The phone rang for a while before someone answered."Hi, Uncle Fred. This is Avery Tate. Do you remember me?""Avery Tate? Of course, I remember you! Our company wouldn't have gone under if it weren't for you! How dare you call me? Did you lose all of your money abroad and want to borrow some from me? Let me tell you right now that you won't get a penny from me!"Avery remained calm despite the hostility coming from the other end of the line."That's not why I'm calling. I was just wondering if you have plans to switch companies.""Switch companies? Are you a headhunter now?""I'm planning on rebuilding Tate Industries. If possible, I'd like to bring back the old staff. If all of you are willing to come back, I can double your current salaries."Fred Dover's jaw dropped!"Are you interested?" Avery asked.Fred took a deep breath, then said, "Did you hit the jackpot? Do you know how much doubling everyone's salary would come up to?""I can afford it," Avery responded."If you

Avery did not want to see Elliot at all.The Rolls-Royce she saw at the school that morning was not the same one from four years ago.He would not be driving the same car for four years, after all. However, the driver was the same one as before.What was Elliot doing at a special needs school?Could it be that he was an investor at the academy?Even so, it was unlikely that he would bother to check in on the school's operations.After all, the Sterling Group alone was enough to keep him busy.Chad noticed Elliot's somber expression at lunch, so he tried to cheer him up."Sir, Professor Hough might have a long list of students, but I'm sure we'll be able to find who we're looking for in no time.""Avery's back," Elliot stated.His voice was bleak and dull.It sounded completely void of emotion, but it also had a deep undercurrent that was rich with feeling. Chad was stunned, then snapped back to reality and asked, "Did she contact you?""No, but she will soon," Elliot sa

Tammy gazed at Avery in astonishment."Exactly how much money did you make?!""It's my desire to rebuild Tate Industries. It's a wish, okay? I don't know if I'll succeed or not." Tammy felt relieved, then said, "Jun and I look like a couple of losers next to you. I'm going to have to stay on your good side… How about I set you up with someone? I have a cousin who's super cute. He's only nineteen, but he's a good kid—""Stop messing with me, Tammy," Avery said as she held her head in her hand."You don't like the young ones? Do you like older men? That works, too! My personal trainer is forty this year, but I drool every time I see his muscles… You should take him in, then make him your stay-at-home husband…"Avery let out a heavy sigh.After her breakup with Elliot, she had lost all interest in men, both young and old.Once tea was over, Avery and Tammy made their way to a car dealership.Tammy suggested a Benz sedan, but a Land Rover SUV caught Avery's eye."How's this one?

"She hasn't changed much. She's still young and beautiful, but there was something very different about her temperament."Chad reported to Elliot what had transpired when he had met Avery. "She's a lot more composed than she used to be. She has the air of someone who has made it. I wonder how she has managed to make that much money in a few short years." Ben pulled out a stack of files, then said, "I looked into it and found out that she had started a company called Alpha Technologies with a business partner three years ago. The company mainly sells drones. I'm guessing she used the program that her father had left behind. I heard that the program itself wasn't complete, so she probably found someone to perfect it for her. Otherwise, sales wouldn't be through the roof." "She's no longer the same helpless, little Avery Tate from four years ago.""I never found her to be helpless. She might not have had much money four years ago, but she had a mind of her own. How did you think s

Avery spoke first."Tomorrow is a weekend. Are you free?""In the morning or afternoon?" Elliot asked.His voice sounded low and hoarse, yet it was still filled with the same magnetism and was just as attractive as it had been four years ago."In the morning!" Avery answered.Her judgment was impaired by the alcohol. She felt particularly brave, and so, she spoke without thinking things through. "Remember to bring along your ID and marriage certificate. If our meeting goes well, we could sign the divorce papers tomorrow morning itself!"Elliot had not expected Avery to be this aggressive. It was completely different from what Chad described."You'll regret this, Avery," Elliot said as his Adam's apple bobbed in his throat, and his grip around his phone tightened."I won't f*cking regret it!"Elliot's words had angered Avery."If the divorce goes through tomorrow, I'm getting some fireworks and setting them off for the next twenty-four hours!" Avery said, then burst into l