I spent the next hour talking to Wilson, pouring out my heart and soul to a man I barely knew, a man who was supposed to be my enemy. I told him about Everest, Nevada, and Savannah, my siblings, the family Grayson threatened. I told him about James, my best friend and confidant. I told him about my dreams of escaping the carnival, of finding a life beyond the flashing lights and fabricated illusions.
Wilson listened intently, not interrupting, not judging. His red eyes seemed to absorb every word, every nuance, every emotion.
When I was finished, he sat back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "Thank you, Scarlett," he said finally. "You've given me a lot to think about."
"What happens now?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"Now, I tell you about Grayson," he said. "About his family, his strengths, his weaknesses. About how to win against him."
He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Grayson comes from a long line of powerful men, Scarlett. His father was a ruthless businessman, his grandfather a notorious politician. They taught him to value power above all else. To see people as tools to be used, not as human beings."
"What are his strengths?"
"His intelligence is unmatched," Wilson said. "He can analyze situations with incredible speed and accuracy. He's a master strategist, always several steps ahead of his opponents. And he has an unwavering focus. Once he sets his mind on something, he doesn't stop until he achieves it."
"And his weaknesses?"
Wilson hesitated, a flicker of conflict in his eyes. "He's arrogant," he said finally. "He believes he's invincible. He underestimates people, especially those he sees as beneath him."
"Like me?"
"Exactly," Wilson said. "He thinks he can manipulate you because you're an actress, a performer. He thinks you're used to playing a role, to pretending to be someone you're not. But he's wrong. You're much more resilient than he gives you credit for."
"How do I outsmart him?"
"You have to use his arrogance against him," Wilson said. "You have to make him think he's in control, while all the while, you're leading him into a trap."
"What kind of trap?"
"That depends on what you want to achieve," Wilson said. "Do you want to escape him? Do you want to destroy him? Or do you want something else entirely?"
I thought about it for a moment. Escape was tempting, but it wouldn't solve anything. Grayson would still be out there, a threat to my family and to anyone who crossed him. Destruction was a possibility, but it would come at a high cost. I'd probably end up destroying myself in the process.
"I want to win," I said finally. "I want to beat him at his own game."
Wilson smiled, a genuine smile that reached his red eyes. "Then you have to become a better player than him," he said. "You have to learn to anticipate his moves, to exploit his weaknesses, to turn his strengths against him."
"How do I do that?"
"I'll teach you," Wilson said. "But it won't be easy. It will require courage, cunning, and a willingness to do whatever it takes."
"I'm ready," I said, my voice firm.
"Good," Wilson said. "Because the game is about to begin." He added "He loves to be in control. He has to be at the control or else he loses it"
We talked for another hour, Wilson providing me with a crash course in Grayson's psychology, his business practices, his personal life. He told me about his relationships, his rivalries, his hidden desires. He painted a portrait of a complex, dangerous man, a man who was both brilliant and utterly ruthless.
As I listened, I realized that Grayson was not just a threat to my family and to me. He was a threat to everyone around him. He was a predator, and he needed to be stopped.
When it was time to leave, Wilson handed me a small, unmarked USB drive. "Everything you need to know is on there," he said. "Use it wisely."
"What about you?" I asked. "Aren't you afraid of being caught?"
He shrugged. "Grayson trusts me," he said. "He thinks I'm loyal to him. But he doesn't know the truth. He doesn't know that I'm playing my own game."
He gave me one last, intense look. "Be careful, Scarlett," he said. "Grayson is not someone you want to underestimate. But he also never sees what's coming."
As I walked away from the Coffee Bean, I felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was no longer just a pawn in Grayson's game. I was a player. And I was determined to win, no matter the cost.