Ch. 11..20
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 11
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 11
Elliot reached his arm out through the car window.
Clipped between his slender fingers was a pack of tissue.
Avery was stunned. She was about to decline but ended up uncharacteristically accepting it.
“Thanks.”
The warmth of his palm still lingered on the tissues.
Elliot quickly averted his gaze from her face and rolled up the window as the car sped off.
It was ten in the morning at Tate Industries, and all of its employees were working away at their respective stations.
It had been a month since the company had paid wages. However, Tate Industries was an old player in the industry. Even if all kinds of negative news were circulating on the internet, its employees refused to give up until the very last moment.
If she had not known about the company’s many debts, Avery could not imagine that the calm atmosphere in front of her was an illusion.
She entered the meeting room with the company’s vice president, Shaun Locklyn.
The lawyer went straight to the point when he saw Avery and said, “I’m very sorry for your loss, Miss Tate. Your father entrusted me to announce his will, which I will do now.”
Avery nodded lightly.
The lawyer opened up a file and said firmly, “Your father had six pieces of real estate which are respectively located in… Here is the file. Please go through it.”
Avery took the document and examined it thoroughly.
“Your father also had three parking lots,” said the lawyer as he passed another document to her, “as well as eight shop lots, and twelve vehicles.”
Avery knew nothing about the family’s fortune.
First of all, she had no interest in it.
Second of all, her father had never explained it to her.
Now that the lawyer was describing her father’s fortune to her, she could not help but feel a sense of unease.
She had no idea that her father was this wealthy.
Since he had all these fixed assets, why did he not sell them and use the money to treat his illness?
“Apart from the aforementioned assets, there is also the company in which we are sitting right now,” said the lawyer. Then, after a brief pause, he added, “Your father planned to leave the company to you, but the company is currently operating at a loss.”
Avery glanced at the lawyer and said, “By how much?”
Shaun adjusted his glasses and chimed in, “The current deficit is a hundred and twenty-five million. If you take over your father’s company, you would also inherit his debt. You may have to sell off all of the properties and cars that were mentioned just now in order to make up for the loss.”
Avery was stunned.
A hundred and twenty-five million!
Even if she sold off all of her father’s assets, it still would not cover a hundred and twenty-five million!
“You can choose not to accept this, Avery. That way, your father’s debt would not fall on you,” Shaun said with a sullen expression. “However, I hope you will seriously consider this. This company is your father’s life’s work. Do you really have the heart to watch it shut down?”
“What about Wanda and Cassandra?” Avery asked after taking a deep breath.
“Don’t even mention your stepmother! It’s partly her fault that the company is in dire straits. She arranged for her brother to join our finance department a few years ago. He embezzled a lot of money from the company through the years. We don’t even know where he’s run off to now,” sighed Shaun.
Avery placed her hands on her forehead, and her voice trembled as she said, “I don’t want to see my father’s company fall either, but where am I supposed to find all of that money—”
“Borrow it!” said Shaun. “We’ve reached the end of our new product research and development. If we manage to get a loan, once we launch the new product, we’ll be able to alleviate our financial troubles quite a bit.”
“Who would we ask for a loan from? Who would be able to give me that much?” Avery said as she raised her eyes in disbelief.
“The banks,” Shaun replied. “If the banks won’t give it to you, we can find another investor. We have to try. If we manage, then great. If we don’t, then you can give up. What do you think?”
……
At the president’s office on the top floor of Sterling Group, the sun was shining through the spotless floor-to-ceiling windows.
With his back facing the sun, Elliot’s chiseled features looked extraordinary.
He was holding a document that his assistant, Chad Rayner, brought to him.
“Mr. Foster, Tate industries are currently facing a debt of a hundred and twenty-five million dollars. Jack Tate’s wife and youngest daughter took an early flight out of the country this morning. It doesn’t look like they will be returning before the company’s troubles are settled. I think Miss Tate will most likely give up on Tate Industries. A hundred and twenty-five million is an impossible amount for her,” Chad explained.
Elliot had asked him for information on Tate Industries, so he figured that his boss was interested in the matter.
“Let’s make a bet, Chad!”
Sterling Group’s chief financial officer, Ben Schaffer, was stirring his cup of coffee as his eyes narrowed like a sly fox.
“I bet Avery Tate will come to Elliot to ask for a loan. She’s in a favorable position to enjoy certain benefits. If she asks Elliot for the money, I’m guessing he’ll at least lend some of it to her.”
Chad shook his head and said, “I doubt she has the guts to do that.”
Ben took a sip of coffee and chuckled, “You didn’t see her last night. She smashed a bottle of wine from 1947 in front of our faces and went up against Chelsea. She might look gentle, but she’s even more feisty than Chelsea.”
“Alright, then. I’ll make a bet with you!” Chad responded.
“What should we bet on?”
“If I lose, I’ll buy you coffee for a month. If you lose, you have to buy coffee for everyone in the president’s department for a month. How’s that?”
“Okay.”
……
That afternoon, Avery called up every major bank.
Things were not as simple as Shaun made it sound.
She called eight banks, two of which the company still owed money to.
Of course, the other two banks did not dare give her a loan either.
“Avery, here’s a detailed introduction to our new product. It’s a very promising product. I’ll think of a way to set up a meeting with the managers of the other two banks. Go and put on something nice, then have a proper meeting with them,” said Shaun as he handed Avery a thick file.
“Why do I need to dress up? Can’t I just go like this?” Avery asked.
“You don’t have makeup on, so you don’t look your best. It can come across as disrespectful in the business world,” Shaun replied.
“Let me take a look at the product profile first,” Avery said.
“Alright. I’ll contact the bank managers. I’ll let you know once I set it up,” said Shaun.
Chad received some information at six in the evening.
“It looks like we both lost the best, Mr. Schaffer,” Chad said. “Surprisingly, Avery Tate didn’t give up on Tate Industries. Also, she’s meeting the managers of River City Bank and Silver Linings Bank for dinner tonight.”
Ben was disappointed.
“Those two old geezers are infamous for being promiscuous! She’s walking right into a lion’s den! I suppose she doesn’t know of society’s dangers since she hasn’t graduated college yet. I can’t figure out why she wouldn’t just go to Elliot? He’s her husband even if only in name. Does she think he’s less than those two old sleazebags?”
Chad snuck a glance at Elliot’s face.
It was eerily dark.
At the end of the day, Avery was still Elliot’s wife in name.
If she went to meet those two old men that night, it would be a blow to Elliot’s pride.
Chad felt suffocated at the thought of his boss being played for a fool.
With Elliot’s temper, if Avery really cheated on him, she would meet an ugly end.
“Should I give Miss Tate a call, Mr. Foster?” Chad said after thinking for a moment.
Elliot clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“Don’t contact her!” he snapped in a hoarse voice.
He wanted to see if Avery would really act so recklessly behind his back.
Ben coughed lightly, then said, “Do you want to have a drink with us? My treat!”
Elliot’s expression turned malicious. He shut his laptop, then rolled away in his wheelchair.
His bodyguard followed closely behind and escorted him out.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 12
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 12
It was nine at night.
Dry leaves rustled on the ground in the fall wind.
Avery emerged from a cab and winced at the sudden chill.
She clutched her purse and quickly rushed toward the front door of the Foster mansion.
In the dark of night, she donned a strappy red dress which was sexy yet enchanting.
When she left the house that morning, she was wearing a t-shirt and casual pants.
The thought that she had deliberately dressed that way to entertain other men made Elliot clench his fists.
Avery only noticed Elliot sitting in the living room couch when she was changing her shoes in the foyer.
He was wearing a black shirt, which made him appear even more gloomy and cold.
The expression on his face was as indifferent as ever, so she did not look at him for long.
Once she had changed her shoes, she hesitated. She did not know whether she should greet him or not.
He did give her that pack of tissues that morning.
Avery walked uneasily into the living room and looked at Elliot.
The atmosphere was different that night. Mrs. Cooper would usually come out to greet her when she arrived home.
Was Mrs. Cooper out?
She took a deep breath as her heart thumped in her chest. She decided to avoid him.
“Come here,” Elliot said icily.
Since they were the only ones in the living room, she could not pretend like she did not hear him.
“What is it?” Avery said as she stopped and glanced at him.
“I said, come here,” Elliot said in a terrifyingly forceful voice.
Avery’s heart tightened, and she involuntarily walked over to him.
She did not dare disobey him even if he was in a wheelchair and did not pose as big of a threat to her.
She walked to his side, looked at his handsome but stern face, and took a deep breath.
“What is it? Is it time for us to get divorced?”
Elliot’s brows furrowed upon hearing her words.
He smelled the faint smell of alcohol emanating from her hair.
She had drunk wine.
Elliot suddenly looked up as he no longer tried to hide the disgust in his eyes.
His large hand gripped her slender wrist as he snarled, “Did you drink with someone? Did you have a good time?”
Avery felt like Elliot was about to break her wrist. She wanted to pull her hand back but could not move a muscle.
“Let go! You’re hurting me!” she cried as her eyes welled up with tears. The more she struggled, the harder his grip became.
It was as if he was deliberately trying to hurt her and make her cry.
“I asked if you had a good time. Answer me!” Elliot snapped. Seeing her face twist in agony further angered him.
“What good time? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
Avery gave up struggling. By the time she registered the first question, streams of hot tears ran down her cheeks.
“I didn’t drink, Elliot! I didn’t!” she said with eyes filled with tears and fear.
Elliot’s adam’s apple bobbed up and down his throat. The next second, he yanked her into his arms.
She said that she had not drunk, but he clearly smelled alcohol on her.
The cold tip of his nose landed on the crook of her neck.
Avery’s soft and delicate skin carried a warm, milky scent.
It was odd.
He could not smell alcohol on her body.
Avery stayed completely still as she felt Elliot’s nose on her skin, gently tickling her.
She leaned against his wide chest. She was so nervous that she forgot to breathe, and her heart forgot to beat.
It was a good thing that he stopped treating her violently.
He had let go of her wrist, but the pain was still there. The thought of being abused by him angered Avery.
She knew that his legs had not fully recovered, and he might not have any feeling in them yet. She placed her hand on his trousers and gave him a hard pinch.
The reason she was brave enough to do this was because she was prepared to deal with the consequences.
However, Elliot did not seem to realize that she had pinched him.
When he lifted his head from her neck, his dark eyes looked puzzled.
“Your clothes smell like another man’s alcohol. Are you going to take it off, or should I?” Elliot said in a hoarse voice that carried a seemingly unstoppable force.
Avery froze in stunned silence.
Did she smell like another man’s alcohol?
Hold on…
He wanted her to take her clothes off?
Right now?
When she snapped back to reality, she pushed her hands against his chest and tried to escape.
Elliot did not give her a chance to get away and tightened his arms around her.
He picked Avery up and violently tore the back of her dress in half.
“Ah!”
Without the protection of her dress, Avery felt a sudden chill on her back.
The blood in her body boiled as she scowled, “Elliot Foster! You maniac!”
Elliot tossed her on the couch and stared coldly at her exposed shoulders and back.
“Remember your place, Mrs. Foster!”
Avery held on to the high-end dress that Elliot had just ripped and held back her tears.
Shaun was the one who had arranged the meeting that night.
The dress had also been Shaun’s idea.
It was true that the two bank managers tried to get her drunk, and they would not let her go even when she tried to come up with excuses.
She ended up turning them down and left the bar.
She was pregnant, so she could not drink.
There was no way that she would be out drinking with other men.
“I don’t care about being Mrs. Foster! Don’t pin your ridiculous standards on me!”
Avery pushed her disheveled hair behind her ears and rose from the couch as she held onto her dress.
“I hate you!” she cried.
Under normal circumstances, she would never tear into other people like this.
It was Elliot’s persistent bullying that had made her lose all control.
She returned to her room and slammed the door shut.
A glimmer of emotion flashed by in Elliot’s stone-cold face.
He had lost control of his emotions earlier.
He had waited all afternoon thinking that Avery would ask him for help, but she had not.
Not only did she not go to him, but she also went out and drank with other men.
All the anger that he had accumulated that day exploded at that moment.
Even if she had not said out loud that she hated him, he knew that. He knew that he was more terrifying to Avery than the Devil himself.
Elliot’s phone screen lit up.
He picked it up and read Chad’s message.
[Mr. Foster, did Miss Tate get home safely? I was out drinking with Ben when we bumped into her. She got into a riff with the two old geezers and left before dinner even started.]
A wave of gloom washed over Elliot.
Even if Avery had not drunk with the two sleazebags, to him, she had been in the wrong to attend the meeting in the first place.
She also should not have dressed so provocatively.
……
Avery opened her door when she heard a knock from the other side.
“Madam, Master Elliot asked me to bring you something to eat. I didn’t know what you wanted, so I made you a bowl of soup,” Mrs. Cooper said as she placed a tray on the desk in the room.
Avery had taken a shower to force herself to forget everything that bstrd Elliot had done to her that night.
“What does he mean by this?” she said as she stared cautiously at the bowl of soup.
She was hungry, but she did not dare eat.
“Master Elliot must feel bad for being so cruel to you earlier. His mood has been quite bad ever since you went to your room,” Mrs. Cooper said.
She picked up the red dress on the bed and added, “Do you need me to get this mended?”
“It’s fine. I borrowed it. Take the tag to him,” Avery said.
“Oh…” responded Mrs. Cooper.
Avery took a deep breath, then sat on a chair and said hoarsely, “I can’t afford to pay for it.”
“Alright,” Mrs. Cooper said. “Get some rest after you’re done with the soup. Madam Rosalie is being discharged tomorrow, so Master Elliot will be taking you to the old mansion with him.”
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 13
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 13
In the bathroom of the master bedroom, the nurse was carefully drying the water droplets off of Elliot’s body with a dry towel.
His legs were still weak and he was only able to stand up if someone was holding on to him, so he needed the help of the nurse.
This nurse had been taking care of him ever since he met with the accident.
He was a middle aged man who was meticulous and careful with his work.
“You have a bruise on your thigh, Mr. Foster,” said the nurse as he put on Elliot’s bathrobe and helped him out of the bathroom. “I’ll go get some ointment for you.”
Elliot sat on the edge of the bed and opened up the bathrobe to look at the bruise when the nurse walked out of the room.
It was not like he had no feeling in his legs, but when Avery had pinched him, he held back and pretended like he had felt nothing.
For some reason, he kept recalling Avery’s crying face.
Also, the unique fragrance of her body continued to linger in his heart.
Elliot had never felt this way about a woman in all of his years.
There was never a woman who was able to make him feel such strange emotions.
Something about Avery Tate somehow managed to arouse something inside of him.
Was it necessary for him to feel this way towards a woman whom he was about to divorce?
It was a feeling that was completely strange and absurd to him.
If he had a chance to go through it again, however, he would still lose his temper and rip her dress apart.
…
At 7 a.m. the next morning, Avery deliberately woke up early to avoid Elliot and have her breakfast.
She emerged from her bedroom and headed towards the dining room.
“Madam! You woke up early today, too! Breakfast is ready,” Mrs. Cooper greeted her with a smile.
The word “too” was said with a strong emphasis.
Since Elliot was there, she should just return to her room.
“I made some vegetarian ravioli for you this morning. I made it especially for you since you mentioned not wanting to eat meat yesterday. I hope it suits your taste,” Mrs. Cooper said warmly as she escorted Avery to her seat at the table.
Avery looked like she was sitting on pins and needles with a face of uneasiness.
She might as well have the words “I don’t want to see you, Elliot Foster” written on her face.
Elliot did not look straight at her, but he felt the resistance emanating from her.
“We’re going to see my mother after breakfast. You should know yourself what to say and what not to say,” he said indifferently.
“When did you plan on giving me the money for that dress last night?” Avery asked sternly.
It was fine if he wanted her to cooperate and go see Rosalie, but he had to settle his debt first.
“There isn’t much cash at home,” Elliot said as he took a sip of milk, “I can wire it over to you if you’re in a rush.”
“That works. Here’s my account number!” Avery said as she pulled out her phone, opened up her account number and passed it over to Elliot.
“How much was it?” Elliot asked as he set down his glass of milk and pulled out his phone.
“Five thousand,” Avery responded.
Elliot lifted his eyes and glared at her. She felt no guilt at all.
“Didn’t it say $4,500 on the tag?”
“Why did you bother asking me, then?” Avery retorted, then raised her right hand and added, “The extra $500 is for medical expenses.”
The wrist that Elliot had grabbed yesterday was deeply bruised, so she planned to stop by the drugstore when she had the time.
She did not feel bad for asking for the extra $500 for that.
Elliot glanced at Avery’s wrist and his lips pursed slightly. He wired the $4,500 over to her.
A third of Avery’s anger simmered down after getting the money.
“Don’t think I’ll forgive you just because you paid me the money. I wouldn’t forgive you even if you gave me another $4,500,” Avery said.
Elliot did not respond to her cruel words, but quietly rolled off in his wheelchair instead.
His silence extinguished another third of her anger.
…
At 9 a.m. that morning, the Foster family was gathered at the old mansion to visit the newly discharged Rosalie.
Rosalie was discharged from the ICU this time, which meant that her condition was a lot more serious than the last time she was admitted for hypertension.
“How have you been feeling, Elliot?” Rosalie asked.
She did not have the heart to blame her son once she saw him, but worried about his health instead.
“Pretty good,” Elliot replied.
Seeing his mother’s face which had turned old and frail, he held back some of the words he wanted to say.
“That’s good to hear,” Rosalie said as she shifted her gaze to Avery, then asked, “What about you, Avery? Is Elliot still giving you a hard time? You have to tell me if he is.”
Avery shook her head and said, “He’s not. You, on the other hand, need to take care of yourself.”
“I’ll be fine as long as you and Elliot are fine,” said Rosalie. “Avery, Elliot has never dated or gone after a girl before. He might not be that gentle or romantic, but I hope you can forgive him. He’s a man after all. His career would come first. Don’t you think so?”
She was trying to convince Avery.
Avery, however, felt extremely uneasy.
Elliot never dated?
He’d never gone after a girl?
How was that possible?
It looked like Rosalie did not know her own son very well.
“Avery, I heard that your father’s company is facing some problems and is about to go bankrupt,” Rosalie said. She had just left the hospital but was already concerning herself with all kinds of troubles. “I’ve asked the lawyers. This has nothing to do with you, so your father’s debt can’t be placed on your head. All you need to do is stay by Elliot’s side and be his wife.”
Avery knew very well that Rosalie had always treated her like a pawn, but there was no way she was going to live her life according to the old woman’s ideals.
“My father’s gone now, but he wouldn’t want to see the company fall if he were still around. So, I’ll do the best I can to try to win this losing battle,” Avery said in a tone that was neither humble nor overbearing.
“Oh, Avery!” exclaimed Elliot’s sister-in-law, Olivia Tate. “Your father didn’t spend much on you even when his company was making money, did he? Now that he’s gone, you’re holding on to a failing company and won’t let go. What is it? Were you thinking of having Elliot cough up the money to help you out?”
“I heard that your father owed 125 million!” said Elliot’s brother, Henry Tate, “That isn’t a small amount. A typical person wouldn’t lend you that amount, and they wouldn’t be able to cough up that much… Were you thinking of getting it from our family?”
Avery had never considered asking Elliot to help her out with the money, so she was immensely unhappy with the family’s remarks.
All eyes were on her as they awaited her response.
“All of you think too highly of me. Even if I asked to borrow the money from Elliot, he would never give it to me,” Avery said wryly. “I know my own circumstances. I’ll figure something out.”
Her words relieved the Foster family members.
She was right. Elliot had been insisting on divorcing her ever since he woke up, so why would he ever give her the money?
Everyone’s emotions relaxed quite a bit after some morning tea.
Rosalie held Avery’s hand and said, “It’s not impossible for you to help your father’s company, Avery. All you have to do is have Elliot’s child, then he will definitely lend you the money.”
Avery caressed her belly and glanced at Elliot.
He was sipping his tea and looked completely calm, as if he did not hear the words his mother said to her.
Avery and Elliot left the old mansion after lunch.
As they sat in the backseat of the car on the way home, he was deep in thought, and she was looking out the window.
The atmosphere in the car was eerily quiet.
“If you were pregnant with my child,” Elliot said suddenly in a chilling voice, “I would kill it with my own hands.”
A chill shot through Avery’s body. Her lips parted, as if wanting to speak, but not a sound came out.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 14
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 14
In Avery’s eyes, Elliot’s face had turned into that of a demon baring its sharp fangs at her.
“Why?” she asked bitterly. “Even if you didn’t want kids, there’s no need for you to say such cruel words!”
Elliot’s deep eyes were cold as he said, “What if you decided to take the chance if I didn’t make myself clear?”
Avery took a deep breath and shifted her gaze from him.
She was terrified. It felt like she was about to fall into a bottomless pit.
Her reaction piqued Elliot’s curiosity.
His lips curled up as he mocked, “You’re not really thinking of having my kid, are you?”
Avery glared at him.
“I suggest you take my warning seriously. You know the kind of person I am. My actions will be much more severe than my words. Don’t test me if you want to live,” Elliot said, then turned to look out the window.
Avery clenched her fists and huffed, “Don’t worry, I will never give you children. You know how much I despise you. The most urgent matter right now is to quickly get a divorce!”
The babies did not belong to him alone.
If she gave birth, she would be doing it for herself.
Once the kids were grown, she would tell them that their father was dead!
“Now isn’t the time. We’ll talk about it again once my mother’s get better,” Elliot said.
His tone was calmer. Perhaps her words were effective.
It made him realize that he was not the man she wanted.
“Don’t drag it out for too long, then,” Avery said.
She furrowed her brows and was a little anxious.
Her pregnancy would begin to show if they delayed things further.
She would not be able to keep it from him by then, and would definitely be forced to get an abortion.
“You’re in a hurry to divorce me. Is there some urgent matter you need to attend to?” Elliot asked as his cold eyes fell on her, trying to see through her.
Avery’s heart suddenly skipped a bit.
“Nope! There’s nothing urgent. I just… I just don’t want to stay with you. Has nobody ever told you how suffocating it is to be by your side?”
“They wouldn’t dare say it even if they thought it,” Elliot replied dryly.
“Oh… It’s no wonder you don’t like me,” Avery said with a pout. “But it’s stifling to not say what I want to say.”
Elliot pondered to himself, and thought she had misunderstood something in the end.
“No man could tolerate his wife dressing up like a prostitute to escort other men.”
“Wearing a slip dress makes me a prostitute? Socializing is escorting other men? What about when you men socialize?” Avery retorted. “Even if you hold a knife to my neck right now, I would still insist that I wasn’t wrong last night.”
It was like they were both from different planets.
Other than the fact that they were both human, they were complete opposites in every other aspect.
“Are you saying you’d do it again?” Elliot said.
His lips were slightly curled upwards in a sinister manner.
Avery pursed her lips and pushed herself into the corner out of instinct.
“I don’t even drink, how could I possibly drink with others. I wouldn’t drink even if the sky falls.”
She would never take the lives of the babies in her womb lightly.
Even if her father’s company goes bankrupt, she would never sell herself out for money.
Avery’s answer extinguished the raging fury inside of Elliot.
The driver drove the car towards Elliot’s mansion.
Avery jumped out of the car just as it came to halt, as if trying to escape.
Elliot watched her slender back, then said to the driver, “To the office.”
…
Avery let out a heavy sigh of relief after the car drove off.
After she took an afternoon nap, she arrived at Tate Industries at 2.30 p.m.
She decided to sell off her father’s assets to pay off some of the debt.
She wanted to deal with what she could and pay off what she could before thinking about looking for an investor.
The banks were out of the question.
She had completely offended the managers of River City Bank and Silver Linings Bank the night before. Both managers made it clear that they would never give her a loan.
“Don’t blame yourself, Avery. If you drank last night, they probably would have acted out of line with you,” Shaun said with a frown. “You’re not that kind of woman, and I would never force you to do something like that.”
Avery nodded and said, “I wouldn’t do it even if you forced me.”
Shaun’s cheeks flushed as he nodded.
“I arranged a list last night of the few affluent individuals in Avonsville. All of them have the ability to produce the funds to save our company. You just need to convince one of them, and we’ll be saved.”
Avery took the list and quickly looked it over.
On the list were names, genders, company names, current net worth and contact information.
Some of them had phone numbers, while some did not.
“How am I supposed to contact the ones without contact information?” Avery asked.
“The ones without contact information are the ones I couldn’t get my hands on. We’ll just have to meet those ones at their companies,” Shaun replied.
Avery browsed the list once again.
This time, she discovered a key point.
The second name on the list clearly printed out “Elliot Foster”.
Elliot Foster, male, Sterling Group, net worth over 15 billion.
Contact information: none.
Avery’s face flushed as she asked sheepishly, “Is Elliot Foster that rich?”
She picked up a glass of water from the table and took a sip to hide her anxiety.
“That’s just a safe estimate. His net worth should be a lot higher than that,” Shaun answered assuredly. “He founded Sterling Group when the internet was just starting. However popular the internet is now is how much he’s worth.”
“I see…”
“It’s a shame I couldn’t find his contact information. You’ll just have to go to Sterling Group to meet him. I’ll come with you when you decide to go see him.”
Avery shook her head violently and said, “I won’t meet him.”
She picked up a pen and crossed Elliot’s name out on the list.
He would never lend her the money. If she went to him to ask for a loan, she would just be asking to be humiliated.
Avery stopped by the drugstore on her way home that evening.
She walked into the store and wanted to buy something for her bruise.
After the pharmacist recommended a few products to her, she suddenly thought of a question.
“Is this safe to use during pregnancy?”
“It’s better to avoid it. Are you pregnant?” asked the pharmacist.
Avery nodded in silence.
The pharmacist immediately took back the products she recommended before and passed her a bottle of pills.
“How far along are you? Your bump isn’t showing yet, so now’s a good time for calcium supplements. This one’s great and absorbs well. Obstetricians are always recommending this one to pregnant mothers!”
Avery arrived home with the calcium supplements half an hour later.
It was past dinner time, but Mrs. Cooper left some food out for her.
“What did you get, Madam?” Mrs. Cooper asked when she saw the drugstore logo on the bag Avery was holding.
Avery hid the bag behind her back and said, “Just something for my bruise.”
“We have something for that at home. We have most common medications here. Just let me know if you need anything next time and I’ll get it for you,” Mrs. Cooper said with a smile.
“Okay, I’m going up now,” Avery said, then turned and made her way back to her room.
She was caught off guard and bumped into Elliot.
He arrived when she was talking to Mrs. Cooper earlier.
He clearly saw the contents of the bag Avery hid behind her back.
“Why did you lie?” he asked as his dangerous eyes fell on the bag of calcium tablets.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 15
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 15
The calcium supplements for pregnant women were the same type that the elderly and those that lack calcium take, so it clearly stated “calcium tablets” on the bottle.
“Do you have to tell other people exactly what kind of medication you take?” Avery asked.
Her cheeks were flushed, but her tone was relatively stable.
She hurried off after she said that.
She kept the bottle of pills in a drawer, then washed up in the bathroom.
Things could not go on like this. Everything would be exposed if she did not leave soon.
All of her checkup reports were in the room. Elliot would find out about everything if he decided to check her room.
Of course, reason told her that Elliot might be a little extreme, but he was not actually crazy. He probably would not go as far as to check her room.
Besides, if he did not mention it, she had no way of divorcing him.
Her family accepted the exorbitant betrothal fees from the Foster family after all.
Avery sat on the edge of the bed with her mind in such a frenzy that she forgot about her hunger.
There was a knock on the door shortly after.
She snapped herself back to reality and walked over to open the door.
“Master Elliot’s back in his room, Madam. Come and have something to eat!” Mrs. Coope said with a kind smile.
Avery’s anxiety subsided. At the mansion, aside from Elliot, everyone treated her quite well.
Perhaps they take care of her because of her young age.
When she arrived at the dining room with Mrs. Cooper, there was a hearty spread on the table.
“I can’t eat all of this myself, Mrs. Cooper. You should sit down and join me!”
Mrs. Cooper smiled and said, “Eat however much you can, Madam. We have rules. I can’t overstep.”
“I see…” Avery said, then added, “Do you have children?”
Now that Elliot was not around, Avery felt a lot more relaxed.
“I do! They’re in college now. They’re about your age. Why do you ask, Madam?”
Avery’s face reddened slightly as she grinned and said, “I’m just making conversation… I heard that your figure changes after giving birth, but you look really good!”
“I couldn’t eat much when I was pregnant. My weight never went over 110 pounds, so my figure didn’t change much.”
“Was your bump not obvious when you were pregnant, then?”
“That’s right! I looked like I was only five to six months pregnant when I was actually seven to eight months pregnant. People wouldn’t even notice that I was pregnant when I wore loose-fitting clothes.”
Avery felt inspired upon hearing Mrs. Cooper’s words.
She placed her fork and knife down after only taking a few bites of her food.
She had to watch her figure so her baby bump would not be obvious.
“Why aren’t you eating anymore, Madam?” Mrs. Cooper asked when she noticed how uncharacteristically little Avery had eaten.
“I’m not that hungry,” Avery answered. “You don’t need to leave me this much food for dinner next time. I don’t want to gain weight.”
“You’re not fat at all.”
“I don’t like working out, so it’s better for me to just watch what I eat.”
Avery returned to her room after walking out of the dining room and pulled out the report from her latest checkup.
The doctor wrote down her next appointment date last time. She had to go to the hospital for a checkup when she was three months pregnant.
She glanced at the date on the file and saw that it was coincidentally the next day.
Avery lay back on the bed and placed her hand on her belly. She wanted to feel the presence of the babies, but she felt nothing.
She did not throw up much during her pregnancy, but her appetite was different from before.
She lost some weight lately. Before she ate, her belly was completely flat.
……
Avery woke up early the next morning and headed to the hospital.
There were more tests to be done that day, so it was noon in the blink of an eye.
Since a few of the reports would only be ready at two in the afternoon, she decided to grab a bite to eat nearby.
Someone tapped her on the shoulder when she walked out of the hospital.
Avery turned her head and saw a slightly familiar face.
“It really is you.”
Chelsea was wearing a white dress and a black blazer. Her makeup was exquisite and her hair was pulled back. She looked both smart and stylish.
“Are you sick?” she asked.
“I’m just here for a routine checkup,” Avery responded.
She did not want to have much interaction with her, but Chelsea did not plan to let her go that easily.
“You haven’t eaten, right? Let me buy you lunch. It was my bad last time, I’d like to apologize to you.”
“I’m not mad.”
“I see… Well, I just wanted to talk to you a little bit. I don’t mean any harm,” Chelsea said with an expression of feigned innocence.
As if turning down her invitation was the worst thing one could do.
Avery agreed to have lunch with her in the end.
The blood test this morning required her to go in on an empty stomach, so Avery did not eat anything.
At this point, she was so hungry that her ankles were weak and she was seeing stars.
They picked a restaurant nearby and sat down.
Avery ordered a couple of simple vegetable dishes.
Chelsea went even further and ordered two salads, then passed the menu back to the waiter.
“I don’t eat mains for lunch. I have to keep my figure,” Chelsea said when she noticed Avery’s shocked expression.
“Let’s talk about you and Elliot! I heard that Madam Rosalie likes you a lot and won’t agree to a divorce. You’re in a pickle!”
Avery took a sip of water and asked, “Why didn’t you nominate yourself when his mother was looking for a wife for him back then?”
Chelsea chuckled bitterly and said, “I was traveling out of the country at the time, so I had no idea what was happening. You were already married by the time I got back.”
“Oh, what a coincidence!” Avery said.
Chelsea cocked an eyebrow.
“Are you suspicious of me? Nobody can question my love for Elliot. He doesn’t like kids, so I got my uterus removed. Could you do that?”
Avery was frozen in stunned silence.
“I’m no longer a complete woman. I can never have children, but I have no regrets. I’m willing to do anything for him,” Chelsea said proudly as she lifted her head up high.
It looked like she was waiting for someone to praise her for being courageous and special.
“Elliot is insane, and so are you. He hurts other people when he goes crazy, and you hurt yourself. It was stupid of you to hurt yourself for him,” Avery said.
Chelsea’s expression changed in an instant and her tone was much colder when she said, “What do you know? Elliot never hangs out with other women, but he’s willing to be with me…”
“You’re wrong. There’s someone he likes, Chelsea. Stop acting stupid for him,” Avery said.
Her emotions were a little messed up, so she spoke without thinking.
She pursed her lips in annoyance after saying those words.
How was it her business what Chelsea did?
If Elliot found out that she revealed his secret, he would unleash a heavy punishment on her.
Chelsea’s face was frozen for a few seconds before she burst into laughter, as if she had just heard a joke.
“That’s impossible! There’s no way Elliot likes you!”
“I didn’t say he liked me. I’m talking about another woman,” Avery sighed.
“That’s even more impossible!” Chelsea exclaimed. “Elliot doesn’t have any other women by his side apart from him. I’ve known him for ten years, and my brother has known him for close to 20 years. I know him better than anyone!”
Something snapped in Avery’s head.
For a moment, she did not know what was real and what was not.
There was no reason for Chelsea to lie to her.
However, if Chelsea was not lying… Then, what about the thing she saw on Elliot’s computer?
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 16
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 16
“Who told you there was someone Elliot liked? Where did you get the information? Do you know what her name is?”
Chelsea was beginning to feel uneasy despite being adamant that Elliot had no other woman besides her.
Avery shook her head and said, “What I said was just my opinion… I don’t know Elliot as well as you do.”
Avery changed her stance after calming down a little.
She realized that things were not as simple as they seemed, and she did not want to be dragged in.
She just wanted to give birth to her babies and live an average life.
“You scared me! I thought you saw him with a woman!”
Chelsea relaxed after hearing Avery’s explanation.
“Elliot isn’t the kind of man you think he is. He hates women and kids.”
“Do you know why he doesn’t like kids?” Avery asked casually.
“To be honest, I have no idea. I don’t want to know either. If he doesn’t like them, I just won’t have them,” Chelsea said, then furrowed her brows and mumbled to herself, “He’s actually pretty nice to me.”
“As long as you’re happy.”
Avery gave up trying to change her mind.
Everyone had the freedom of choice. What was important was being able to deal with the consequences of those choices.
She thought Chelsea was foolish. However, in the eyes of others, her decision to give birth to her and Elliot’s children was probably foolish as well.
When the food was served, Avery was so hungry that she began to eat right away.
Chelsea had a lot on her mind and had lost her appetite.
“Are you sure you didn’t fall in love with Elliot?” she asked.
“I’m sure,” Avery answered with a nod.
Chelsea could not understand her.
“Why? He’s capable and good-looking.”
Avery looked up at her and said, “If I had to choose between you and him, I’d choose you.”
At least that way, she would not get hurt.
Chelsea was utterly taken aback by her answer.
“Why?! Are you—”
Avery waved her hand in the air and said, “I was just using it as an example. It’s fine as long as you get what I mean.”
Chelsea completely lowered her defenses, as Avery suddenly began to look a lot more pleasant to her.
She thought of how Avery was the only one in her family that worked to maintain her father’s company after his passing. Chelsea could not stop sympathy from welling up within her.
“You’re still in college, right?” Chelsea asked.
Avery took a sip of water, then answered, “I’m graduating next year.”
“Hmm, I heard about your dad’s company. His debt has nothing to do with you since he has passed. You should focus on graduating and living your life,” Chelsea advised. “Where are you supposed to find the money to pay off all of your dad’s debt? Don’t push yourself like this.”
Avery lowered her gaze and did not respond.
Everyone around her was telling her to give up on Tate Industries.
A hundred and twenty-five million dollars was not a small amount.
Even her own mother was asking her to give up.
However, Shaun was always telling her how revolutionary the company’s new product was, and that everything would only go upwards from here as long as they got through this obstacle.
Avery was constantly battling against her conflicting thoughts.
Chelsea paid for lunch when they were almost done eating.
As their meal mainly consisted of vegetables, they did not spend much. Therefore, Avery did not insist on paying for the meal.
“Give me your number,” Chelsea said when she walked over to Avery after paying the bill.
“What’s the point?” Avery said. “Elliot and I are getting divorced soon, so there’ll be no reason for us to meet after that.”
Chelsea was a little upset about being rejected, but the thought of never seeing Avery again comforted her.
“That’s true. When that happens, I’ll be the only one by Elliot’s side,” Chelsea said as she shot a glare at Avery, before walking away.
……
At 2.30 p.m., Avery met the doctor after receiving all of her reports.
The doctor browsed through the reports, then adjusted her glasses, and said, “Everything looks good. However, it looks like you’re pregnant with fraternal twins!”
Avery sat frozen in stunned silence.
“Do you still want to get rid of them, now?” teased the doctor. “The probability of being pregnant with fraternal twins is about the same as winning the lottery. You basically hit the jackpot!”
Avery’s heart was thumping wildly in her chest.
Fraternal twins!
She had only ever heard of fraternal twins, but she had never met a pair in real life.
“If you do decide to get an abortion, it’s best to do it while you’re still in your first trimester. The longer you wait, the bigger the risk. It’s a cruel thing, both for you and the babies. Right now, your babies are already taking shape inside of you,” said the doctor.
“Doctor, I’m keeping them. I want to give birth to my babies.”
At that moment, Avery had finally made up her mind.
“Great. Fill up these forms for me, and I’ll open up a file for you.”
……
It was four in the afternoon when Avery emerged from the hospital.
Perhaps it was because she had gotten up early and had not taken a nap, but she was on the verge of falling asleep.
It was like she was seeing the world through a filter. People. Cars. She could see neither of them too clearly.
She took a cab back home, went straight to her room, and fell into a deep slumber.
It was almost dark out when Avery finally woke up.
She sat in a daze on the bed. Both her mind and stomach were empty.
She knew she was hungry, but she could not bring herself to move a muscle.
Her phone suddenly began to ring, so she picked it up and answered.
“Avery, did you contact the names on the list I gave you?” Shaun’s voice came from the other end of the line.
Avery lowered her gaze, took a breath, and said, “I didn’t. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
“It’s the weekend tomorrow! You shouldn’t bother them, then. Maybe you can call them now?” Shaun said.
“Sure,” Avery responded.
“Do you need me to send you a copy of the list?” Shaun asked.
“It’s fine, I have it here with me,” Avery answered.
“Remember to try calling some of them tonight. Make sure to sound sincere and—”
“I know, I know. I’m going to have dinner now.”
“Oh, that’s right. Where have you been staying since the repossession of your house?”
Avery looked around the guest bedroom she was staying in and said, “I rented a place. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.”
“Okay, Avery. I’ll be waiting for some good news from you.”
Avery could not taste her dinner. Returning to her room, she began to contact the people on her list.
The moment they heard her name, they did not give her a chance to say her piece. They immediately rejected her and hung up.
It only took her twenty minutes to make all the calls.
All of them had rejected her.
Nobody wanted to hear about the new product from Tate Industries.
She was defeated before she even had a chance to put in the work.
Did she really have to give up?
If she did, then Tate Industries would be gone forever.
If she did not, then what else could she do to save it?
The room suddenly felt heavy and suffocating.
Avery threw on a long cardigan and walked out of the room.
The living room was empty, and the whole house was quiet.
She wrapped the cardigan around herself and walked out of the house.
The evening wind caressed her hair, making it billow around her face.
The coldness of the night pierced her bones.
She was strolling aimlessly down the street when a wave of memories suddenly filled her mind.
Everyone had seen her as the heiress to Tate Industries who never had a worry in her life.
Nobody knew how many cold meals and sick nights she had spent on her own.
A black luxury sedan rolled into the neighborhood.
It slowed down until it came to a halt.
Elliot slowly opened his eyes.
From his car window, he saw a woman crouched on the ground underneath the warm glow of the streetlights. She had her arms tightly wrapped around her knees.
Avery’s shoulders were trembling from her sobs.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 17
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 17
The car sped past Avery, leaving a trail of dust.
She lifted her head and saw the blurry tail lights of the Rolls-Roice in the darkness.
Was that Elliot’s car?
She wiped the tears off her face, calmed herself down, and walked toward the house.
She saw the car parked in the courtyard when she arrived.
She waited outside in hopes of going in after Elliot had gone to his room.
Her eyes stung. She looked up at the stars shining brightly in the night sky.
It was a beautiful spring night.
Before she knew it, she had been standing outside for an hour.
The driver had already moved the car into the garage.
The lights in the living room were still on, but there was nobody in sight.
Avery felt normal, so she walked slowly into the house.
On the veranda on the second floor, Elliot, dressed in a grey robe, was sitting in his wheelchair. The last dregs of wine sat at the bottom of his wine glass.
He had watched Avery the entire hour that she had stood outside in the cold.
He could not figure out the thoughts that would lead her to spend an entire hour out in the cold. She was so still that she could have easily blended in with the trees that stood next to her.
Elliot had met countless intelligent minds in his lifetime because they were the only people worthy enough to stand by his side.
However, Avery was an exception.
He did not consider her bright because she had provoked him despite knowing what kind of man he was.
She was an extremely foolish woman.
Seeing her miserable, however, affected his mood in a peculiar way.
It was a feeling that he had never felt before.
……
Maybe it was because of the cold wind, but Avery’s head felt heavy by the time she got to her room.
She took out a thick blanket from the closet, wrapped herself in it, and fell into a deep slumber.
She sweated all night, ridding herself of the chill from the night wind.
When Avery woke up the next morning, aside from feeling a little sticky, she was in relatively good spirits.
She took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and went downstairs.
She followed the smell of food to the dining room, and Mrs. Cooper immediately served her breakfast.
“Has he had breakfast?” Avery asked.
“No, Master Elliot hasn’t come down yet.”
Hearing this, Avery picked up her glass of milk and a piece of toast, then began to wolf down her breakfast.
She was done eating in under five minutes.
“Are you that afraid of him, Madam?” Mrs. Cooper teased.
“I’m not afraid… I just don’t want to see him,” Avery said, then lifted her chin slightly and added, “Seeing him makes me uncomfortable.”
“You’ll be fine after spending a little more time together,” said Mrs. Cooper. “Will you be coming home for lunch?”
“I won’t. I have something to do on campus today, so I won’t be having dinner at home either.”
“Alright. I’ll go get the driver to take you there,” Mrs. Cooper said. She left, intending to inform the driver of his duty.
Avery immediately stopped her and said, “It’s fine. I’ll just take a cab. He can have the driver.”
“We have two drivers at home. One for Master Elliot and one for the odd jobs. I’ll get the other one to take you,” said Mrs. Cooper.
Avery could not win against her.
Once they had arrived on campus, Avery turned to the driver and said, “Thank you. You can head back now. I’ll find my own way home later.”
After the driver drove off, a young woman ran up to Avery, tapped her on the shoulder, and said, “Avery! Who was that Portia cutie?”
Avery did not expect to bump in her best friend Tammy Lynch to be at the campus entrance.
“He’s not a cutie. It’s ‘Mr. Portia’ to you,” Avery said as they walked into campus together. “Tammy, I don’t think I can go to graduate school with you.”
Tammy stopped in her tracks and said, “Is it because of your family? I heard about your dad. I’m so sorry.”
Avery managed a smile and said, “Actually, I never really wanted to go to graduate school.”
“I know, you’re thinking of marrying your boyfriend after graduation, right?” Tammy said. “When are you going to introduce me to him?”
Avery was taken aback.
She had only told her mother of what had happened with Cole.
Her friends and classmates only knew that she was dating someone but had no idea who he was.
“We broke up,” Avery said. She then took a deep breath and said, “Do you know what it feels like to have someone completely destroy your trust? I thought he was the best man in the world, but he was nothing but human sc*m.”
Tammy placed her arm around Avery’s waist when she saw her red eyes, and said, “Forget about that, Avery. We’re still young. Just think of it as a lesson learned. You’ll definitely meet someone even better later!”
“I’m better off depending on myself than a man,” Avery chuckled.
“We need to go through some heartbreak to grow,” Tammy sighed. “You were completely love-struck before summer break, but look at the mature young lady you’ve turned into now!”
Avery shook her head and said, “I just hope I can take care of myself after graduation.”
“Of course! You’re the only double major I know who’s at top of the class in both majors. The sky’s the limit for someone like you!” Tammy exclaimed.
Avery’s cheeks flushed at the praise.
At five in the evening, Avery and Tammy left the campus together. They had planned to have dinner together.
When they arrived at the campus gates, Tammy instantly pointed at the Portia parked by the street.
“Avery! Isn’t that the Mr. Portia who dropped you off this morning? Is he here to pick you up?”
Tammy still remembered the car.
After all, luxury cars and beautiful people were pleasing to the eyes.
Avery looked toward the open window of the Portia. She glanced at the driver, and he glanced back at her.
She was taken aback. Did she not tell him not to pick her up?
What was going on?
She walked over to the parked car as the driver opened the door to the backseat for her.
“What is it?” Avery asked in a low voice.
Since Tammy was there, the driver was cautious.
“Let’s talk in the car.”
Avery’s heart tightened in her chest.
“Just go if you’re busy, Avery! Let’s go out some other time,” Tammy said.
Avery nodded and said, “It’ll be my treat next time.”
Tammy waved her hand and said, “There’s no need for that. Call me if you need anything!”
The car sped off once Avery was seated.
“Did you do something to make Master Elliot mad again, Madam?” asked the driver.
Avery raised her brows and answered, “I didn’t. Did he ask you to pick me up?”
“Yes,” he said. “You better prepare yourself!”
Avery’s heart raced in her chest as she racked her brain.
No way!
She was on campus the whole day. She had not even seen Elliot, let alone anger him.
She went through all the events of the past few days, but she did not have a clue.
It was not until her head began to throb in pain that she stopped thinking about it.
They arrived at the house at five forty in the evening.
When the car came to a halt, Avery got down.
She changed into her house slippers and noticed Elliot sitting alone in the living room.
He was wearing a green shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his muscular forearms.
The sapphires on his cufflinks shone brightly.
He was sitting comfortably on the couch, exuding the charm and arrogance of a long-reigning, king.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 18
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 18
“Sit.”
Elliot glanced coldly at Avery.
“Okay,” she said. She took the couch opposite him.
There was a laptop sitting on the coffee table.
The screen was facing her and on it was surveillance footage.
There was a bed in the footage, and on it was her and Elliot.
Avery’s blood boiled at the sight on the screen.
She shot to her feet, pointed at the laptop, and yelled, “Are you a pervert?! Did you install a camera in the bedroom?”
She was livid.
She wanted to forget about the three months that she shared a bed with him.
He was in a vegetative state during those three months, so she had never even seen him as a man.
Even those who looked sophisticated in public would have some inelegant behavior in the privacy of their bedrooms.
It was the reason Avery could not accept that she had been under surveillance for three months!
Nobody had told her there were surveillance cameras in the room when she had been staying with him.
The sight of Avery’s trembling body actually calmed Elliot down slightly.
“Why did you assume I was the one who installed the cameras?”
He had found out that his mother had installed surveillance cameras in his bedroom while he was ill. She had wanted to him from suffering any abuse at the hands of his caretakers.
Even if he was a powerful man, who would be afraid of someone in a vegetative state?
Elliot could not be angry at his mother because he knew she had done it with the best intentions.
He had retrieved the footage from his mother and browsed through them that day.
His blood pressure rose slightly after watching the videos.
He had never expected Avery to be that kind of woman.
“Oh… It was your mother?” Avery said, but she was still uneasy, and her rage continued to burn. “How could she do that?! She could have at least told me about it! I… I…”
“You never expected me to wake up, did you?” Elliot hissed as his eyes shot daggers at her. “It looked like you had fun messing with my body when I was sick.”
Avery’s cheeks flushed as she fell back onto the couch.
“I did not! I wasn’t messing around! I was giving you a massage! It was to prevent muscle atrophy!”
After she moved into the mansion, she had watched the nurse give Elliot physical therapy many times, and she took over the job soon after.
She had done it because she had felt awkward sitting in the room. A spectator in his nightly treatments, she had watched his nurse go about her job.
For a moment, Avery’s adamant denial made Elliot wonder if he was wrongly accusing her.
It was a good thing that the cameras had recorded everything.
“Open it up and see for yourself,” he said. He did not want to listen to her argue.
Avery’s hand trembled as she reached out and hit the play button on the surveillance footage.
Of course, she knew what she had done.
However, there was no way she would admit that she had fooled around with his body.
She just… touched him a little bit…
She would not have done any of it if she had known that he would regain consciousness.
If she had known that there were cameras in the room, she would not have touched him even if someone had threatened to have her arms chopped off!
Avery turned her head away. She did not want to see the contents of the footage.
Even so, she could still see it all from the corner of her eye.
Elliot did not disappoint her. The footage in the laptop was the perfect weapon against her.
It clearly documented exactly how she had “played” with his body.
Avery took a deep breath and decided to talk her way out of the situation.
“I can explain. The doctors had told me that you had been close to death, so I had never expected you to wake up… and I was also seriously giving you physiotherapy. You can’t just focus on me touching you while ignoring all my hard work… I sort of contributed to your recovery.”
Elliot’s head began to ache as he listened to her explanation.
“Let me find a clip of me giving you a proper massage…”
Avery was not backing down, and she slid her fingers on the laptop’s touchpad.
One minute later, she shut the laptop and shot to her feet.
“Sh*t!” she cried as her face turned a crimson red. “Did you see all of that? All the footage in here… You’ve seen it all, haven’t you?!”
Her mind was in a frenzy.
Elliot knew exactly why she was reacting that way.
“Of course,” he drawled nonchalantly.
“Ahhh! You bstrd! Who told you to look? You hooligan!”
Avery was so angry that she was gritting her teeth.
She had seen a clip of herself naked!
She would occasionally walk out of the bathroom naked when she forgot to bring her clothes in.
Elliot was unconscious, anyway, so she was not concerned.
Never in her dreams did she expect there to be cameras in the bedroom!
“You’re the one who was naked. Why are you blaming me?”
Elliot could not wrap his head around her.
“Aside from the fact that you’re blindingly fair, there isn’t much to look at,” he said in a hoarse voice.
“Why, you…”
Avery’s eyes darkened with rage. She was beyond furious.
“Who are you to judge my body?! Shut your mouth if you don’t know what to say! I’m deleting everything!”
She picked up the laptop and angrily stormed off to her room and slammed the door behind her.
The driver was smoking outside, so he had heard Avery’s hysterical shrieks from time to time. When he heard the sound of the door slamming, he sighed at his own lack of imagination.
In his lifetime, he finally got to see a woman get into Elliot Foster’s head.
……
At seven in the evening, Avery had deleted all of the surveillance footage and returned the laptop to the coffee table in the living room.
The commotion earlier had taken a toll on her.
She was starving, so she put on a brave face and walked into the dining room.
Elliot was not there, but she still felt uneasy.
It felt as if there were cameras all over the house, monitoring her every move.
“I didn’t know there were surveillance cameras in the master bedroom, Madam,” Mrs. Cooper explained. “Master Elliot really had nothing to do with it. Nobody cares more about privacy than he does.”
“It’s fine. I already deleted everything,” said Avery.
She lost her appetite after eating just a bit of food.
She set her spoon down and turned to Mrs. Cooper, “Was he in an unusually bad mood earlier?”
“Kind of,” answered Mrs. Cooper.
“I see…” Avery said. “Whatever. It’s not like he can stand up and beat me up, right?”
She made up her mind. Since her privacy meant nothing to him, she might as well face things openly.
She strode out of the dining room, intending to do as she pleased, but things did not go her way.
She bumped into Elliot just as she left the dining room.
He said nothing and did nothing. His dark eyes just looked coldly at her.
There was a peculiar charm in his eyes. They were deep and vast, and it was as if he could see through her in an instant.
It drove her heart into a giddy, uneven beat.
“Move.”
His voice was low and magnetic.
Avery froze for a moment, then turned sideways.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she watched Elliot enter the dining room.
She thought he was there to mess with her, but he had just come down for dinner.
She smacked herself in the head and let out a long sigh.
He just saw her naked body. What’s the big deal?
When she was giving him physiotherapy before, she practically saw his naked body, too.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 19
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 19
It was Sunday, and Avery did not get out of bed until it was ten thirty in the morning.
It was the first time she had slept in at Elliot’s house.
When she walked out of the room, the group of men in the living room shifted their gaze toward her.
Avery was dressed in a loose nightgown with her disheveled hair falling to her shoulders, framing her clean, spotless face.
She did not expect Elliot to have guests that day.
Elliot and his guests stared sternly at her as if they did not expect her to suddenly appear.
Something snapped in Avery’s head.
When she realized the awkward situation she was in, she instantly turned around and made her way back to her room.
At that moment, Mrs. Cooper walked over and pulled her in the direction of the dining room.
“You must be hungry, Madam. You were sleeping soundly when I went to your room earlier, so I didn’t wake you.”
“Those people… Who are they?” Avery stammered.
“They’re friends of Master Elliot. They came to visit him. Don’t worry. It’s fine even if you don’t greet them,” answered Mrs. Cooper.
“Okay,” Avery responded.
She did not even greet Elliot when she saw him, why would she greet his friends?
If she had known that he was having guests over, however, she would have woken early and spent the whole day out.
Elliot’s friends in the living room were very interested in Avery.
“Elliot, why’s that young girl staying with you? Is she a caretaker? Or maybe…”
“We’re all adults here. Elliot is a man, after all. It’s normal to have a young lady in his house! Ha ha!”
When Elliot did not respond, everyone shut their mouths and dropped the subject.
“Do you guys know Avery Tate from Tate Industries? They say she’s Jack Tate’s daughter—”
“I know. She called me Friday night asking for an investment, but I hung up before she could finish talking.”
“She really is something. What does her father’s debt have to do with her? She must be insane for jumping into this mess!”
“Young people are reckless like that! I looked into their new product, but it’s a total bust! A self-driving system might sound cool, but the conditions are complicated and uncontrollable. Whoever invests in it would be an idiot!”
……
In the dining room, Avery listened to the discussion in the living room with mixed feelings.
Once she was done with breakfast, she took her laptop and went to a nearby cafe to work on her thesis.
At the moment, she had limited abilities. She needed to focus on her studies and life.
She received a new email around four in the afternoon.
She placed her cup of coffee on the table after reading its contents and then read the email once more.
It was signed ‘Mr. Z’.
The contents stated his interest in Tate Industries’ new product. He wanted to learn more about it and would invest if the meeting went well.
Avery’s mind was filled with questions.
She knew nothing about this person apart from the fact that he went by Mr. Z.
If he was really interested in working with Tate Industries, he could have just set up a meeting at the office.
After some consideration, Avery replied to the email.
[Is this a new scam?]
Mr. Z’s reply came shortly after.
[You have quite the sense of humor, Miss Tate. Here’s proof of my assets.]
There was an image file attached to the email.
When Avery opened the file, her eyes instantly widened in shock.
The image was a screenshot of a bank account showing he had close to two hundred million dollars in his checking account.
As it was a tremendous sum, Avery stared at the image and did the calculations in her head many times before she was able to confirm the amount.
Her cheeks flushed and her heart raced. Her hands were trembling as she typed her reply.
[You’re pretty good at editing pictures, but isn’t this going overboard? Who would have two hundred million in their checking account?]
[What would it take for you to believe me? How about you send over your bank account number, and I’ll bank in a deposit of intent of cooperation to you?]
[Is this what scamming techniques have advanced into? All you need is a bank account number to steal all of someone’s money?]
Mr. Z did not respond to Avery’s last email.
After pondering for a while, Avery sent him a screenshot of an account number.
It was an account that could only receive funds, so it did not matter if he turned out to be a scammer.
Avery pursed her lips and waited for a reply.
She received a transfer notification on her phone shortly after.
She opened up the notification and saw that Mr. Z had wired over eight hundred thousand dollars.
…
Shaun arrived at the cafe that Avery was at half an hour later.
“What’s going on, Avery? Did this Mr. Z really send you eight hundred thousand dollars?”
Avery showed her phone screen to Shaun and said, “This balance of eight hundred thousand is from him.”
Shaun was ecstatic.
“Which company is he from? You should set an appointment with him and talk face to face!”
Avery had an uneasy expression on her face as she said, “All he gave me was an address and asked me to meet him on Friday night.”
“That’s great! Send the address to me, too. I’ll go with you on Friday,” Shaun said.
“Okay,” Avery responded.
Mr. Z’s appearance allowed Avery to temporarily put the issue of Tate Industries’ impending doom aside.
However, she could not help but wonder about the identity of Mr. Z, and where he came from.
He had given her eight hundred thousand dollars, and he had never even met her. Did he have too much money on his hands, or was he really that interested in Tate Industries?
Whatever it was, Avery thought it was incredible.
Friday arrived in the blink of an eye.
At breakfast, Elliot said, “Do you have time for dinner at the old mansion tonight?”
Avery stayed silent for a few seconds, then thought of an excuse and said, “I’ve got something to do on campus today, so I’ll be back a little later tonight.”
Elliot frowned slightly. He pursued his lips but said nothing.
Avery let out a sigh of relief.
She was meeting Mr. Z at six that evening.
The fate of Tate Industries depended on that meeting that night.
“You’re still my wife for now,” Elliot said as he placed his cup of coffee on the table. “If I ever find out that you’re lying to me, you’re dead.”
His dark eyes dug into her, but his voice was neutral.
Avery’s entire body went cold.
They had some pleasant interactions in the past few days.
She thought it was nice to continue that type of relationship, but why would he suddenly say something like that?
She was about to say something when he left the dining room.
She watched his back and mumbled to herself, “Weirdo.”
……
Avery arrived at the Twilight Bar at five forty in the evening.
She gave Shaun a call, only to hear his frantic voice on the other end of the line.
“I’m stuck in traffic and I don’t know when I’ll get there. Go on in without me! I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
Anxiety suddenly washed over Avery.
The meeting was set up a week ago, and Mr. Z was the one who booked the private room.
An attendant escorted her to the entrance of private room V606.
She took a deep breath and opened the door.
Unexpectedly, Mr. Z was already there.
She could vaguely make out the silhouette of a man in a wheelchair in the dark room.
Her eyes suddenly widened.
It… It was Elliot!
What was he doing here?!
Could it be that he…
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 20
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 20
Avery felt like someone was strangling her.
She felt suffocated as the world began to spin around her.
How could Elliot be Mr. Z?!
Mr. Z sent her eight hundred thousand dollars and wanted to invest in Tate Industries. How was it possible that Elliot would do that?
However, if he was not Mr. Z, then what was he doing there?
Her mind spun as she looked at the man before her. His wheelchair, dark shirt, and unusually fair skin told her that the man in front of her was no other than Elliot Foster.
Avery let out a cold breath and subconsciously took a few steps back, but the door to the private room was closed.
“Leaving before saying hello?”
Seeing her so nervous made Elliot press his lips into a thin line.
“What are you doing in a place like this?”
Avery raised her hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear. She forced herself to stay calm as she said, “I… I’m here to have dinner with some friends.”
“This is a bar.”
“Oh…”
Avery glanced around the private room. It was a large room that was lavishly decorated, but she felt like she was in hell and could not settle down.
“I… I think I came to the wrong place. I’ll go look for them now.”
“Avery Tate,” Elliot hissed. His voice was as cold as ice. “Did you not take what I said this morning seriously?”
“I heard you,” Avery said, “but I have no reason to live my life by your words.”
She remembered what happened last time like it was yesterday.
She had not drunk that night, but he had insisted that she had dressed like a prostitute so that she might go out drinking with other men.
Avery’s reply made Elliot raise his thick brows.
He knew she was different from other women. She had her own opinions, and she did not back down in the face of power. Most importantly, no matter how sternly he warned her, she would never take his threats seriously.
Which also meant that she did not take him seriously at all.
Elliot picked up a glass of wine and took a sip.
Avery took a deep breath and asked, “What are you doing here? Didn’t you say you were going to the old mansion for dinner?”
She wanted to ask what he was doing in the room that Mr. Z had booked.
She wanted to ask if he was Mr. Z, but she did not dare be so straightforward.
This was because she had no idea what his answer would be.
If he was Mr. Z, how would they proceed to discuss business matters?
If he was not, how would she deal with the blatant lie she had told him that morning?
“Come and drink with me,” Elliot ordered as he glared at her with bloodshot eyes.
Avery raised her brows.
What was he trying to do?
“I told you I don’t drink,” she replied. She could not read his eyes, nor could she read his heart. All she wanted to do was leave that place. “Enjoy yourself. I’m leaving!”
She tried to open the door but noticed that it was locked from the outside.
There was no way of opening that door no matter how much strength she put into it.
“What’s going on, Elliot? Let me out!” she snapped as her cheeks flushed with anger.
“I told you to drink with me,” Elliot said in a threatening tone. “Did you not hear me, or are you feigning ignorance?”
Avery’s cold sweat dripped down her back, and her ankles shook.
If she could drink, then she would drink with him to his heart’s content.
However, she could not drink right now!
She could not drink even if he strangled her.
The door was locked, so there was no way out.
She could only walk toward him and try to reason with him.
“I lied to you this morning,” Avery said as she stood next to him and lowered her gaze. “I had something to do today, but it wasn’t something on campus. I made an appointment to meet someone tonight. He agreed to invest in my father’s company.”
“Who is he?” Elliot asked as he raised his gaze and stared at her flushed cheeks.
“I don’t know his name.”
“You don’t even know his name, but you came to meet him?”
“Shaun came with me.”
“Where is he, then?”
“Stuck in traffic.”
Avery took a deep breath, looked straight at Elliot with her watery eyes, and said, “I’m not a child. Even if I am your wife, I have my own space and social life. You have no right to interfere in my affairs.”
While she spoke, Elliot picked up his glass and took another sip.
She could not help but be distracted by the sensual movements of his throat.
Would he get drunk, drinking like this?
How would he get home if he got drunk?
Just as she was lost in thought, Elliot’s big hand clasped around her arm.
By the time she noticed the pain, he had already yanked her over and thrown her onto the couch.
The couch was soft, but Avery was still upset.
What did he think she was?
Was she a toy that he could throw around as he pleased?!
Was she not allowed to have her own thoughts and opinions?
She gritted her teeth and got up from the couch.
Since he was unwilling to reason with her, then there was no point in holding back!
Just as Avery was preparing to stand up, from the corner of her eye, she saw a tall figure looming over her and blocking the light in front of her.
Elliot was standing up!
He stood up from the wheelchair!
She stared at him in stunned silence as her mind went blank.
She forgot about her anger. She forgot about getting up. She forgot about everything that she had wanted to say or do.
Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she was at a loss for words.
The next moment, Elliot threw himself over Avery and pressed her down onto the couch.
“Men take women here to drink. If you’re not here for that, then why are you here?!”
He reached out his long, slender fingers and grabbed her chin tightly.
Her red lips parted from the pressure he exerted.
With his other hand, Elliot picked up the wine glass on the table. The red liquid in the glass shook slightly back and forth.
Fear took over Avery.
Tears began to stream down her face. She tried to escape, but he was pressing down on her with such force that she could not move a muscle.
“You come here when a stranger invites you… You need to learn your lesson properly,” Elliot said coldly before he poured the wine into Avery’s open mouth.
Avery grabbed onto his arms and tried to push him away, but he did not budge no matter how hard she tried.
He had just recovered from a long-term illness, but he was horrifyingly strong.
The sight of Elliot standing up from the wheelchair suddenly popped into her head.
He was taller and more terrifying than she had thought.
The deep red liquid entered her mouth. She did not swallow it, but the bitterness of the alcohol choked her and made her cough violently.
It felt like she was drowning.
In a time of desperation, a person’s body will act on instinct to save itself.
Avery grabbed Elliot’s shirt collar in panic and yanked it so hard that its button snapped off.
The button rolled onto the ground, and he felt a wave of cold air hit his bare chest.
Elliot looked at the face of the woman in front of him. It was flushed with agony. His chest tightened, and his heart suddenly softened.
He let go of her chin.
Avery immediately turned her head and spat the wine out of her mouth.
“I hate you, Elliot Foster!” she cried through teary eyes and clenched fists.
“It was just one drink. Was that so hard?”
The pity in his eyes disappeared. His slender fingers fell onto her collar and unbuttoned her shirt, exposing her exquisite collar bone.
“If it weren’t me, another man would be doing this to you! These are the consequences of your lies!”