Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game

”I never said you couldn’t meet up.” Avery Jane blushed and snuggled deeper into the quilt, murmuring softly.

She wasn’t sure what she was thinking before, how she ended up marrying into a business family? It seemed like it was her own idea.

”Regretting marrying me?” Joshua Hughes’ deep eyes were like searchlights, easily seeing through her thoughts. Did he have a Mind Reading Technique? Avery Jane gazed at him, stunned.

”You think I can’t see just because you don’t say it?” Joshua’s hand reached into the quilt, placing it near her heart: ”I can see it.” He lifted a strand of her seaweed-like long hair behind her ear, kissed her cheek, and murmured uncertainly, ”Do you just not trust me, or am I so pathetic that I don’t even dare to be jealous and lose my temper? Am I that frightening to you?” He was unsure of his place in her heart, lacking any confidence.

The strong masculine scent leaned in and softly pressed against her lips.

”Don’t worry, Avery, I’ve only kissed you.” Holding her small face, he gently and dominantly pinched her chin: ”All these years, I’ve never kissed another woman. You are the only one...” Ever since Donna, he hadn’t kissed any other woman. However, he would never tell her about it; if she knew there was a past with Donna, explaining would be even more difficult.

What kind of time is it now, broad daylight, and she’s at work, sneaking home with the boss during the day?

:”No, I need to go to the office; I’m still on duty now.” Avery Jane struggled to get out, determined.: ”Besides, my head is dizzy, and I’m hungry; I’m going out for lunch.”

He washed up quickly, and as he walked out of the room, that little woman had already run away. Damn it, hadn’t he told her to wait? Joshua’s heart was always filled with an uneasy feeling; when would she fully trust him? When would she open up her heart without any reservations and share her true thoughts with him? Perhaps he would never see that day.

Avery Jane grabbed a random piece of bread; was she frightened by him? Could such an intense scene just end like this? His explanation seemed somewhat forced; only they knew what truly happened, and she merely witnessed that scene.

:”Avery Jane, what are you thinking about?” Emma White nudged Avery Jane, who arrived at the office a little late today, her mind elsewhere.

:”Nothing? Emma, can I ask you something?” Avery Jane looked at her colleague sitting next to her, who was quite experienced, but how could she bring herself to ask about such questions?

:”Go ahead.” Emma looked like a walking encyclopedia of relationship issues; with her rich experiences in love, she seemed fit to be the relationship advisor in this office.

:”How... how can one tell if a man is misbehaving outside?” Avery Jane asked hesitantly, embarrassed as she pretended to drink water, the cup hiding her reddened face.

”Are you sure you’re asking whether a man is misbehaving outside? Avery Jane, you must be mistaken; with your looks, would a man still wander off?”

Emma couldn’t believe such a question would come from a woman like Avery Jane. To be honest, Avery Jane was stunning to the point of being overwhelming.

Competition would have to be on the same level, and what other woman could compete with Avery Jane, whose beauty was almost smoldering? Looking across the vast Hughes Clan, filled with beauties, not one could rival her; hadn’t the office popularity soared these days? All sorts of breakfast and snacks.

:”I’m just curious, asking on behalf of a friend who seems to be troubled.” Avery Jane dared not look at Emma, wondering whether her question was odd; in fact, she was genuinely troubled.

:”Oh, whether a man is misbehaving outside is quite a deep study.” Emma expertly stomped her high heels on the floor; the chair glided over to Avery Jane, beginning to share her wealth of experience.

:”There’s also the case where both home flowers and wildflowers have their appeal. Enjoy the ones at home, then enjoy the ones outside, with each having its own flavor. Nowadays when young girls spot a well-off man, they’re drawn to him like bees to sugar, buzzing and hard to drive away. In such cases, it’s best to drain him dry, leaving not a drop.” Emma passed some cookies to Avery Jane as Mimi Diaz joined them.

”Yes, drain him completely, make him wobble when walking and see if he still has energy to mess around outside. Also, phone calls, texts, messages; best to install a tracker in his car, see which neighborhood he parks, more than three times, there’s a problem. Thoroughly check all clothes and all sorts of cards, transaction records are the best clues.” Talking about these matters, every woman turned into a top detective; soon the office began buzzing with discussions.

Avery Jane listened and nodded, but she didn’t seem capable of doing any of this; the thought of tracking made her headache.

:”I tell you, men are like this, have you heard of it? It’s rumored that the CEO hid a pretty woman whose belly is about to show, right at the Hughes Manor, said to be as grand as a castle; the board even knows about it. But President Hughes had a thing with former Secretary Diaz; once a cleaner at the top floor saw a live-action version, and later was silenced by Secretary Diaz.” Mimi Diaz spoke quietly, fearful of being overheard.

A sudden image of a magnificent manor flashed across Avery Jane’s mind, an eagle gliding through the sky; her hand instinctively touched her belly, was she the one with a big belly?

Why did she hurt her head? Did something happen? A bad feeling rose slowly from the bottom of her feet, a pregnant woman, perhaps it wasn’t her, perhaps there were other women? And he had more than one woman, even the secretary? What about that passionate foreign woman?

All her knowledge came from his narratives, but what if he deceived her? Avery Jane felt a chill in her heart, was she overthinking? Gossip within the office wasn’t to be trusted, but there’s no smoke without fire; some matters weren’t entirely baseless. How should she investigate? She didn’t want to live her life in such ambiguity; she wanted to know what kind of man she had married.

If the woman living in the Hughes Manor wasn’t her, yet she seemed to have stayed there, memories like broken links, reminding her then slipping away...