Avery's Game Of Revenge
Chapter 30: One Year!

Chapter 30: One Year!

Big thanks to Daoistqtv1kW for the golden tickets and Fabiola Aloyo for the Powerstones! This author appreciates you much!

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"Let them stay over at the daycare for a few more days until Ava gets comfortable with them in the house,’’ Archibald spoke into the phone, as he stepped out of the elevator onto the foyer. He changed into casual slippers and proceeded to walk into the living room.

Tossing the phone onto the table at the center of the room, he continued to listen to the voice streaming out of the phone’s speaker,

"As you instructed, I diverted the private investigator Mr Walker hired and led him to believe Miss Avery is dead. If he fails to get extra information on this matter, then we have nothing to worry about."

From where she was sitting on the swing chair, Avery could perfectly hear and recognize the voice from Archie’s call to be Neil’s. Instead of spinning the chair around to face him, she stayed put, concealing herself so she could properly eavesdrop on him. This might be the only way she would hear about how he settled Brandon Walker.

On the other hand, Archie, completely oblivious of the presence of another person in the room, replied,

"I will leave that in your hands but as an extra measure, i’ll ask Luca to send one of his men after Brandon. We don’t know when he might show up near Ava again."

"Alright, Sir."

The phone beeped, signifying that he hung up on the call. With one hand massaging the ridge of his nose, he unbuttoned his shirt with the other. Ava chose that moment to turn and she was quick to spot the quick flicker of surprise in his eyes before it disappeared.

"You really didn’t sleep," he pointed out, sweeping his gaze over her as she rose to her feet. Wearing an off shoulder white blouse and denim trousers, he could tell she was finally wearing the clothes from the closet.

Avery nodded, "As I promised. But you came late still."

"I had things to take care of. Did you miss me?" By this time, he was done unbuttoning his shirt and was about to pull it off when she stopped him.

"What are you doing?! I am still here," she half yelled and half spoke.

Blinking in the most innocent way he could, Archie asked, "So? I am the one taking off my shirt and not you. Why are you getting flustered?"

"Ah... that’s—I just thought we had to be fully clothed for us to take the discussion we are about to have really serious."

Seeing the blush that slowly crept up Avery’s cheeks, he didn’t bother taking off his shirt, but still left it unbuttoned. "Serious discussion; why does that sound like something to be scared of?" he teased, taking large strides to eat up the distance between them.

When he stopped right before her, Avery’s eyes trailed down his chest to spot the tattooed cursive writing on the skin over where she believed his heart was supposed to be.

Three letters.

Ava.

As if like a wake up call, the word reminded her of the reason she wanted to speak with Archie that night, unfailingly, and she raised her head to meet his gaze.

"I want to start," she announced.

"Start what?"

"The reason I came back," Avery replied, "I can’t stay with you forever even if I have a borrowed name that protects me. So I gave myself a deadline."

"A deadline to do what?"

"I came back to take revenge. To make those people feel what I and my family felt on that day, make them become enemies of the public and fear for their lives even when they are in place which used to be safest to them. Make them completely untrusting of each other and be the knives at each other’s neck!" she seethed. "You said I needed therapy and I know Emma would want that for me too. I also know if I don’t forgive myself soon enough, I might break down. But I need the pain to keep me going and give me energy to bring them down without mercy."

"And the solution to that is giving yourself a deadline?"

"Yeah," Avery affirmed. "One year. That’s all I need. My success or failure after that time will determine how I live the rest of my life."

"If you succeed?" Archie asked.

"I live," Avery replied simply. "Without pain, and completely free. And I will get our shares back and give them to you. See? You didn’t marry a completely broke woman."

Her attempt at a light joke did little to nothing at easing the taut atmosphere. Instead, it only made the crease on Archie’s forehead deepen.

"If you fail?" he asked again.

"I give up," Avery replied. "It’s either the police take me with them, the citizens’ anger gets rekindled and they stone me to death, or you protect me and keep me as your slave. Though the last option is highly unlikely."

Noticing the seriousness in her tone when she said the last sentence, Archie knew something was wrong somewhere. Fail or not, the police couldn’t possibly get her as long as she was under his protection and her new identity. Except they had tangible evidence...

"What did you do, Ava?"

"Nothing," she replied immediately, as if she had been expecting the question.

His voice growing steely, Archie repeated, "Answer me, Ava. WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

Avery averted her gaze from his face and answered, "I borrowed Nancy’s phone and sent the police evidence."

"What?!"

She flinched, taking a step back.

"I can’t set a deadline for my goal without a consequence. The evidence was a video recording proving I am Avery McCallum and a few other files—"

"And they will wait until a year passes by before taking action?"

"I am not that stupid," Avery sighed. "Though I sent the mail today, it won’t deliver until this time next year. If I succeed, my name would be cleared and the police won’t have a need for the evidence. But if I fail, I can suffer for my foolishness."

"Fuck, Ava! This is the exact reason why I kept you away from all devices and even the TV! Would you only be satisfied when you are locked up in your room alone?"

"I am sorry," Avery muttered, even though her voice had not the least bit of sincerity in it.

"Again, sorry doesn’t repair shit!" He turned away from her and left angrily, but not before he heard Avery’s yell that followed him,

"One year! That’s all the time you have to own me!"