Chapter 2

That night, Avery was sent to Elliot's mansion. It was located in the heart of the city's affluent district and cost over 150 million dollars. Before Avery could properly take in the mansion's layout, Mrs. Cooper had dragged her to the master bedroom. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the man on the large bed. She slowly walked over and carefully watched his face. Elliot's deep-set features stood out on his chiseled face, and he exuded a majestic aura of nobility. His skin was unusually pale from spending all that time indoors, but his handsome face made one unable to take their eyes off of him. If he were not sick, Avery would have never become his wife. Before he had been bedridden from the car crash, Elliot was a powerful figure in the country of Aryadelle. Sterling Group, which he headed, was one of the country's top ten corporations. He was rumored to be ruthless and tyrannical and had a legal business as well as deals with the underworld. Anyone who crossed him was bound to pay a hefty price. Avery never thought that she would marry a man like Elliot. The bedroom door opened while she was lost in thought. It was Cole! "I'm sorry, Avery! I was too busy today and just managed to come to see you," said Cole as he approached Avery with feigned sincerity on his face. "I just married your uncle," Avery snapped coldly. "Do I need to teach you how to address me?" "I know you're mad. I didn't elope with you because I didn't want you to suffer a difficult life. Uncle Elliot is practically a dead man, so you don't have to lift a finger while married to him. Once he's dead, I'll get a good lawyer and make sure you get his whole estate!" Cole eagerly grabbed Avery's hands and said, "When that happens, everything he has will be ours!" Avery recalled the earlier scene she had witnessed between Cole and Cassandra, and she felt a surge of disgust. "Let go!" she yelled as she violently shook his hands off. Her sudden cry took Cole by surprise. Was this the Avery he knew? Avery was always gentle and kind, and she would never raise her voice at him. Could she have found out about something? Cole felt a hint of guilt and moved closer to Avery in hopes of explaining things to her. The next moment, his eyes shifted to something behind Avery. His eyes widened in disbelief as if he had just seen a ghost. "He… He…" Cole stammered. Elliot, who was lying still in bed, began to slowly open his eyes. Under the lights of the crystal chandelier, Elliot's obsidian black eyes were deep, magnetic, and dangerous. As always, it was a gaze that sent a chill down one's spine. The color disappeared from Cole's face as he stumbled a few steps back. 'Elliot is awake?! Wasn't he supposed to be dying soon?' A wave of terror washed over her, and she could not help but back away, and she ran toward the stairs. "Mrs. Cooper! Elliot's awake! He opened his eyes!" Avery cried. Mrs. Cooper rushed up the stairs upon hearing Avery's voice. "Master Elliot opens his eyes every day, Madam, but it doesn't mean he's awake. Look, he's not responding to anything we're saying right now," Mrs. Cooper said. She then sighed and added, "The doctors said that there's a very low probability for someone in a vegetative state to wake up." Avery still felt a lingering uneasiness as she saw Mrs. Cooper out of the room. She sat stiffly next to Elliot and watched his striking features. She stretched her hand out and waved it in front of his eyes. "What's on your mind, Elliot?" she asked, but there was no response. Avery felt a sudden pang of sadness. Her suffering was nothing compared to what he had to go through. "I hope you wake up soon, Elliot. If that scumbag Cole gets his cold sleazy hands on all your money, you won't be able to die in peace." Elliot closed his eyes slowly after that.