Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game

Joshua Hughes was actually a bit speechless when faced with her words: ”Avery, of course, I just worry about your safety.”

”The only reason I’m unsafe is because of our relationship, but since we both chose a secret marriage from the start, and no one knows, then there’s nothing to worry about. Joshua, you can’t keep restricting my freedom.” Avery Jane said each word deliberately into the phone. Until everything is clear, she must remain extremely alert and clear-headed. This man, like a potion, could make one unconsciously lose oneself if he got too close.

She didn’t want that. If it was merely a kind deception, she would surely forgive him. But his deception included making a fake marriage certificate and deceiving her into nights of intimacy, hiding many things from her. Even though she didn’t know everything now, she had a premonition they were definitely terrifying. She was conflicted now, wanting to know the truth, yet fearing once it is unveiled, she wouldn’t be able to bear it.

:”Avery, stop making a fuss, won’t you?” From relaxing control over her to not being allowed to limit her freedom, she was advancing step by step, while he couldn’t resist slowly falling. He seemed to hear a vague sigh drifting through the airwaves after he spoke, then she hung up the phone.

For the first time, she impatiently ended the call without resolving their conversation, as a small partition of her heart slowly tore open, bit by bit, bleeding profusely.

He must know what happened during the hours she was missing in Sydney.

In the corner café, under dim lighting, with the aroma of coffee wafting around, a melancholy blues was slowly, slowly drifting into every corner. Beckett Wright smiled at the woman who pushed open the door and entered.

Angela Scott gazed at the man sitting in the corner, gentlemanly and gentle. It was early spring already, and his smile was softer than the spring breeze.

”Miss Scott, isn’t it a bit abrupt to meet you this way?” Beckett said with a smile, ”What would you like to drink?”

”Just call me Angela, please. We’ve met so many times and worked together often enough, calling me Miss Scott seems a bit distant.” Angela Scott sat down, her heart inevitably stirred with a trace of excitement.

”Actually, the person who truly wished to see you today isn’t me. I’m only here to bring you out for her.” Under the lamp, Beckett’s eyes were as gentle as a pool of spring water, warm, comforting, soothing.

Angela Scott’s heart sank. It wasn’t him who wanted to meet her, but someone else? Who could it be, a business matter?

She quickly masked the discomfort in her heart, putting on a smiling face and said: ”Who can make such a big effort from our great designer? It must be a beauty.”

”She is indeed beautiful.” Beckett agreed with this, thinking Avery Jane was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, becoming more charming by the day.

It was just a joke, but Beckett’s response was unexpected. Angela still wore a smile, but her heart turned somber, filtering all possible candidates. The one he finds beautiful, suddenly a name struck her like lightning, a name she had not thought of for a long time, intentionally avoiding. Could it be her?

Suddenly feeling cold for no reason, she took a sip of the fragrant coffee, wanting to wake herself up, almost getting burned by the scalding liquid. If it was her, then she must tread carefully with her words tonight, not because she herself was important, but the man behind her was almost omnipotent. But what could Avery Jane possibly want from her now?

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Alexander King’s car sped along because Joshua Hughes wanted him to arrive within twenty minutes. What urgent matter could it be?

Joshua Hughes’ slender fingers clutched a cigarette, taking a hard drag. Lately, his smoking habit had increased significantly, with a cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. If it was truly Nora Thompson causing some trouble, then he wouldn’t be blamed for being rude. Today, he just wanted to let Alexander know first, as she was the woman he liked. But it didn’t mean he had to bear the consequences of any trouble she stirred just because he didn’t want his brother worried. The most fatal part was he still didn’t know to what extent she had spoken.

Recalling her voice on the phone today, resisting his care and approach, his mind felt like it was exploding, buzzing. She kept rejecting, yet he couldn’t do anything. He never expected to push himself to this dead-end one day. A pale face broke into a bleak smile, eyes red as blood, struggling to suppress the immense pain in his chest, and the coldness that slowly approached....

If it weren’t for Alexander, he wouldn’t care what Nora Thompson was up to. Anyone who dared to cause trouble would be destroyed.

The sky outside began to slowly darken. The highest point is indeed the loneliest and coldest place. Now, he stood at the city’s highest point, coldness and loneliness scattered in every corner of the office. Not long ago, she would quietly wait for him to handle business affairs. At that time it seemed like it was still winter, temperatures much lower than now, yet he didn’t feel cold at all. Because she was always by his side, good times always seem to pass particularly quickly, so quick that one seemed not to have time to grasp them well, but they had already streaked across the sky like shooting stars.....

Avery Jane, I ultimately can’t reach your heart, is it because I haven’t done well enough? Or is your heart too hard? Or perhaps neither, maybe it’s just my retribution? The consequence of playing with people and seizing things by force? He lifted eyes tinged with cold blood, fists clenched tightly.

Alexander King arrived in Joshua Hughes’ office, feeling an ominous twitch of his eyelid as he pushed the door open.

The office lights hadn’t been switched on. The neon lights from outside filtered in, and the man standing before the floor-to-ceiling window seemed to emerge from the night mist, shrouded in mystery. Dim lighting cast his silhouette, even in the gloom, emanating the depths of emotions that surged within Joshua Hughes’ eyes like the sea.

He stood there, silently and sorrowfully.

Paradoxically, within such quietude, anger and ferocity could faintly be detected. As approaching footsteps drew closer, that intensity grew stronger. What on earth had happened?

”Joshua, what’s the urgency needing me over here?” Alexander spoke seriously. They used to joke around a lot when together, but today he didn’t dare to make such jokes. Joshua Hughes today was not someone to jest with, nor was he in a mood for jests.

The office was saturated with tension, and amidst the dimness, Joshua moved to his desk, his long fingers pressing a remote. The lights turned on, a cold intensity now stirred through the room, turning the originally mild spring night into something severe.....

”Alex, we’ve known each other for many years, right?” Joshua sat on the sofa, his voice deep, giving nothing away. Yet, the problem lay in the nature of his inquiry—nothing good ever followed such a query. A chill of apprehension prickled along Alexander’s spine.

”It’s been more than ten years.” Alexander took the cigarette Joshua tossed him, setting it between his lips, lighting it smoothly in one fluid motion.

”I don’t have many brothers in this life; one already died for me, which makes the ones remaining all the more cherished.” Joshua gazed at Alexander, wondering why it had to be Nora Thompson, an interfering woman, and coincidentally Alexander’s wife. By the unwritten rules, given his relationship with Alexander, Nora should call him brother-in-law, yet she did something unforgivable. Some things can’t be hidden forever; he knew Avery Jane would remember eventually. But remembering on her own was different from someone intentionally telling her.

”Joshua, what exactly has happened?” Joshua’s words unnerved him further, something significant must have occurred, directly concerning him.

”If I act against Nora, would you turn against me?” Joshua searched Alexander’s eyes; what was first tension morphed into shock.

”Act against Nora?” Alexander parroted, momentarily dumbfounded.

”To be precise, I’m going to declare war on the Thompson Clan.” Joshua took a heavy drag on his cigarette, the smoke spiraling around him, seeming both surreal and elusive.

:”Why?” Alexander could comprehend expanding the Hughes Clan’s territory didn’t require touching Nora, especially given his connection. Others thought Joshua was ruthless, but he knew otherwise. So what could it be? No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t grasp it.

”That’s why I called you today, not wanting to put you in a tough spot. Alex, if you want to preserve your father-in-law’s assets, then have your wife come see me.” Joshua spoke coldly, recalling Nora, his urge to end her was immense, but for the sake of the person seated opposite him, he restrained himself from extreme measures.

”Joshua, what has happened exactly?” Alexander’s forehead was beaded with cold sweat, wondering if he could mediate this time.

”She met Avery Jane in Sydney, and I need to know exactly what she told her.” As Joshua spoke, the ruthlessness in his eyes intensified, his eyes bloodshot, wishing fervently that woman hadn’t divulged too much. Otherwise, no one could save her, irrespective of who she was.....