Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game

”Joshua, you’re so strange. I’m not tired at all, and going out to eat with friends should be more enjoyable, right?” Avery Jane looked up at Joshua Hughes, finding his actions somewhat incomprehensible.

Charlotte Miller was also puzzled as to why Joshua was so afraid of Avery dining with her; it’s not like she was a tiger who would eat Avery.

The two had become friends when they were children, and this kind of reunion felt even more precious, like it was crossing long-separated time and space.

”President Hughes wouldn’t make us unable to eat, would he? Or should we eat something cheaper?” Charlotte joked with a smile, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.

”Miss Miller really knows how to joke.” Joshua signaled to the two bodyguards to follow properly and then turned back to Avery, his voice sweetly gentle to the point of indulgence, ”Avery, I’ve reserved a spot for you, and I’ll pick you up after you’re done eating.”

Atlas Hallow thought he himself kept a close eye on people, but didn’t expect someone even more neurotic to arrive.

Charlotte’s eyes sparkled with amusement as she stood beside Atlas, her small hand stealthily slipped inside his suit, pinching a firm, sexy bit of muscle on his waist with pride, ”You’ll look good tonight.”

Ah, why is this man so tough, flesh and all? Her fingertips were nearly red from the pinch.

”Alright, a bet’s a bet.” Atlas’s lips curled slightly as he spoke softly.

Suddenly, Atlas recalled the expression on Tiger George’s face when he first saw Avery in the casino; he had mentioned how Avery resembled Catherine Wood greatly, and her skills in gambling were uncannily like the prodigious Luke Harringtons from years ago. This made it easily deducible that Avery was likely the child Catherine was pregnant with over twenty years ago.

It’s actually a good thing, because it means Joshua is on the same side as him.

But they weren’t really enemies to begin with, as Joshua didn’t mind him knowing the questions he wanted to ask, just like he didn’t mind Joshua knowing about the Hallow Clan’s matters.

This feeling was innate, just as he knew from the start that Amir wouldn’t mess around with him, just like he trusted Flower Snake with his life. Even without deep relations from back in the day, Joshua clearly wasn’t someone without principles.

People like them may have once lingered on the fringes of the grey zone, having bloody hands from brutal slaughter, yet they wouldn’t forsake their principles for profit, nor stray away from the most basic bottom line.

But when it came to women, it seemed Joshua might have less of a bottom line than him.

He must have done something guilty to keep such a tight watch over Avery, just like at the beginning, he had questionable motives for marrying Charlotte, which is why he kept such a tight leash on her.

Now he no longer needed to watch over Charlotte because the knot in their hearts had already been untangled, just waiting for a good opportunity to be together. Even though Joshua now seemed like Avery’s husband, there seemed to be unspoken emotions between them.

Like walking a tightrope tied between the ends of a cliff, perilous and dangerous.

”Since Mrs. Hughes is treating Charlotte to a meal, would President Hughes be interested in having a drink together?” Atlas watched Charlotte get into Joshua’s car with Avery to go have dinner, then turned and extended an invitation to Joshua.

”Sure.” Joshua replied decisively, as the two tall men strolled through the ancient streets of Las Vegas, forming an indescribable, nearly suffocatingly beautiful sight for women.

When together, they tended to create a dilemma of difficult choices: wanting to choose both, unable to give up either.

Joshua made a reservation at a reportedly very authentic French restaurant, Robuchon au Dôme, ranked 37th in Asia with three Michelin stars.

Charlotte discovered that Joshua was very attentive to Avery, yet also extremely domineering, even arranging all the food for them in advance.

”Avery, how did you meet him?” All girls are typically interested in such matters, and Charlotte was no exception.

”Joshua said it was at his company.” She couldn’t remember a lot of things, so whatever Joshua said, so be it.

French cuisine is served very slowly, so they chatted while eating, although they only knew each other from childhood, the conversation was delightful.

After waiting a short while, the waiter began serving their dinner.

For appetizers, there was endive and Emperor crab salad with buffalo mozzarella and black truffle, smoked foie gras with sweetcorn jelly and beef Uk lox, which was their signature dish. Charlotte enjoyed a bite of her beloved foie gras, which was so delicately textured that it burst with flavor, accompanied by pan-seared French scallops with tomato and Korean moss, thinly-sliced Maine lobster with risotto in seaweed butter and seafood gel, and even mini burgers made with Japanese Wagyu and pan-seared foie gras, showcasing a bit of standard especially the dessert, compelling them to disregard any thoughts of weight concerns.

”Joshua is really considerate of you...” Charlotte felt happy for her friend to have found a fortunate place to return, considering how much hardship Avery had endured during her childhood.

She vividly recalled that Avery’s father often drank, and although he never hit anyone, he never really paid much attention to Avery or looked after her.

Avery had indeed endured a tough childhood, but who would have thought she’d become the wife of the wealthy Joshua Hughes?

-------------------------------------------

The two men certainly weren’t eating French cuisine.

They both had a slight preference for raw food.

The entire restaurant was empty, and while Atlas and Joshua barely crossed paths, they somewhat knew each other; Joshua disliked eating with others around, so he had Jesse rent out the restaurant before arriving.

The table was laid with a plain white tablecloth, devoid of a single pattern, with the silver utensils sparkling brightly. A massive silver platter occupied the center of the table, layered with ice, topped with a mound-like arrangement of the finest flat oysters.

These flat oysters, also known as Belon oysters, are cultivated at the Belon Estuary in the Brittany Peninsula. The estuary’s area is narrow and shallow, with high water temperatures, resulting in very low survival rates, making them exceedingly precious. However, these weren’t the best; Atlas preferred another variety, but here, this was the finest available. Of course, there weren’t just oysters; there was also bluefin tuna belly, with pinkish TORO spots scattered like snowflakes, and grey caviar in crystal dishes. White wine had already been opened, exuding an enchanting aroma.

This was a bottle of 1881 Sauternes sweet white wine, known as the ”Comet’s Year,” where the exceptional quality of the wine was attributed to the arrival of a comet. This bottle, of standard 750 mL size, would pour roughly six glasses, with each sip of about 5 mL equivalent to drinking over an ounce of gold.

When it comes to wine tasting, Joshua was undoubtedly an expert. Atlas laughed, ”Came on a whim, wasn’t expecting to meet Mr. Hughes, so the preparations were a bit rushed.”

”Such wine is indeed irreplaceable.” Joshua raised his glass, taking a small sip, letting the rich floral aroma flow through his mouth, swirling down his throat, merging into his bloodstream.

It was indeed impeccable, they drank while watching the moonlight bathe the strange world outside.

This small city was both the oldest and the most bustling, with the scent of money perpetually swirling within its humid air.

”Mr. Hughes, are you here in Las Vegas to avenge your wife’s family?” Atlas’s voice emerged in the cold, eerie air, prompting Joshua to look up at him. What was he implying?

Avenge Avery’s family?

”Mrs. Hughes looks exactly like Catherine Wood, and she managed to outplay us her first time at the casino; doesn’t that suggest something?” Atlas observed the shock in Joshua’s eyes, questioning if he truly didn’t know his wife’s identity?

He only came here to search for Catherine’s whereabouts, the child born back then, but how could it be Avery?

It seemed impossible; his entire heart felt suddenly frozen, his complexion beginning to pale.

”Aren’t you here seeking revenge for your wife?” Atlas watched Joshua’s stunned expression, as if he truly had no clue.

However, thinking back, when Master Tiger mentioned how much Avery resembled Catherine Wood, Joshua didn’t hear it at the time as he was talking with Avery, and Master Tiger seemed startled by his own words, hastily leaving right after.

”No, I’m here to find Catherine Wood’s descendant. Her descendant is to inherit ten percent of the Hughes Family’s assets, as stipulated in my grandfather’s will.” Joshua’s emotions surged as if about to engulf the entire world. Could Avery really be that child?