Mike did not know where Avery was, but her phone was on her desk.He picked up the phone and quickly opened up the list of blocked phone numbers."Huh?!" he thought. Elliot's name was not on the list at all!Mike quickly placed the phone back on the desk and pretended as if nothing happened.At that moment, the doors to the office opened and Avery walked in."Has Sterling Group responded?" she asked as she walked over, picked up the glass on the desk, and took a sip of water."They won't return the goods," Mike reported. "You're not going to insist on them returning the products, are you?"Avery put down the glass of water, then lifted her gaze to Mike and said, "You really do understand me. However, I highly doubt that they will return the goods even at my insistence. There is no point in continuing to deal with them."Mike gave Avery a thumbs up."Wire over seven and a half million dollars to them!" Avery added.Mike was at a loss for words."Forget it," Avery said as sh
Elliot took his leave after dinner.He wanted to drop by the hospital to see Shea.The other Foster family members also left soon after.Once Rosalie retired to her room, Cole opened the door to Zoe's room.Zoe had been staying at the old mansion since her pregnancy became public."You're amazing, Dr. Sanford!" Cole exclaimed after he entered the room and shut the door behind him. "You actually managed to handle someone as difficult as my uncle! Should I start calling you Aunt Zoe soon?"The smile Zoe wore was elegant and calm as she said, "Of course. Once we're engaged, I will be his fiance. What's the difference between a fiance and a wife?""Congratulations! It's just…" Cole said as a look of concern appeared on his face. "Is there a way to make sure my uncle doesn't suspect the baby you're carrying? After all, we have to depend on the kid to get my uncle's inheritance!"Zoe's face changed as she said, "There's no way I'm letting this child live!"A wave of gloom washed ove
"Can't the bodyguard and nanny watch her? It's been so long since we've had a drink!" Ben said, then whispered in Elliot's ear, "Avery went abroad today."Elliot's eyes turned dark.He suddenly had the urge to drink.Ben booked a spot at a rooftop restaurant.The two men stood by the railing. They each had a bottle of wine in their hand as they looked out into the star-filled sky. They drank in silence. The spring breeze was cool and stuck to every inch of their skin.When they were done with their first bottle, Ben turned to Elliot and asked, "Did you agree to the engagement with Zoe as thanks for Shea's treatment?""My mother wanted me to marry her. Avery also told me to live a good life with her. Shea's treatment is just a minor reason."Elliot lifted his head slightly, revealing his long, sensual neck.His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat. He said hoarsely, "Avery wanted nothing but to draw a line between us, so I'm simply granting her wish."Avery should be happy now t
Avery in the master bedroom of Starry River Villa. Avery was suffering from jet lag ever since her return at six in the morning and had gone to sleep. Layla rushed to the bed, held her mother's hand in hers, then cried out in a baby-like voice, "Mommy! Wake up! I have something to tell you! Hurry and wake up!"Avery vaguely heard the sound of her daughter's voice and struggled to open her eyes."Shea said she's dying, Mommy! Please save her!" Layla pleaded when she saw her mother's eyes open.Avery instantly jolted awake.She sat up in bed and saw Shea standing next to Layla.She took a breath, wanting to refuse, but the words that ended up coming out of her mouth were, "Why do you think you're dying, Shea?"Mrs. Scarlet interjected before Shea could respond, "She's been exhausted ever since the surgery. She's always tired even after sleeping all night. She's just sluggish all day—""Has she gotten a checkup at the hospital?" Avery asked.Mrs. Scarlet shook her head and said,
Elliot and Zoe were getting engaged in a week.As Elliot's ex-wife, Avery certainly did not have to get involved in any of his affairs.Mrs. Scarlet took Shea home at 3 p.m. after her checkup.Avery drove the car to the office.In the week that she was abroad, Tate Industries had issued refunds to every customer who had returned their products.Thanks to the quality scandal, all the orders that were made around the new year were canceled.Not only was the company suffering losses from the refunds, but they also had to face the danger of not having any new orders. This was a fatal blow to any business.A company with no stable funding might not last for long and would soon have to declare bankruptcy.Everyone at Tate Industries was living in constant fear of losing their jobs.When Avery arrived at the office, a few of the department heads immediately approached her."What do we do now, Miss Tate?""We have no new orders and the workshop downstairs is closed. Emotions are r
Elliot hung up the phone with an ominous look on his face and stormed out of his office.Not just anybody could get their hands on sleeping pills.Where did these ones come from?The moment the black Rolls-Royce pulled up into Elliot's front yard, Mrs. Cooper took Shea back to her room.When Elliot walked into the living room, Mrs. Scarlet handed him the test results."You took Shea to the hospital for a checkup?" Elliot asked as he glanced at Mrs. Scarlet.Mrs. Scarlet averted his gaze and did not dare meet his eyes.Avery had instructed her not to tell Elliot that it had been her who had taken Shea to the hospital if Elliot were ever to ask. "It was Miss Tate," Mrs. Scarlet said as she gave in under the pressure of Elliot's glare. "Shea insisted on going to see Miss Tate's children today—""Avery's back?" Elliot said, interrupting her."She got back this morning," said Mrs. Scarlet. "She didn't want anything to do with this, but I begged her to check on Shea because Shea's
Shea was tidying her desk with Mrs. Cooper's help.Elliot's Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as guilt overcame him.These past few days, he had told Shea to get more rest every time she complained of dizziness.He did not expect sleeping pills to be the cause of her discomfort.If Avery had not taken her to the hospital for the checkup, who knows how long she would have continued taking the pills.Elliot felt grateful toward Avery, but he did not know how to express his thanks.The first thing that Mrs. Cooper did the next day was to go to Avery's house. Avery was surprised and quickly invited Mrs. Cooper into her home."I'm sorry for showing up without notice, Avery," Mrs. Cooper said as she handed two food containers to her. "I made some of your favorite pickled vegetables, so I wanted to bring them to you.""Thank you! Why did you come by this early?" Avery said as she poured a glass of water for her guest."To be honest, Master Elliot was the one who asked me to come by
Five days later, Elliot showed up at the Sterling Group office at ten in the morning as usual."Your engagement is tomorrow, Sir. Don't you want to take the day off?" asked Chad as he greeted Elliot."I don't," Elliot said as he walked through his office doors.Chad followed him closely."Sir, I heard from Mike that they've successfully talked Bohmer Holdings into starting a new company here in Aryadelle to supply high-end lenses to them.""If I'm not mistaken, doesn't Bohmer Holdings work with Alpha Technologies?""That's right. It shows what a good relationship Miss Tate has with the owner of Bohmer Holdings. If not for her, they would not have set up a new company in Aryadelle," theorized Chad. "I looked into the head of Bohmer Holdings and found something interesting."What is it?" Elliot asked as his curiosity got the better of him."The current head of Bohmer Holdings is the son of Professor James Hough's cousin," said Chad, reporting the findings of his recent investigat