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Avery could not stand it any longer. “Please excuse me. I need to go to the restroom.”
She put down her glass and stood up.
She couldn't be bothered if the others thought of her to be envious or jealous.
For twenty-four years of her life, and from the moment she had gotten more mature, she had never
been happy in her life. She was clueless in her pursuit of happiness. Growing up, she experienced a
plethora of depressing episodes, from eating cold, leftover food, to being bullied by her friends, and her
peers hurling sarcastic remarks at her.
Ever since she was little, she accepted the fact that she would not live a life as privileged as others.
For example, the privilege of having a mother.
Not to mention that she would never be qualified to possess what others had to put in the effort to
attain.
For instance, Cayden's love and affection.
When she finally grew up and became an adult, she still failed to experience happiness. It was nothing
but a fallacy for society to coin it as the age of freedom. Instead, she felt the tight leash of reality
restraining her and pinning her down.
A thought flashed across Avery's mind. I must have committed a ton of sins in my previous life. That's
why I'm subjected to all kinds of suffering in this life.
There were numerous restrooms in the mansion, be it in the yard, the first floor, or the second floor.
Avery merely wanted to wash her hands.
However, the restroom in the yard was occupied by a few of her classmates.
When Avery entered, she heard one of her classmates saying, “Quick, Help take photos of me in this
restroom. I'm going to upload them on Twitter. Previously, the famous star Melinda Albertina hugged
and kissed her boyfriend here.”
Being in the same space that a famous star was in before was sufficient to make them feel proud.
Thinking that there were also restrooms on the first and second floors, Avery turned around and walked
away as she didn't want to intrude on them.
However, she soon found out that the restroom on the first floor was also occupied by a few of her
classmates who were putting on make-up. Avery rarely interacted with them when she was a student,
and she didn't want to reminisce about the past with them. After all, she could only remember the
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇthorrible incidents she had to endure. From getting her hair pulled by one of them to being beaten up by
the other.
Although the passage of time had mostly healed the trauma she received, Avery did not want to relive
the torment and despair she once experienced.
These classmates of hers had an exciting time going through junior high, high school, university, and
upon graduation, stepping into society. Naturally, they had long since forgotten about their atrocious
and despicable actions of bullying a classmate who did not have a mother.
Standing in the restroom, Avery stared at the mirror and scrutinized her pale face. Trying to calm down
her raging emotions, she shut her eyes.
Suddenly, her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Leonardo.
“Dad, why are you still awake?” Avery's voice was slightly hoarse.
Leonardo wanted to ask about the outcome of the blind date.
“Dad, I'm not interested to date a foreigner. They're too passionate! Do you know that guy confessed
on our first date, citing he fell in love with me at first sight? He even asked me to move with him
overseas after our marriage.” Avery, with her head lowered, used the sink as support. “I don't feel
secure being with guys like that.”
Leonardo softened up and reverted to his usual, warm self.
He sighed. “I am to be blamed. An old friend of mine introduced that guy to me and I thought I could set
you up with him without checking his background. But after hearing what you said, I agree that he
doesn't sound like a reliable man.”
“Don't worry about it. There's no loss in meeting him anyway.” Avery didn't want her father to blame
himself.
After hanging up the call, Leonardo dialed Allie's number.
Playing poker at home, Allie pulled out her phone to check who was calling her. When she saw that it
was Leonard, her face darkened immediately.
“I need to answer a call. I'll be back shortly. Please continue without me.” Allie stood up gracefully with
her branded scarf wrapped around her and left the room.
After walking to the end of the corridor of the mansion, Allie answered the call and said with a low
voice, “I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Avoid calling me, or I'll be forced to change my
number.”
“What kind of guy did you just introduce to your daughter? He confessed to her on their first date, and
even talked about marriage, moving overseas, and all sorts of nonsense! Allie, what motive do you
have?” Leonardo, whose health had deteriorated because of lung cancer, was breathing heavily in
anger.
Well aware that she was in the wrong, Allie fell silent.
Huffing and puffing, Leonard continued, “Allie, I know you're a person without conscience. But there
must be boundaries! That's your daughter! She's not some stray animal!”
“Leonardo, you don't have the right to scream at me! The moment I gave birth to your daughter, she
has nothing to do with me anymore. If a stray animal is cute enough, I'm willing to adopt and take care
of it. But to take care of your daughter, I'd rather die than do that. How many times do you want to
undermine my dignity? Getting to know you is the most unfortunate thing that happened to me in my
life!” Allie hurled the hurtful remark at Leonardo without any restraint.
Enraged, Leonardo hung up the call.
Allie scoffed coldly and stared out the window.
She only recognized Cayden as her only child, and she desperately wanted to move on from her
humiliating past.
Just when Allie wanted to turn around and walk back, her phone rang again.
“Can you stop pestering me?” Annoyed, Allie screamed into the phone upon seeing Leonardo's
number.
She continued, “Stop wasting my time. Just say whatever you want to say and never call me anymore!
If you need money, I'm more than happy to donate some to you! Please, be a good ex-husband and
vanish from my life like a dead man!” She lost her patience and ramped up her insults, losing her
gracefulness in the process.
“Allie, I'm not here to argue with you. You're the one who has wronged me. Although I may be a failure,
I have not wronged you in any way!” Leonardo threatened, “I'm warning you not to hurt my daughter.
She was unfortunate to have a wicked mother like you. If you dare to hurt her or even think about it, I
vow to expose your darkest secrets with everything I got!”
Leonardo was well aware of Allie's ulterior motive.
Twenty-four years ago, when the two of them divorced, Allie married the owner of the Trident Group, a
wealthy family. After that, she resorted to many underhanded tactics to destroy Leonardo's life.
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Naturally, her motive was to silence her ex-husband.
Now that their daughter had grown up, Allie was worried that Avery would start looking for her. Hence,
she was already plotting for Avery to be married overseas to keep the latter out of her life. It was her
devilish way of sweeping everything under the rug.
Leonardo uttered, “Avery doesn't know anything. She doesn't know who you are and what your name
is. She thinks that you're dead! So, don't even think about harming her!”
Hearing that, Allie heaved a sigh of relief. “Leonardo, that better be true. Or else, I will not show any
mercy toward the two of you.”
Meanwhile, back in the mansion, when Avery walked out of the restroom, she bumped into a man
leaning against the entrance with a hand in his pocket.
He looked like he was waiting for someone.
Still puffing on a cigarette, Cayden frowned and looked at her.
Avery got nervous under his gaze and said, “I'll be off now.”
“Don't go. I have something to tell you.” Cayden reached out and grabbed her slender hand.
Avery's brow creased in response.
Cayden pushed a door open and pulled Avery into the room before locking the door behind him.
He then turned around and pressed his chest against her, pinning her to the wall.
The room was dark as the light was off.
He unbuttoned his shirt and leaned in close. With his lips close to her ear, he said, “I like you ever since
the time you watched me play basketball in high school.”
Avery was dumbfounded upon hearing that.
“I-I...” she stuttered, feeling beyond embarrassed.
“Shush... Let me finish first.” Cayden pressed his finger against her lips. “At that time, I didn't want to be
in a relationship with the girl I like when I have yet to achieve independence and maturity. I figured only
when I'm wholly independent that I will be able to shower my partner with love and affection every
single day without restraint and reservation.”
Although she could not see the serious look on Cayden's face, she was able to feel his fiery passion
through his deep, baritone voice. The next second, he lowered his head and pressed his lips against
hers. Just like how one would devour honey, he forced his silken tongue into her mouth.
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