Chapter 5

Avery was so startled that she could not help but take a few steps back.

Elliot was like a savage beast that had awakened from a deep slumber. There was nothing scary about him when he was asleep. When he was awake, however, there was a menacing air of danger around him.

Mrs. Cooper walked out of the room and shut the door.

She saw Avery—who looked like a deer caught in headlights—and said gently, "Don't be afraid, Madam. Master Elliot just woke up, so he might not be able to accept the news yet. Let's get you to the guest room for tonight, and we'll talk in the morning. Madam Rosalie loves you, so she might just be on your side."

Avery's mind was in a frenzy. She had thought about how Elliot might die any day, but she never thought about the possibility that he might regain consciousness.

"Mrs. Cooper, my things are still in the room…" Avery said as she glanced at the door of the master bedroom, hoping to enter and take all of her belongings.

Judging by the vicious glare that Elliot had aimed at her earlier, she had a strong feeling that he was not going to accept her as his wife.

She needed to be ready to leave the mansion at any time.

Mrs. Cooper let out a sigh and said, "Let's leave it there for now if it's nothing too important. I'll get it for you tomorrow."

"Okay," Avery responded, then asked, "Are you afraid of him?"

"I've worked for him for a long time," said Mrs. Cooper. "He may look scary, but he has not made things difficult for me."

Avery grunted in response, then spoke no further.

She might be his wife, but strictly speaking, this was their first meeting. It was understandable that he might act hostile toward her.

Avery did not sleep well that night. Her mind was filled with a million chaotic thoughts.

Elliot's recovery had completely disrupted the pace of her life.

…

At eight in the morning the next day, Mrs. Cooper retrieved all of Avery's belongings from the master bedroom and sent them to the guest room she was in.

"It's time for breakfast, Madam," said Mrs. Cooper. "Master Elliot is already in the dining room. You should go there too! Talk to him and get to know each other a little."

"I don't think he wants to get to know me," Avery grimaced.

"You still need to have breakfast. Come on, now! He didn't even get mad when I told him that Madam Rosalie likes you! His attitude might be a little better today," said Mrs. Cooper.

When Avery arrived at the dining room, her eyes fell on the wheelchair-bound Elliot.

He was able to move his arms thanks to routine muscle training.

He sat up straight despite being in a wheelchair. He would surely be tall and strapping if he stood up.

Filled with uneasiness, Avery sat herself down at the dining table as Mrs. Cooper set up a place for her.

Elliot did not say a word even as Avery picked up her fork.

She could not help but sneak a peek at him, which immediately garnered Elliot's attention.

His eyes were like bottomless black holes that could swallow a person whole.

"Hey… I'm… I'm Avery Tate…" Avery stammered anxiously.

Elliot picked up his cup of coffee and leisurely sipped at it. His voice was dull and indifferent as he said, "I heard that you might be pregnant with my child."

Avery's heart tightened, and she immediately lost her appetite.

"Do you prefer a surgical or medical abortion?"

His tone was calm as he said those cruel words.

Color disappeared from Avery's face, and her mind went blank.

Mrs. Cooper felt that the topic was too eerie, so she forwent etiquette and said, "Master Elliot, the child was Madam Rosalie's idea. It had nothing to do with Madam Avery."

"Don't use my mother to pressure me," Elliot snapped as he shot a glare at Mrs. Cooper, causing her to lower her head and shut her mouth.

"Elliot—" Avery began to speak but was cut off by Elliot.

"Who gave you permission to say my name?"

Avery was taken aback, then said, "What should I call you otherwise? Should I call you 'Honey'?"

Elliot pursed his thin lips and rage seeped into his eyes.

Before he could lose his temper, Avery quickly tried to calm him down.

"I'm not pregnant. I got my period. Ask the cleaning lady, Mrs. Wilson, if you don't believe me. I asked her for a tampon this morning."

Elliot remained silent. He picked up his cup of coffee and took a sip.

Avery felt her stomach ache and began to eat her breakfast without a second thought.

She finished her meal hurriedly, then got up to go get her bag from the room so she could get out of the house.

Being under the same roof as Elliot made her uncomfortable.

"Get your documents ready. We'll be divorced soon," Elliot said coldly.

Avery stopped in her tracks, but she was not surprised.

"Are we going right now?"

"In a couple of days," Elliot replied.

Rosalie was so shocked by Elliot the night before that she had to be admitted to the hospital for hypertension.

Elliot wanted to wait until his mother's condition stabilized before discussing the divorce.

"Okay, just let me know when," Avery said before she rushed back to her room.

She reemerged with her bag about five minutes later.

Unexpectedly, she saw a familiar silhouette in the living room.

It was Cole.

He looked like a scared dog with its tail tucked between its legs as he stood respectfully by Elliot's wheelchair.

"Uncle Elliot, my parents are visiting Grandma at the hospital, so Dad had me come see you," Cole said as he placed a box of supplements on the coffee table.

Elliot shot a look at the bodyguard next to him.

The man understood his employer's signal. He picked up the goods from the table and tossed them out.

"Uncle Elliot!" Cole cried in a panic. "These are the best supplements and vitamins, but I can get you something else if you don't like them… Please don't be mad!"

As Cole finished his sentence, another bodyguard kicked the back of his knees and sent him kneeling on the ground.

Avery was so petrified that she held back her breath.

She did not know what was going on, and why Elliot was treating his own nephew with such violence.

"My dear nephew, you must be disappointed that I'm awake now," Elliot said as he held a cigarette between his fingers.

The bodyguard pulled out a lighter and lit it for him.

Avery was dumbfounded!

He had just woken up the night before, but he was already drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes the next morning. Did he think he was invincible?

Cole's knees were in intense pain. He began to sob and said, "Of course, I'm happy that you're awake… I always hoped that you would—"

"Are you contradicting me?" Elliot said as he raised his thick brows. His tone might seem nonchalant, but every single word was filled with murderous intent. "Aren't you going to admit to bribing my lawyer?"

He deliberately flicked the ash of his cigarette onto Cole's face. He then snapped coldly, "Leave! If you p*ss me off again, I'll feed you to the dogs!"

Cole was a panic-stricken mess as he stumbled out of the house.

Avery could not settle down after witnessing the scene.

She was scared.

She was terrified of Elliot.

Even a man as despicable as Cole looked like a buffoon next to him.

Avery did not dare get on Elliot's bad side, and she did not want to attract his attention either.

She clutched her bag and hurried out of the house.

She was going to the hospital for a checkup that day.

Her period had arrived late, and it was an unusually small amount of blood.

It was the first time this had happened to her.

Avery arrived at the hospital and explained the situation to the doctor who then arranged an ultrasound for her.

She received the results of her ultrasound about an hour later.

The scan showed no signs of bleeding in her womb.

It also showed that there was a gestational sac inside of her… She was pregnant!