The Return Of the Invincible Heiress
Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Chapter 62

As dusk fell, Avery finished her favorite dish—foie gras with gingerbread toast. She quietly rubbed her belly under the table, feeling satisfied.

"I’m heading back to the labs now. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine."

Earlier that morning, Avery had told her family that she would be joining a scientific expedition to collect data in the mountains. She mentioned she would be gone for a week, and since the signal in the mountains was poor, they might not be able to reach her. She advised them to call her supervisor if there was an emergency.

"Make sure you take the pickles and carrot sticks I prepared for you, and don’t forget the medicines. There are a lot of mosquitoes in the mountains, and the weather changes quickly. Be careful and don’t get sick," Claire said with concern.

When she heard about Avery’s trip, she immediately rushed out to buy ingredients and spent hours making pickled vegetables for her.

"Alright," Avery said obediently as she stood up. "I’ll go pack my clothes now."

"I’ll help you pack," Maria said as she got up and followed Avery to her room.

As Maria folded the clothes, she kept sneaking glances at Avery, hesitant to speak. After the packing was done, Maria still hadn’t spoken. Avery had no choice but to ask, "Maria, do you have something on your mind? We’re sisters; you can tell me anything."

Maria rubbed her nose, saying awkwardly, "Avery, didn’t you say you wanted to see my jewelry designs? I’ve quit my job at the coffee shop, and I’m planning to apply for an internship at a design studio. I was hoping you could take a look at my work, but you’re leaving soon..."

"I’m not leaving until tomorrow morning. There’s still plenty of time." Avery smiled warmly. "Quick, show me your designs. I can’t wait to see them."

"Thank you so much!" Maria exclaimed as she dashed to the room across the hall and returned with a thick stack of design sketches, which she nervously placed in front of Avery.

"I didn’t study design formally. I taught myself in my spare time, so my skills aren’t great. Just be honest with me; no need to sugarcoat anything."

"Alright." Avery chuckled and sat down, picking up the drawings one by one, slowly reviewing them. The more she looked, the more surprised she became. From time to time, she set aside a particular piece.

Maria, standing behind her like a jittery student waiting for a test grade, tightly clutched the hem of her shirt, eagerly awaiting Avery’s critique of her work.

Ten minutes later, Avery looked up, meeting Maria’s gaze. "I think your designs are very original and have a unique style. I really like them, and I’m certain you’ve got what it takes for this field."

Maria froze, clearly caught off guard by such praise. Her expression was a mix of joy and disbelief as she blinked rapidly, too nervous to speak.

Avery could tell what Maria was thinking. Picking up one of the pieces she had set aside, she said, "Your designs are simple and may seem ordinary at first glance, but the attention to detail shows a lot of creativity and depth."

"Take this maple leaf necklace, for example. You’ve drawn spring maple leaves, capturing their precise form—it’s not summer, autumn, or winter leaves, but distinctly spring. While the idea of maple leaves isn’t novel, you’ve added a dewdrop to it, and it’s that drop of dew that brings the leaf to life. "

"And this cherry hairpin, which looks common at first, but then you’ve included a small worm on it—a real cherry worm, not just something randomly drawn. That little worm makes the cherry look vibrant. It’s no longer just an inanimate object."

After a thoughtful pause, Avery said seriously, "Your technical skills and professional knowledge still need improvement, but as long as you maintain this level of sincerity and observation, I’m sure you’ll create amazing designs."

"Really?" Maria’s eyes widened, shining with an unprecedented glow. "I’ve shown my designs to my classmates and coworkers. They all thought they were mediocre, and some even said they weren’t good enough to be called designs."

Avery raised an eyebrow. "Well, they don’t have good taste."

She then pulled out her phone and turned on the video recording feature. Holding up a few of the drawings, she said, "Take these to your interview. If they don’t hire you, it means they lack vision, and you can just apply somewhere else."

Maria carefully took the pieces selected by Avery as if they were treasures. "Alright, I’ll give it a shot."

Avery stood up and patted Maria’s shoulder. "You may not believe in yourself, but you should trust me. If you ever need an opinion on your designs, feel free to come to me." She grabbed the handle of her suitcase and smiled. "I have to go now."

Maria quickly said, "I’ll see you off."

Avery’s car was parked at the entrance of the villa. Her family was already waiting there, making the scene feel a bit grander than she expected.

Arthur spoke eagerly, "Avery, let me drive you to the lab."

Avery shook her head. "No need. The lab’s quite far away, and it’s rush hour now. It’d take too long to go back and forth. I’ll drive myself."

Arthur scratched his head in disappointment. "Alright then, just drive carefully and take it slow."

"Remember to send us a message before you head out tomorrow morning," Wesley reminded Avery, his eyes filled with gentle concern.

Josie hugged Avery, saying sweetly, "Avery, come back soon. Marshmallow and I will miss you!"

"Don’t worry about us. Just take care of yourself," Claire said warmly.

Avery nodded. "Alright. Take care, everyone. Don’t worry about me."

She got into the car, closed the door, and waved to them before driving off. Glancing in the rearview mirror, she saw her family still standing there, waving goodbye. At that moment, she felt a bittersweet pang, wondering why she had become so attached to her family after just over a week back home.

Half an hour later, Avery pulled up to a clearing, where a small private jet was waiting. Rufus and Harry were already there.

Rufus, dressed as a pilot, greeted her. "I’ve checked the plane. Everything’s good to go."

"Thank you." Avery nodded and turned to Harry. "Pick two Owl Eyes and have them delivered to my family tomorrow morning. Tell them those are housewarming gifts from the labs and make sure they know how to use them."

"No problem," Harry responded with a brisk nod.

Avery said no more and boarded the jet. Rufus followed and began taxiing the aircraft down the runway. Harry watched the plane take off, then got into Avery’s car and drove away. No one else had witnessed the entire