Ch. 311..320
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 311
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 311
Elliot had thought that the woman he spent that night with was Avery!
He would never have touched Zoe if he had known it was her
On the other side of the city, Avery was having dinner with a few good friends at Golden Beach Street.
If it were not for the care and support of her friends, she would not have been able to get back on her feet so quickly after her mother’s death.
Although the thought of her mother’s passing continued to pain her, Avery was not so impulsive as to go down with Wanda.
Mike poured Wesley a glass of wine, but Wesley declined, saying, “I drove here.”
a
Avery then poured Wesley a glass of juice and said, “Wesley isn’t a good drinker. I’ll drink with you tonight, Mike!”
“Are you underestimating me, Avery? My tolerance is pretty good!” said Tammy.
“I know it is, but Jun already told me to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t get too drunk.”
Tammy grunted nonchalantly, then began to drink with Mike.
“Pace yourselves, you two. I called you out tonight for some good seafood, not for you to get drunk…” Avery cautioned.
“What’s so great about seafood? What’s a party without booze?” Mike said.
Tammy chimed in, “Exactly! If we’re going to have a party without booze, then we might as well just sit at home and munch on some peanuts!”
Avery decided to ignore them.
After a few drinks, the two began to drunkenly banter. Once Avery was done peeling shrimps and crabs for her children, she began to eat.
Noticing that Mike and Tammy were immersed in their drunkenness, Wesley turned to Avery and said, “Eric really wants to thank you personally, Avery.”
“He should focus on rehab for now. We can meet once he’s able to stand on his own two feet.”
She lowered her gaze, pondering something, and then said, “I wouldn’t have to be so cautious if he was just an average person. But he’s still a popular celebrity. If anyone was to discover where he is, there’d be a real ruckus made; and, if that were to happen, not only would it get in the way of his rehabilitation, his personal life would be affected, too.”
Wesley nodded and said, “You’re right. He’s young, so he’s a bit more impulsive.”
He passed some crab meat to Avery.
“Eat it yourself!” Avery said, her cheeks turning pink.
“I don’t eat crab,” Wesley replied. “You were tending to the children this entire time and haven’t had a bite to eat. You should eat more. I’m worried you’ll get blown away by the wind one day.”
Layla lifted her head, then said seriously to Wesley, “Hayden and I will hold on to Mommy’s legs! We won’t let the wind blow her away!”
“No matter how strong the wind is, I won’t have to worry as long as I have the both of you around!” Wesley chuckled. He turned to Hayden and asked, “Are you getting used to things at your new school?”
Hayden nodded.
Hayden might not have been sociable, but he never bothered the other children, so his teachers favored him.
“Why did you bring your laptop with you?” Wesley asked as he noticed the laptop sticking out of Hayden’s unzipped bag.
Hayden quickly zipped his bag shut. Avery glanced at her son, alarm bells beginning to ring in her head.
She did not immediately interrogate Hayden.
Instead, she pulled out her phone to check if Elliot had contacted her.
It was a good thing he had not!
Avery was relieved.
“I heard Zoe’s planning on carrying out another surgery on Shea,” Wesley said, his expression conveying his mixed feelings. “I don’t know if Zoe is being too generous, or if Elliot’s being a fool. Zoe’s skills might not end up killing Shea, but I doubt the results would be ideal.”
Avery’s hand clenched tightly around her fork.
“Are you sure you don’t want to tell Elliot that you were the one who operated on Shea the first time?” Wesley asked softly.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 312
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 312
Wesley’s question left Avery silent for a moment.
“Have you ever loved somebody, Wesley?” Avery asked quietly. “If you have, then you probably won’t have such a tough time understanding how I’m feeling.”
Wesley shook his head.
“You become possessive when you love someone. I want everything he owns, and I want to be the only one he sees. Most importantly, I want the relationship to have no reservations,” Avery said. Then she smiled and continued, “You’ve seen it yourself. He has Shea, and he’s willing to sell himself out for her treatment.”
“Before I knew about Shea’s mental disability, I saw her as a thorn in my side. After I discovered she wasn’t normal, the hostility I felt against her slowly began to fade away. Of course, I can carry out Shea’s second surgery, but I won’t do that.”
Wesley stared blankly at Avery.
“How do you think Elliot would react if he found out I could treat Shea?” Avery asked. She poured herself a glass of wine and continued, “How has he been treating Zoe? He’s so grateful to her that he’s willing to grant her every request… Wesley, I don’t want him thanking me for the sake of another woman.”
Avery let out a bitter laugh, then said, “I don’t care for that at all!”
Wesley took the bottle of wine away from Avery, then said, “I get it, Avery. If he can’t give you a perfect love, then you’d rather take nothing from him at all.” “That’s not all. Not only is he unable to reciprocate my love, but he is also incapable of being a father to my children!”
Avery had only had one glass of wine, but her face had turned scarlet, and the tone of her voice was filled with hurt and loathing.
“He didn’t want our children! Why is he allowing Zoe to keep her baby? Why isn’t he forcing her to get an abortion? Huh?!”
Wesley poured Avery a glass of juice, then said, “Don’t get upset, Avery.”
“Don’t be mad, Mommy!” Layla pulled on Avery’s arm. “Hayden and I don’t need Dirtbag Dad! All we need is Mommy.”
Avery caressed her daughter’s head, then said with smiling eyes, “I’m not mad. I’m just thinking out loud to wake myself up.”
When Wesley asked if she wanted to tell Elliot the truth, Shea’s innocent eyes instantly popped into Avery’s mind.
She had felt her heart soften.
She had said everything out loud for Wesley to hear, but it was also for herself.
The worst thing that could happen from Zoe operating on Shea was that there would be no progress.
This was acceptable.
However, if Elliot ever found out that the person who operated on Shea was Avery, he would definitely end up being entangled with her again!
As if having Shea around was not bad enough, now there would be a pregnant Zoe to give Avery an even bigger headache!
How could she possibly tell Elliot the truth?
It was Monday at Starry River Kindergarten.
The school was located near the Starry River Villa.
Avery would send her children to school every morning.
If she could not make it back in time in the evenings, Hayden would take Layla home first.
The children were paying attention to the teacher’s lesson when a figure suddenly appeared at the classroom door.
Layla immediately recognized the person!
“Hayden! Shea’s here!” Layla cried out, then walked over to the classroom door with Hayden.
A wave of gloom washed over Shea’s face when she saw them.
“I have to go into surgery tomorrow. I’m scared,” she muttered softly in a voice filled with anxiety.
“Is Dr. Sanford going to operate on you?” Layle asked.
Shea nodded.
“Don’t let her touch your brain, Shea. You’re not that smart to begin with. What if she makes you even dumber?!” Layla said. “You should hide like you did last time. Don’t let anyone find you! That way, they can’t force you to get surgery!” Hayden glanced at his sister intently and said, “Stop meddling!”
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 313
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 313
“Didn’t we agree to stop being upset with Shea?” Layla asked dejectedly.
Hayden took his sister’s hand and walked back into the classroom.
Shea’s surgery was going to happen no matter what.
Coming to see them in her nervousness and fear would not change a thing.
She should have gone to see Elliot Foster and seek his comfort.
Elliot received a call from Mrs. Scarlet at three in the afternoon.
“Shea’s missing again!” cried Mrs. Scarlet. “The bodyguard and I have been looking for her for over an hour. We’ve searched through the entire Starry River neighborhood and we still can ‘t find her!”
“Why did you go to Starry River?!” Elliot exclaimed as he picked up his keys and walked toward the front door.
“Shea’s been begging to see Hayden since she got to school this morning… She threw a tantrum when I told her she couldn’t. She refused to eat or drink anything. She never used to be like this. I had no other choice but to take her to see Hayden,” Mrs. Scarlet said as she sobbed pitifully.
Ever since she had regained her self-perception after the surgery, Shea had become a pain to look after!
“So you took her to see Hayden Tate?” Merely hearing the name felt like a stab to Elliot’s heart. “Did he hide her away again?” “He didn’t! When I took Shea to see Hayden and Layla at school, they went back into the classroom after only exchanging a few words,” Mrs. Scarlet said truthfully. “Shea insisted on going to the neighborhood after we left the school, so I took her there… She just disappeared in the blink of an eye!”
Mrs. Scarlet was out of breath from all her sobbing.
Elliot frowned, then said, “Don’t cry. I’m on my way! She should still be in the neighborhood.”
Mrs. Scarlet sniffled and said, “Shea’s a good girl. She’s only hiding because she’s afraid of getting surgery.”
“I know,” Elliot said.
It took him a long time to coax Shea into going to bed last night.
He did not want her to suffer, but the surgery had to be done for the sake of her health.
He did not want her to be called an idiot ever again.
That evening, when Avery drove her car into the neighborhood, she noticed a group of police officers at the gates.
There was a long line of police tape around the area, and a mob of nosy onlookers had gathered.
Avery furrowed her brows tightly.
Had something bad happened?
She quickly parked the car, then hurried towards the house.
Please let the children be safe!
Avery opened the front door and saw her children playing in the living room.
The atmosphere inside the house was in stark contrast with the tense air outside.
“Well done, my babies! I’m glad you listened to me and didn’t join the crowd outside,” Avery said, as she gave the children a peck on the cheek each.
“There’s nothing to see, anyway,” Layla said with a calm expression. “Shea’s hiding. They’re looking for her.”
Avery’s mind was blown.
“Shea’s hiding in our neighborhood?!”
“Probably! I told her to hide, but I didn’t tell her to hide in our neighborhood…” Layla grumbled, pulling a long face. “What are we going to do if Dirtbag Dad shows up looking for her? I don’t want to see him.”
Avery’s face flushed.
“Did you hide her in the house again?!”
Hayden and Layla shook their heads.
“We didn’t. She went to hide. We don’t know where she is.”
Avery let out a heavy sigh and quickly composed herself.
“It’s fine as long as she’s not in our house. I’m going to make dinner now. Don’t go outside. If someone rings the doorbell—” Before Avery could finish her sentence, the doorbell rang.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 314
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 314
Layla and Hayden rushed to the front door and clearly saw the face of the man standing outside through the screen on the door security system.
“Mommy! Dirtbag Dad is here!” Layla cried in a panicked yet excited voice as she ran towards her mother.
Avery put down her apron, then picked up her daughter.
“Don’t be scared, sweetie. Follow your brother to your room for now,” she said as she glanced at Hayden.
Hayden reluctantly walked over, then stayed in the bedroom with Layla.
Avery exited the children’s room, then strode past the living to the front door and opened it
up.
Elliot was standing right outside the door.
The glow from the sunset shone from behind him, enhancing his chiseled features.
“Shea’s missing. Her nanny said she lost her in your neighborhood,” Elliot said, explaining his intentions. “I’ve looked through all the houses around here and still can’t find her.”
“Are you saying you want to search my house?” Avery asked as she gazed at him coldly.
Elliot met her icy eyes, then said calmly, “I’m here to find someone, not to raid your home.”
“What happens if you don’t find her here?” Avery asked as she opened the front door fully.
“What do you want?” Elliot said as he took a forceful step towards her.
The tense aura came at her like a scorching heatwave!
Avery took an abrupt step back, then quickly said, “If shes isn’t here, then you have to swear to never step foot in my house ever again!”
Elliot frowned slightly, as if in deep thought.
When his lips parted a moment later, it was not to answer her question.
“Shea! Come out! Big Brother is here to take you home!” Elliot called out towards the empty living room behind Avery.
If Shea were here, she would certainly come out one she heard his voice.
“Shea! Can you hear me? Big Brother is here to pick you up!” he called out once more when there was no response.
Avery heard the intimate way Elliot referred to himself as “Big Brother”.
It was as if he really was Shea’s brother!
Even if he was, he could not be her biological brother.
After all, there was no information about Shea in the Foster family records.
Besides, would a normal man treat someone who was not his biological sister better than he treated his wife?
“Stop shouting, Elliot. Shea isn’t here. Go ahead and search the rooms if you don’t believe me, “Avery said, then began to open up every room door in the house.
Elliot followed closely behind her.
Shea was not in the first or second rooms.
When they arrived at the third room, his eyes landed on the two children inside!
Hayden was holding Layla in his arms and glaring at him with eyes filled with resentment.
“Why do your children hate me so much, Avery?” Elliot asked Avery, confused. “Do you really not badmouth me in front of them?”
“They hate you because you have an aura about you that children dislike. You’re not worth the effort of discussing in front of my children,” Avery responded.
Elliot was angered by her eloquent reply, but he held back when he thought of how he had forced her to get an abortion before.
“You were losing your mind when Shea went missing last time! Why do you have the time to pick a fight with me this time?” Avery said mockingly. “Did you think some good samaritan will take her to the hospital again?”
Elliot accepted her ridicule, then explained patiently, “Her intellect was lower the last time she went missing. She’s much better now.”
“I see… What if she gets even better?” Avery asked nonchalantly. “Will you care about her more or less?”
“There’s no need to be spiteful, Avery,” Elliot said as he suppressed the emotions in his dark eyes. “She’s nothing but an idiot to you!”
It was as if Avery had struck a nerve in Elliot.
The expression on his face turned ominous and terrifying.
He did not continue his search, but walked away with clenched fists.
Once he was gone, Avery let out a heavy sigh and composed her emotions. He could not find Shea, but why did he bring up the past?
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 315
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 315
Was Elliot going to hold the things Avery said in a fit of rage against her for the rest of their lives?
After dinner, Avery dialed Mike’s number, then put her phone on speaker and began to clean the kitchen.
“I’ll be home late today, Avery!” Mike said in a stern and serious voice. “I’m not going to the bar tonight. It’s for work… It’s about the company! I’ll tell you about it tomorrow.”
“Okay. It’s nothing too serious, is it?” Avery said. “I’m not used to this sudden discipline in you.”
Mike chuckled and said, “I was just worried you think I’m out messing around. You don’t need to keep dinner for me.”
“Okay.”
After Avery hung up the phone, she glanced around the empty house and could not help but think of her mother.
She refused to hire a nanny because she wanted to do all of the things Laura used to do.
.
She wanted to guess what her mother was thinking about when she did those things.
The more she thought about it, the more guilty she felt.
Laura always took care of her after Avery got pregnant.
After the children were born, Laura gave her all to help raise them.
She never lived a day of her life for herself.
Avery never thought that there was anything wrong with that kind of life.
It was not until Laura was gone that she realized she had put all of her energy in her work and the children.
“Mommy! Hayden’s picking on me!” Layla cried suddenly as she ran out of the room.
Avery quickly wiped the tears off her face and recovered her normal expression.
“How did he pick on you?”
“He said I wasn’t doing my homework right, then said he’d rip my books apart if I didn’t do it properly!” Layla whimpered.
Avery took her daughter’s hand, then walked her to the bedroom and checked Layla’s homework.
It was no wonder Hayden was frowning in rage.
Layla’s homework was a mess.
“I’ll teach you, Layla. Let’s erase this line first,” Avery said patiently as she sat down at the desk next to Layla.
By the time she was done helping the children with their homework and getting them ready for bed, it was already ten at night.
Avery dragged her tired body back to her room.
Her mind was blank.
She felt like she had done a lot, but nothing at all at the same time.
Laura was the one who took over these errands for her before.
She owed a lot to her mother, and would have to wait until their next lifetimes to pay her back.
Avery walked into the closet, opened up her wardrobe and was about to pick out a pair of pajamas.
The moment she opened the wardrobe door, the body curled up inside almost fell right out!
Avery reached out and caught Shea on reflex before she fell to the ground!
What was Shea doing here?!
How long had she been hiding here?!
Avery had no time to think.
She laid Shea on the ground and checked on her condition.
Moments later, she called Wesley for help.
When Layla and Hayden woke up the next morning, they noticed that their mother was not at home and that she did not prepare breakfast for them.
Their preschool provided breakfast, but Hayden was not used to the food.
Which was why Avery would always make breakfast for them.
“Where did Mommy go, Hayden?” Layla asked with a confused expression on her face. “If Mommy isn’t home, does that mean we don’t have to go to school?”
Hayden took on the role of a big brother and said, “If Mommy’s not here, I’ll take you to school.”
“Can you tell me where Mommy went?” Layla asked with concern. “Mommy wouldn’t have thought we were dragging her behind and decided to run off by herself, right?”
Hayden tapped on a button on his smart watch.
Moments later, the sound of Avery’s ringtone echoed from the master bedroom.
“She didn’t bring her phone. She must have left in a hurry,” Hayden concluded, then walked to Avery’s room and checked to see who the last person she called was.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 316
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 316
At the Foster mansion, Elliot did not get a wink of sleep all night.
Logically, Shea’s mental state was better than it was before.
She could even memorize Elliot’s phone number.
There was no reason for her to spend all night hiding outside by herself. The night before, Elliot stationed some of his people at the Starry River neighborhood.
He had not received any news since, which means that there was still no trace of Shea.
The weather was warmer than it was during the new year, but she could still catch a cold if she was roaming around on the streets.
Where could Shea be hiding?
Did a good samaritan take her in?
Elliot blamed himself.
Shea had tried to run away before her first surgery.
Since her intellect had improved, Elliot thought that she would have higher endurance, too.
He had explained to her again and again the reason behind the surgery, so he had thought that she understood him to some extent.
Who would have thought that she would still be so against it?
If he had known this would be the outcome, then perhaps he would not have been so insistent about the surgery.
However, he did not want her to be mentally disabled for her entire life!
What if he dies before her?
Who was going to care for her once he’s gone?
Elliot could not bear the thought of Shea being picked on.
The mere thought of it was unacceptable to him.
To Elliot, there were two types of people in this world.
The first was the average person, and the second was him and Shea.
Elliot drove over to the Starry River neighborhood and searched every corner once again.
Later, he visited the neighborhood’s surveillance center and checked the entry and exit records of every car.
At two in the afternoon, Elliot’s bloodshot eyes saw a familiar Rower leaving the underground garage in the surveillance footage.
He moved the mouse and paused the video.
“Isn’t that Avery’s car?” he mumbled to himself, then glanced at the time on the footage and added, “Where was she going at 10.30 p.m.?”
The people next to him did not know how to respond.
Was he not searching for Shea?
Why did he bring up Avery Tate?
Elliot pulled out his phone and dialed Avery’s number.
When Avery’s phone rang at the Starry River Villa, the two children immediately turned their heads around.
Since Avery was not at home, they did not go to school.
Hayden wanted to take Layla to school.
After all, he had an obligation as a big brother to be a good role model to his sister.
However, Layla had used the fact that Hayden also did not feel like going to school that day to change his mind.
In the end, Hayden went to the school that morning to inform his teachers that Layla was sick and that he had to stay home to take care of her.
The teachers suspected nothing and allowed them to take the day off.
Now, the fact that Avery’s phone was ringing overwhelmed the children.
“Isn’t that Dirtbag Dad’s name?”
There were not many words that Layla could read, but she remembered very clearly what the name “Elliot Foster” looked like.
“Why is he calling Mommy?” Hayden mumbled, then proceeded to reject the call.
“Don’t you want to know why he called Mommy? I do! Let’s answer if he calls again!” Layla said grumpily.
“Don’t be silly. He won’t speak if he doesn’t hear Mommy’s voice!” Hayden said, then blocked Elliot’s number to prevent him from calling again and disturbing the peace.
Over at the surveillance center, Elliot’s eyes were filled with bewilderment as he stared at his rejected call.
Even if they were divorced, did Avery have to go as far as not answering his calls?
His phone rang just as he was about to dial Avery’s number again.
It was Zoe, but the voice on the other end of the line belonged to a stranger.
“Hello, Mr. Foster. Doctor Sanford asked me to give you a call and inform you of the current situation,” said the woman. “Doctor Sanford is in the operating room right now with Shea. Don’t worry. The surgery should be done in about an hour.”
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 317
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 317
Elliot jolted from his seat.
Shea was at the hospital?!
Who sent her there?
Why was he not informed before the surgery?
“Who sent Shea to the hospital? Which hospital is she at?!”
Elliot’s hand clenched tightly around his phone and he stormed out of the surveillance center.
“I’m sorry, I’m not too clear on the details myself. We are at Elizabeth Hospital,” the woman said, then hung up the phone.
Elizabeth Hospital!
It was Elizabeth Hospital again!
Zoe had planned to carry out Shea’s surgery at Central Hospital.
This meant that Zoe was informed that Shea was at Elizabeth Hospital and headed over there.
Who was the one who sent Shea to Elizabeth Hospital?
Was it Avery?
However, Shea was not at her house when Elliot went over the night before.
Shea had a stubborn streak, but she was always well behaved in front of Elliot.
It was impossible that she would not react if she heard Elliot’s voice.
Elliot’s mind was a mess!
He decided to brush everything aside for now.
What was important was that Shea was safe.
Two hours later, Elliot finally saw Shea at Elizabeth Hospital after her surgery.
Her head was wrapped in a thick layer of bandages and her eyes were shut, as if asleep.
“How is she?” Elliot asked anxiously.
Zoe smiled and said, “She’s doing well. I spoke to her throughout the entire operation. She was very clear headed.”
Elliot felt relieved after seeing the smile on Zoe’s face, but there was still something fishy about the entire ordeal!
“Why didn’t you inform me before, Zoe?”
“I’m sorry! I was too busy at the time because we had to move a bunch of things over from Central Hospital. I didn’t think of calling you until I was already in the operating room!” Zoe said with an innocent expression on her face.
Elliot did not continue to pester her after seeing the blood stains on her surgical gown and gloves.
“Thank you, Zoe,” he said hoarsely.
“Don’t mention it! You’re my boyfriend. This is my duty,” Zoe said, then left to change.
Elliot walked to the hospital room’s door, and felt a peace of mind when he saw the bodyguard and Mrs. Scarlet inside the room.
He stepped aside and dialed Wesley’s number.
He had to find out the truth from Wesley!
Why was Shea sent to Elizabeth Hospital every time she was in trouble?
There was definitely something strange going on.
Wesley’s voice was calm and collected as he said, “How can I help you, Mr. Foster?”
“Mr Brooke, is your father the director at Elizabeth Hospital?”
“May I know why you’re suddenly asking me about this?”
“Could I see the surveillance footage from today, please? I want to know who sent Shea here,” Elliot said as he held back his emotions.
“You can go straight to the surveillance room for that. I’m technically just a simple doctor at Elizabeth Hospital,” Wesley responded.
“Noted,” Elliot said, then hung up the phone and made his way over to the surveillance room.
Out of the many surveillance screens, there were a few that were black.
“What’s going on with the black screens?” Elliot asked with a frown.
“Those ones malfunctioned last night. We’re still waiting for the repairmen to come and fix it! “answered one of the staff.
“Which cameras broke down?”
“The front entrance, the entrance to the wards and the south parking lot…” said the staff
member.
The timing and locations of the broken down cameras were too coincidental! Did they truly malfunction, or was something trying to hide something from him?
Avery’s face suddenly popped into Elliot’s head.
Where did she go when she left the underground garage at 10.30 p.m. the night before?
Elliot pulled out his phone and dialed Avery’s number.
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later.” The bot’s monotonous voice made the coldness in Elliot’s eyes turn even more chilling.
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 318
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 318
Elliot dialed Avery’s number once again, but was stili met with the bot’s message.
He could not believe his ears!
How dare Avery hang up on him?
Or was her phone turned off?
Elliot searched for Mike’s number in his contacts and called him.
They lived under the same room and worked in the same company, so they were practically together 24/7
Mike was confused when he received Elliot’s call.
Why was he calling him?
Were they that close?
Mike glanced at Avery who was lying on the large bed, and it suddenly dawned on him.
He answered the call, but before he could say a word, Elliot’s vicious voice came right at him.
“I’m looking for Avery!”
Mike was dumbfounded.
What was he being so aggressive about?!
“Avery’s asleep! What do you want with her?”
Mike watched Avery’s sleeping face and did not raise his voice at Elliot.
She had arrived three hours ago, but laid down and fell asleep without a word.
Mike was thinking of leaving, but decided to stay and wait for her when he noticed she did not bring a thing with her.
“Wake her up! I have something to talk to her about!”
Elliot’s tone was overbearingly domineering.
Shea went missing in the Starry River neighborhood last night, and Avery drove out in the middle of the night. Then, Shea ended up being sent to Elizabeth Hospital.
By some strange coincidence, several surveillance cameras in key locations at the hospital broke down the night before.
Elliot hated being dragged around in circles!
Was he being taken for a fool?
He was certain that Avery had something to do with this!
Mike could tell from Elliot’s tone that things were not as simple as they seemed.
He leaned down, then gently patted Avery’s back and said, “Wake up, Avery! Your ex husband’ s looking for you!”
Ex husband!
The title made Elliot frown!
He absolutely hated it!
Even so, Mike was always addressing him that way.
Avery did not move a muscle and did not react at all.
She must have stayed up all night to be this exhausted!
“Avery! Elliot Foster’s looking for you! Elliot Foster! If you don’t wake up now, that bstrd going to come here and get you!” Mike threatened into Avery’s ear in a raised voice.
Avery was successfully awakened.
She rubbed her tired eyes and glanced blankly at her surroundings.
“You said Elliot… Where is he?”
“Here!” Mike said as he handed the phone over to Avery. “He’s looking for a fight. Prepare yourself.”
Avery narrowed her eyes, then took the phone from Mike.
At the same time, she gestured at the bottle of water on the nightstand and said, “Give me some water. I’m thirsty.”
When Elliot heard Avery’s hoarse voice, he was even more certain!
She was definitely with Shea all night and did not get any sleep!
Otherwise, how could she still be in bed by now?
Mike opened up the bottle of water and handed it to Avery. Avery took a big gulp of water, then placed the phone by her ears and lazily said, “Hello?”
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 319
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 319
“Are you finally up?” Elliot asked mockingly.
Avery laid back on the bed, then massaged her aching temples and said, “Weren’t you the one who called and woke me up? Why did you call?” “I saw you drive out of the neighborhood last night at 10.30 p.m., Avery. Where did you go that late at night?” Elliot asked.
Avery gave Mike, who was sitting at the end of the bed, a little kick and shot him a look.
Then, she answered Elliot’s question.
“Mike had too much to drink last night. The bar called to ask me to go settle his check for him, so I drove out to where he was… He was in a drunken craze. I was worried he’s wake the kids if we went home, so we got a room at a nearby hotel… What’s up? Are you interested in going bar hopping? Should I get him to invite you next time?”
Elliot’s brows furrowed.
Why was Avery’s answer different from what he had imagined?
“Is there anything else?” Avery asked as she let out a yawn. “Mike kept me up all night last night… I’m exhausted. I’m hanging up if that’s all!”
Just as she was about to end the call, she asked as if something just occurred to her, “By the way, did you manage to find Shea?”
That final sentence made Elliot give up hope.
Avery was not the one who sent Shea to the hospital.
She had gone to the bar when she left the neighborhood last night!
She even went to a hotel with Mike and slept until now!
“I found her,” Elliot said, then hung up the phone.
Avery gave up her act the moment she saw that the call had ended.
She handed the phone back to Mike.
“Why did you lie?” Mike exclaimed in bewilderment. “Also, did Shea go missing again?!”
Avery pulled up the covers and shut her eyes, then said nonchalantly with a stagnant face,” That’s right! Why do you think she’s so good at picking a place to hide? Why did she have to hide in my wardrobe of all places? If she was in yours or Mom’s closet, she would be dead by
now.”
When Avery found Shea last night, her face was pale and her breathing was shallow.
She would have died if she was discovered later.
Shea’s mental state might be disabled, but it was a good thing luck was on her side.
She was at Avery’s house the both times she went missing.
“Holy sh*t! You didn’t operate on her again, did you?” Mike guessed after he processed the situation. “Are you letting Zoe Sanford take credit for everything again?”
Avery’s eyes shot open upon hearing his words.
“What do you mean by credit? It’s more like a hot potato. If she wasn’t close to death when I found her last night, I would have handed her over to Elliot right away. If I didn’t treat her, Elliot would definitely think I did something bad to her.”
“Just admit it! Yoù couldn’t bring yourself to let Zoe operate on Shea,” Mike said, instantly seeing right through her. “You’ve felt bad this entire time about calling Shea an idiot before. This was a chance for you to redeem yourself, so you went ahead and carried out the surgery on her!”
Avery said nothing.
Mike’s comprehensive skills were surprisingly impressive!
“You don’t want to get entangled with Elliot Foster again, so all you can do is do good deeds in the dark!”
Avery frowned and said, “Can you shut up and let me sleep? I’m exhausted!”
“Fine, i’ll let you sleep! You better get all the sleep you can get just in case you lose sleep over some other bad news when you wake up!” Mike goaded.
Avery did not fall for his trap.
“Get out, then! Is watching someone sleep some weird fetish of yours?”
“Hey! You didn’t bring your phone or your wallet. When we have to pay for the room later…”
“Can’t you just go and pay at reception right now? I wonder how the kids are doing. Go home and check”
“Got it! I called Hayden earlier. He said they didn’t go to school today because neither of them felt like it.”
Avery’s expression instantly turned stern.
She took a breath, then waved her hand at Mike and said, “Go home and watch them, then! They should be hungry by now.”
“Oh, please. They know how to order takeout. How’s the search for a bodyguard going?”
Avery was suddenly no longer tired.
She pulled the covers off, then tied her disheveled hair up into a ponytail.
“I haven’t decided on anything yet. I’m worried whoever I find won’t be reliable, but I’m also worried about the children’s safety. They’re always running around.”
Mike raised his brows, then said, “Should I ask Chad for a recommendation?”
Avery looked at him in shock and said, “Do you think my children have lived long enough and can’t wait for them to die? Why don’t you just go ahead and get Elliot to come be their bodyguard?”
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 320
When His Eyes Opened Chapter 320
When Mike realized he said something wrong, his hand shot up to cover his mouth.
“You’ve been infiltrated!” Avery sighed.
“No way! He hasn’t been asking about us recently,” Mike said as his pale blue eyes rolled. “I’m sure! He’s not as good a drinker as I am. I get him drunk every time we drink together. He isn’t capable of getting anything out of me.”
Avery did not doubt the veracity of his words.
She was just worried that he was hiding something from her or that he might one day be infiltrated.
“If you fall for Chad’s pillow talk…”
A pained expression appeared on Mike’s face.
Then, he changed the subject and said, “Are you planning on continuing to help Shea unconditionally? It’s a huge loss to not ask Elliot Foster for medical fees!”
Avery shook her head and said, “There won’t be a next time. It’s not that I won’t help her. It’s just that her condition is too severe and there are limits to my abilities. There’s no way of knowing how her condition will be after this surgery, but she won’t be worse off than she was before.”
“Doesn’t that mean Shea would have to suffer if Elliot doesn’t know about the situation and continues to get her treatment?” Mike said regretfully. “Elliot might be a dirtbag, but Shea… She might be mentally disabled, but she’s still adorable and sweet!”
Avery did not retaliate.
She was beginning to feel tired.
She wanted to go home and catch up on some sleep.
At the hospital, Elliot stood by Shea’s bed and watched her pale, haggard face.
He hoped that her condition would have improved when she woke up.
It would be even better if she could remember what happened before the surgery last night.
He really wanted to know what happened during that time.
Zoe opened the door and entered the room.
Elliot glanced at her and said, “You should go home and rest. I’ll let you know when she wakes
up.”
Zoe’s pregnancy was clearly showing.
Elliot felt conflicted about the child she was carrying, but he was grateful to her for Shea’s treatment.
His people had yet to be able to contact Eric Santos.
It was as if he had vanished off the face of the earth.
For now, he still had to depend on Zoe for Shea’s treatment.
“I think you’re the one who needs to rest. You stayed up all night when Shea went missing, didn’t you?” Zoe said as she walked to Elliot’s side and patted his shoulder. “Go home and rest, Elliot. I’ll watch over things here.”
Elliot lowered his gaze and took her in.
On top of being gentle and kind, Zoe had superb medical skills. He could not find fault in her.
He could not help but ask himself why he could not be nicer to her.
“I’ll leave after Shea wakes up,” Elliot said.
He was tired, but he would not be able to sleep even if he went home now.
“Go home and rest, Zoe.”
At his insistence, Zoe could only do as she was told.
Shea woke up about an hour after Zoe left.
Her eyes were stone-cold as she glanced around her unfamiliar surroundings.
Elliot did not blink.
He had never seen that look in Shea’s eyes before!
In layman’s terms, her mental disability made her a moron and an idiot. She laughed when she was happy and cried when she was not. Other than that, she had no other complex emotions or expressions.
However, she was different now!
This was the result of the surgery!
Elliot did not expect the effects to be this obvious.
“How do you feel, Shea?” he asked as he held her cold hand and gazed eagerly at her.
Shea studied his face for a few seconds, then fluttered her eyelashes and asked hoarsely,” Where’s Avery? Wasn’t she talking to me? Where is she?”
Elliot felt as if his heart had stopped.
He took in a shaky breath and asked, “When did she talk to you?!”
Avery had been at a hotel with Mike since the night before!
“Just now!” Shea said lightly. Elliot was dumbfounded.