Time to say goodbye

Avery didn't let Connor take her back to the mansion. She had to inform him she would be dropping in her father's company.

"Time to say goodbye," Avery whispered, getting down from the car. She took the sunshade glass in her bag out. She wore the glasses and made her way into the building. Her long dress flowed freely behind her.

Avery held her head high as she stepped inside. All heads turned as they tried to see the beauty that just come in. But some of them couldn't decipher who it was because Avery suddenly transformed herself into an unknown celebrity.

"Don't you think she looks familiar?"

"Is she not Mr. Walter's second daughter?"

"No, it can't be her." The staff murmurs among themselves.

Avery took the elevator and didn't stop checking her wristwatch. She flipped her hair behind her back, and then the elevator stopped. 

Avery got out of the elevator, heading to her father's office. 

"Good morning, Miss Avery. Mr. Walter has a visitor right now, and wo—"

Avery waved her hands around the secretary's face with an unnerving smile plastered on her face. The secretary stopped talking, pressing her lips tighter against each other.

"I will just go in. Thanks," Avery said, smiling, and she walked into her father's office without knocking.

"Surprise!" Avery said aloud, grinning like a baby who just found her candy. Her white teeth were displayed outside as she tilted her head before relaxing back.

Walter was shocked to the bone to see Avery in his office at this hour of the day. He is in an important meeting right now.

He felt the urge to question his secretary. How could she let Avery barge in right now?

"Mr. Rodriguez, I'm so sorry. Please give me some time. It's my daughter," Walter explained to his guest apologetically with a faint smile on his lips.

"No, it's fine. Please take your time," the guest said while Avery smiled at her father like a loving and caring child. 

"Avery, I forgot I sent for you this morning," Walter said, trying his best to make up an excuse as he checked his wristwatch and walked towards Avery.

The meeting will end in the next twenty minutes.

Walter gritted his teeth when he saw the fake and pretentious smile on Avery's face. He pulled her hand towards him and dragged her out of his office, with Avery trailing behind him.

"What are you doing here, Avery?" Walter asked, his tone laced with anger.

Avery released her hand abruptly from her father's clutch. She kept rubbing her wrist, blowing air into it with her lips parted.

"Is that what you will tell your daughter you just saw after four days?" Avery said, attacking her father.

"Talk to me, Avery. Did he do anything to you?" Walter asked, his voice etched with worry, ignoring Avery words.

"Is that all you are going to say, Father? I can see your company is doing fine." Avery said looking around her.

"How much did he give you?" Avery asked. Her expression only held seriousness.

Walter furrowed his brows, hearing this. He clenched his fist in anger.

"Oh, let me rephrase it. How much did you borrow from him, father? for you to sell your daughter." 

Walter slammed his hands against the wall in rage. 

"Avery," he whispered slowly. His eyes were cold and emotionless. 

"You don't talk to your father that way. You are crossing the boundaries, Avery."

"I fed you and catered for you when your mother ran away. Don't push my last button," Walter said in a low voice, but his expression speaks otherwise. He was fuming in anger.

Avery wasn't unfazed, staring at her father with the same intensity. Maybe it was because they already pushed her last button or something like that. Maybe that was why she suddenly became confident.

Avery remembered when she would have to cower lowly under her bed while her father came home drunk. He wouldn't stop searching every nook and cranny in search for her. But now, she wasn't the same scared child.

Avery laughed, a menacing laugh that made Walter's mouth fall in shock. 

"You don't need to act so worked up, father." Avery objected, pausing. "I know you never loved or cared about me. All thanks to Jessica for being the favorite child."

"Enough Avery. If he didn't do anything, then you should leave my building," Walter growled. His words pierced through Avery's flesh like a blade, but she didn't feel much pain like in the past.

Still, Avery could taste bile in her mouth. Her throat felt parched.

"I came to give you this, just in case you didn't get it," Avery answered. She took out the card and thrust it into her father's hand calmly. She has saved this card for her father.

"I will find my way out of the hellhole you pushed me into, Mr. Walter," Avery announced, her voice audible enough for her father to hear.

The formality which Walter didn't fail to notice.

"What did you just call me, Avery?" Walter snapped, his eyes bloodshot.

Avery didn't wait to listen to her father's next words as she turned her back towards him. She walked elegantly away from him.

"Come back here, Avery!" Walter thundered in rage. His hands were shaking with so much pressure.

"I blamed your mother, Avery! I blamed her."

Avery smirked as she walked ahead. A tear dropped from the corner of her eyes, which she wiped away with the back of her hand. All thanks to the glasses she wore. 

However, the anger she had been trying hard to maintain and curbed suddenly threatened to surface when Avery saw the two people walking her way. 

Avery didn't bother to get into the elevator when she saw him walking forward with the corner of his lips curled up to form a smirk.

"Avery," Jessica called, her voice at the peak as she walked towards Avery with Logan trailing behind her.

Avery returned the smile faintly while Jessica stood in front of her, her eyes scrutinizing Avery. Jessica stared at Avery from head to toe, and she noticed Avery had somehow changed her style of dressing. 

"She even appeared to be more beautiful today," Jessica thought, turning to hold Logan's arms while Avery just looked at them.

"Logan, I forgot to tell you. Avery will be getting married soon," Jessica announced with a pretentious smile on her face, which Avery didn't fail to notice.

Logan was shocked to hear this, but he didn't show it. His eyes gaze around Avery's body in lust, but he has a more pressing matter to deal with.

"Oh, you mean Avery?"

"Yes, isn't it beautiful?" Jessica asked, smiling warmly at Logan with their gaze locked.

"It is. Congratulations Avery." Logan said, his eyes not leaving Avery.

"Thank you; I will be going now," Avery said she was not ready to waste more time.

"Wait. We also came here to meet Father. Let's go together." Jessica protested.

"No. I already see him, so I will be going now." Avery replied with a faint smile.

"Okay. But won't we be meeting him? I mean your fiance," Jessica asked with her pretense. 

"You should ask Father," Avery replied, walking into the elevator.

Jessica waved her hand at Avery until the elevator door closed.

Avery got down on the first floor and made her way towards the entrance of the door, even though it was still far away.

She didn't bother to look back as she continued to walk out, but someone pulled her hand. Dragging her towards a corner that leads to a lobby.

Avwey, out of reflex, tried to scream, but the figure was stronger than her. The moment the hands around Avery's mouth were lowered down, she kicked the figure with the heel of her shoes, and the intruder let out a muffled scream from behind.

She turned around to look at the person who had dared touch her in that manner, but Avery was disappointed when her eyes met his.

Her brows furrowed as she clenched her fist in pain.