliana home... and... they brought the police..." Wilson's once-lazy gaze sharpened like a blade, locking onto Liliana. Liliana froze. In her last life, right after they'd... well, you know—things between her and Wilson completely fell apart. She ran back to the Johnsons, desperate and confused. Marsha had pushed her to call the cops, whispering it was the "smart thing to do." Then, of all days, it happened—her grandfather's birthday party. The police showed up, saying they were investigating a rape case. Marsha had banked on her not saying a word about her relationship with Wilson, letting the truth blur just enough for people to assume she'd been attacked by some random thug. And just like that, the blame came crashing down. It was her fault for going out at night. Her fault for partying with the wrong crowd. Her fault for ruining the family's name. Her reputation was in tatters. Mr. and Mrs. Johnson, devastated and ashamed, handed her over to Wilson for "protection." But that only pushed her further away from them—and deeper into a nightmare. And now, in this life? Just because she hadn't gone home in a while, Ethan and Marsha pulled the same stunt? Trying to drive a wedge between her and Wilson again? Seriously? Liliana could feel Wilson's sharp gaze on her—it sent a chill straight down her spine. "Let them in," Wilson said finally, his face calm, unreadable. Liliana bit her lip and tugged on Wilson's sleeve, eyes pleading as she pouted, "Wilson, I swear I didn't call him here..." Wilson reached out and gave her head a gentle pat, voice soft but laced with something dangerous. "Mm-hmm, I'll deal with it" Liliana shivered at once. Soon, the butler led Ethan, Marsha, and the police inside. Marsha's eyes landed on Liliana and briefly showed a flicker of surprise. Why did Liliana look so composed... and stunning? Given how much she used to hate Wilson, shouldn't she be falling apart right now? As Marsha puzzled over it, one of the officers glanced at Wilson, then turned to Ethan. "Is it him?" Ethan gave a dark chuckle and nodded. "Yes, officer. That's the guy! He took advantage of Liliana when she was drunk last night. Arrest him now, please!" The officer looked to Liliana. "Miss Johnson, did this man take you last night and... touch you inappropriately?" Liliana narrowed her eyes at Ethan, silently assessing him. This was the man she'd once been so hopelessly in love with? The guy crying wolf, pretending to be the righteous one? It was disgusting. Only now did Ethan notice just how stunning Liliana looked all dressed up. If he'd known she'd turn out like this, maybe he would've tried getting her for himself... That thought passed through his mind quickly. He reached out, gently holding her hand, and his tone turned sickeningly soft and sorrowful. "Liliana, I just heard about what happened last night. It's all my fault. I should've protected you from that monster..." Before Liliana could even respond, Ethan was already acting like some devoted lover, and she nearly gagged from the cringe. "No matter what he did to you, just tell the police. Don't worry—I'd never judge you for it..." "Smack!" Without warning, she slapped him right across the face. She glared coldly at him. "Sorry, but I'm the one judging you. I don't deal with trash." Ethan stared at her, stunned. "Liliana, do you even know what you're doing?" Was she out of her mind? Slapping him over Wilson? But she wasn't done yet. She strutted right over to Wilson, wrapped her arms around his, and planted a kiss on his cheek. Then, with a playful blink, she turned to the officers. "Officer, I was just being all lovey-dovey with my fiancé. This guy here's making stuff up—I want to report him for slander." Ethan clenched his teeth. "Liliana, it was obvious Wilson forced you! Don't you care about your reputation anymore?" Before he could finish, Wilson pulled Liliana tightly into his arms, shot Ethan a cold glance, and said flatly, "Call the cops. Show them out." Her cheek was pressed against his chest. Wilson lowered his head, and at the memory of Ethan's gross, possessive look, an obsessive thought bubbled up inside him— Wilson:[I need to lock her away. Keep her where no one else can see her. Ever.] Liliana froze.