Avery did not expect the fight to be about such a trivial matter."Of course, I wouldn't be mad, but it's true that it's not a very polite thing to do," she said patiently. "You should wait for me to come home and get my permission first. If I give you my permission, then only may you open it." "Okay, Mommy. Can I open it now?""Sure!" As Avery picked up the package, worry marred her features. "Layla, I don't know who sent this package or what's inside. I think it's better if I open it."Avery worried that the contents inside would be something inappropriate, and it would be bad if the children got shocked by it."Okay…" Layla was even more curious now.Avery picked up a small pair of scissors and cut through the tape on the package.The nanny walked over and asked, "Is Mike coming home for dinner tonight Avery?""He's got a business meeting tonight, so he won't be joining us," Avery answered."Alright. I'll serve dinner now then.""Okay."Avery placed the scissors down aft

Judging by the way she looked, it was impossible to tell that Avery was fine.Even the children could feel that something was wrong, and it was something serious."Take your sister and have dinner on the table, Hayden. I'll bring dinner upstairs to your mother," said the nanny.Hayden took Layla's hand and led her to the dining room.The nanny prepared a tray of food and brought it upstairs.In the master bedroom on the second floor, Avery's fingers trembled as she pulled the tape recorder out of the box.Without a hint of hesitation, she hit play."Rumor has it that Professor James Hough had a pupil whose skills surpassed his! Tell me who it is!""I don't know. The professor never told me."The familiar voice on the recording caused Avery to tremble more!It was Wesley's voice!"I see. Then I'll cut your finger off and send it to the candidate whom we think most likely is… Let's see if we can get her to come here."His ominous voice sent chills down her spine.What follow

The nanny and the bodyguard were also dumbfounded."Where are you going, Miss Tate? It is rather late."Avery was rigid. She could not pretend that everything was fine, nor could she bring herself to fake a smile for the children.She looked at Hayden with her red eyes and said, "Take care of your sister Hayden."Hayden had always been strong, but his mother's face startled him.No matter how mature he was, he was still just a five-year-old boy.He reached out to grab onto Avery's sleeve and said in a voice filled with fear and worry. "Where are you going, Mommy?"In the past, Avery would patiently explain things to the children. Even if she had to tell a white lie, she would still make sure to comfort them.Presently though, all she could feel was the cold, and she could not think straight. The only thing on her mind was that she had to go to Bridgedale and save Wesley, no matter the danger or the price she had to pay!Wesley had been abducted because of her. He would not b

Avery checked the time after ending the call. She wondered where Elliot was.The airport was located in a secluded area outside the city. If he was in the city, it would take him at least an hour to get here.There were only forty minutes left until Avery had to board the plane.There was no way she would wait for him.If she missed her flight, she would not be able to leave the city till the next morning, when the next flight was scheduled to leave. Time was not on her side.Mike noticed Avery's dejected expression, so he reached out and held her cold hand."Don't be scared, Avery. Whoever's behind this probably needs your medical skills," he said, consoling her. "Drag things on for as long as you can. I will definitely find a way to save you.""We have to save Wesley first," Avery mumbled."Of course.""Of all the years I've known Wesley, he has never once refused my plea for help, no matter how many times I had asked him for help. He always shared good things with me. H

She did not know what she was going to say even if she were to go to him. She had to go to Bridgedale right now.She would not change her mind even if he were to disagree with her. Besides, she did not want to drag him into this mess.She took a deep breath and continued walking…There was a bend a few feet away.Once she disappeared around the bend, he would no longer be able to see her. "Avery Tate!"Elliot's blood boiled when he saw Avery walking away without even a backward glance. With reddened eyes, he charged toward the counter! The security guards immediately held him back."Avery! Turn around!" Elliot had completely abandoned his pride. He desperately yelled at her despite the numerous people in the airport. "Turn around! Look at me!"Avery's feet felt heavy.It had taken all her energy to make her way to the bend. Once she was out of Elliot's line of sight, she leaned against the glass wall and sobbed."Make him leave, Mike!" Avery cried as she buried her f

Chad deeply understood Elliot's feelings.He was on Elliot's side in the same way that Mike was on Avery's side. They would support the people they cared for no matter what happened. It was two in the morning when the black Rolls-Royce pulled up at the Elliot's mansion.The living room lights were still on.When Elliot got out of the car, Mrs. Cooper immediately emerged from the house."Did something happen over at Avery's, Master Elliot? Hayden called Shea at around 10 p.m. and asked her to go over to their house."The moment Elliot heard Hayden's name, his frigid heart began to ache once again.Avery did not only abandon him, but she had also left her two children behind."It's late, Master Elliot. You should get some rest!" Mrs. Cooper saw the darkness on Elliot's face and did not say more.Elliot dragged his heavy body into the bedroom. He shuffled about like a zombie. When his tired eyes landed on the bed, the memory of Avery cruelly walking away from him entered his m

Elliot and Shea emerged from the mansion the moment Hayden finished his sentence.Father and son met, but Hayden averted his gaze in disgust.He was a minor and could not get on a plane without a guardian.If he could he would not be standing here!All he wanted was to get to Bridgedale as fast as possible so that he could be with his mother. "Hayden! Layla! Big Brother agreed to take us to Bridgedale!" Shea ran over to the children and chirped, "We'll see Avery soon!"…In Bridgedale, Avery was approached by two men the moment she stepped out of the airport.They were dressed in black suits and drove a black Buick.Mike took a photo of the car's license plate from afar. They could not act rashly and startle the enemy before they had rescued Wesley.The black Buick quickly disappeared into traffic.Mike saw the countless messages from Chad on his phone.Chad answered soon after Mike dialed his number."My boss took Shea and the kids on his private jet. They are going to B

A man with white hair which stood in sharp contrast to his child-like face stepped in front of Avery. "Are you the one who abducted Wesley?!" Avery demanded with clenched fists.The man simply smiled softly, then said to the two women next to him, "Help Miss Tate change.""Don't touch me!" Avery snapped, raising her guard. "Why do I need to change?!""What if you're hiding some kind of weapon or drugs in your clothes, Miss Tate?" said one of the women with a smile. "Don't worry. We will wash your clothes and return them to you."Avery snatched the clothes from the woman and said, "I'll change myself!""Please change right here, Miss Tate," said the woman as she maintained her friendly smile."How am I supposed to change here?!"Avery stared in shock at the bodyguards that surrounded her and the white-haired man.How was she supposed to change her clothes in front of all these men?…The news of a Gulfstream G650 private jet leaving the airport of the country's capital that

"Where is he?!" Avery demanded coldly as she stood in the living room.David glanced at his lackeys, and they immediately went to get Wesley. Moments later, two men in black dragged Wesley into the room.Avery's entire body stiffened as she could not believe her eyes.Wesley was covered with blood and bruises. There was not one spot on his body that remained untouched.David shrugged, then said, "You should thank me, Miss Tate. If I didn't catch him in time, this idiot would have jumped off the cliff and turned into a rotting corpse!'Jump off the cliff?!' Avery thought.There was, in fact, a cliff outside the mansion.'Wesley actually tried to jump off of it!' she thought. 'Did he choose to jump off the cliff because he did not want to expose her identity and he no longer wanted to endure all that torture?' Tears instantly rolled down Avery's cheeks."Wesley!" She rushed over to Wesley and held him in her arms. "Wesley! I'm sorry! It's all my fault!"Wesley did not move a

Wesley was in the intensive care unit of the hospital. He was covered in bandages, and his eyes were swollen and red. It was clear that he had popped some blood vessels. His hand too was bandaged, and clearly showed the gap where there should have been a finger.Layla and Hayden were waiting outside and the bodyguard was watching them. They had not been allowed in the room. Shea, on the other hand, was allowed in. Her bright eyes were wide as she stared at the man on the bed. She could not recognize him despite the long time she had spent staring at him. "Who… Who is this?" she asked softly. She was afraid that she might disturb the sleeping man. Mike turned around and saw her in shock, so he walked her to the door and said, "That's Wesley. Shea, go outside…"Shea instantly broke down.She shoved Mike aside and ran over to the bed as tears rolled down her face."Wesley! What happened to you? Who did this to you?" She wanted to hold his hand, but she was afraid of touching h