"Why'd you stop? Weren't you going to threaten me?"
Ethan Shaw's gaze was utterly cold and mocking. He'd been blackmailed with this exact drama countless times. 'So this is what happens when I don't give in and play along,' he thought. 'The 'terrifying' part never actually happens.'
'This is a conspiracy. A trap set by Jane Chandler to cage me.'
Jane Chandler squeezed her eyes shut, steeled herself, and pressed the fruit knife a little closer. But just at the critical moment, she stopped abruptly. She glanced sideways at the gleaming blade as if it were a ravenous beast.
Her whole body trembled slightly, her teeth clenched, and the muscles in her face were drawn tight.
An icy hand suddenly gripped hers. Jane Chandler cried out in shock, trying to pull away but failing.
Ethan Shaw took two steps forward, his tall frame looming over her. He applied a little pressure to her hand and, just as he expected, saw her pupils tremble.
