Avery's Game Of Revenge
Chapter 37: Eyes On His Wife.

Chapter 37: Eyes On His Wife.

"If that’s the only way, Jo, then I will be happy to continue."

A chain of emotions flickered through Jodi’s eyes as she stared up at Neil, cornered between him and the door. His words didn’t affect her. She was not a fool to still get affected by them even if a whole year had passed since that incident.

"You are selfish, Neil," she breathed, her eyes dimming in disappointment.

"I am?"

"You are," she repeated, her annoyance growing at his cocky tone. "But that’s not for me to worry about. When this whole arrangement between us ends, your future girlfriends might bother themselves with it."

A hint of disapproval etched his features, his expression turning solemn.

"We are dating while bearing marriage in mind, Jodi. It’s inappropriate to talk about other women, the same way it’d be inappropriate if you are currently thinking of abandoning this relationship for another man," Neil stated.

Jodi was about to reply when a memory suddenly struck her. She looked up at Neil, seeing the dangerous glint in his eyes and a smile curled on her face.

"Stay still, Neil."

"Why? What’s going on?"

"Just... fucking stay still!" she gritted her teeth, trying to refrain from yelling at him.

Neil obeyed, trying to keep his expression and body posture the exact see way as he was ordered to. He watched a satisfied smile curl on Jodi’s face as she stared up at him, and continued to watch as it slowly morphed into a terrified look.

"The character I auditioned for earlier today, she has a scene like this in the movie. There’s a guy, staring at her like she’s a prey and he’s a predator..."

"So you want us to act that scene out?" Neil questioned, almost shaking his head in disbelief. Having been subjected to things like this countless times in the past when Jodi prepared for auditions, he could pretty much guess what the matter was with the little she had said.

"Exactly," she replied, still wearing that terrified expression. He needed no one to tell him she had immersed herself completely in her character’s role.

"So what am I expected to do?" he asked.

"Just lean forward and tell me how much you missed me since the last time at the bar. And then kiss me," Jodi instructed.

Neil’s eyes sparkled with uncontainable excitement when he heard that. What else could he be waiting for?

"So I’m to say...I missed you, Jo—"

"Freya," Jodi interrupted. "The character’s name is Freya. If you say her name, you’ll find that it’s easier to get into your character."

"Of course," Neil agreed. He continued in his mind, ’Fuck Freya, I’m not an actor that needs to get into character.’

"So are you ready to start now? Get into character and action!"

★★★

Avery squinted her eyes at the large grandfather clock hanging on the wall beneath her, a tired sigh escaping her lips when she saw what the time was.

Still 8pm in the evening?!

Having waited for Archie to be done with whatever meeting he was holding downstairs in the living room for the past 4 hours, she was now beyond angry and almost losing her patience. Not to talk of how famished she was. She didn’t eat breakfast that morning and missed lunch also due to the incidence with Valentina and now she was about to miss supper.

’Can’t I just sneak downstairs, whip something up and eat in the kitchen?’ she wondered, her whole body agreeing with her thought.

Stepping back from the rail she had been leaning on, she looked down at the clothes she was wearing to check if it was appropriate, before starting on her journey down the steps. She paused when she got to the foot of the stairs, trying to see if her presence had really gone unnoticed, before resuming her quiet stalk.

No one had seen her...or so she thought.

"So the agency has a lot of D-list actresses and only one B-list who used to be Emma McCAllum, but is now getting replaced by Valentina McCAllum..." Archie trailed off, his eyes darkening at the sight of one particular woman scurrying into the kitchen. Was she thinking no one saw her? Then she must be wrong, because one glance at the faces of the people in the room with him, told him they had all seen his wife exposed thighs when she passed by now.

"Sir, we have to—"

"...Leave," Archie interrupted. He pushed the pile of papers in front of him towards Neil and nodded, "Take that home with you. We resume the meeting at work tomorrow."

Neil sprung into action and immediately began compiling the papers. He motioned at the other two people with him, Donald and Ian, who seemed more hesitant to leave when their meeting was yet to conclude.

"Judging by his countenance," he whispered. "We should be outta here within thirty seconds."

Ian obeyed, grumpily rising to his feet. He didn’t bother joining Neil to pack the papers but simply headed to the doorway, calling out a quick goodbye to the dogs, "See you when we see, Lake. Thorne, I hope you aren’t gone before I return!"

Neil stifled a chuckle at the former’s usual greeting for the dogs. As Thorne was almost 20 years old, Ian had the habit of saying it might not live until the next morning. When he was done packing the papers, Neil straightened and was about to join Ian at the door when he noticed Donald was still sitting.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he called, but was ignored by the latter who turned instead to Archie.

"Sir, I do not think we should postpone this meeting any longer. We have stalled for enough time already. It was supposed to be held earlier this week but you were busy with—"

"Shut up, fucker," Archie cut him off. "Telling me you want those greedy eyes on my wife one more time will be much more understandable than the bullshit you are spilling..."

"I’m on my way, Sir!"

"Arch, Donald surely regrets his stupidity."

"And three of us are leaving now, not a second more in here!"

The three men chorused simultaneously.