"Are you angry?" Andrew asks, smiling rakishly and gazing deep into her eyes.
Avery wants to give him another slap, but he calmly grabs her hand midair. He gently places it on his face and uses it to caress his cheek.
"Your hand will get hurt if you slap my face, and that will hurt my heart," he says.
"You don't deserve that heart," Avery says. "Your heart attack was divine retribution. Your old heart couldn't survive in such a disgusting man's body. It must have given up." She shoves his hand away and walks out of the store. She can hear Andrew rushing behind her.
"Early-onset heart disease obviously wasn't enough, so God sent you to punish ," he jokes.
"If I really wanted to punish you, you'd be dead," Avery says without looking over her shoulder.
"Do you have to ntion death all the ti?" Andrew asks, easily catching up with her. "I'm just joking with you. You shouldn't take everything so seriously."
"Everything's a joke with you, isn't it?" Avery says. "But I'm not laughing. In case you hadn't noticed, your stupid gas do not amuse . Everything you do makes sick to my stomach. That entire contest was disgusting, immature, and unfair."
"Unfair?" Andrew asks. "What do you an?"
"Your heart transplant made you impotent," Avery replies. "Everyone knows you can't get it up. If it wasn't for that, why would you gamble on such a stupid contest?"
Andrew laughs low and threatening. "Never doubt my sexual power," he warns. "If you doubt again, I might be tempted to prove it to youpregnancy or not." He looks at her belly with evil intention.
She crosses her arms protectively over her stomach, and glares at him. "I don't believe you," she says. "Why don't we go back to the store? I'll model the lingerie, and we'll see if you can manage to get it up."
"Do you really want to?" Andrew asks. His pupils are dilated with desire, and he looks ready to fuck her in the nearest fitting room.
"No, but you're so attractive that many other won want to serve you," Avery says, quickly backtracking. "It shouldn't be hard to find soone else who can please you."
Andrew raises his eyebrows, and Avery worries she's been careless. If he sees through her plan, all will be lost. They walk together intense silence. Most of the shoppers have evacuated the mall after the gunshot, but she can't shake the feeling that soone is watching her. She whirls around and looks behind her, but she doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. Beyond the wall of bodyguards, there are only a few passers-by.
"What are you looking for?" Andrew asks curiously.
"It has nothing to do with you," she says.
The servants move silently through the Misty Mansion. Occasionally, chirping birds break the oppressive silence. A caged parrot sees Andrew and clicks its beak. "Master, master," the parrot squawks. Andrew ignores it. "Asshole, asshole," the parrot squawks.
Andrew casts a fierce look at the bird. "I told you to keep it in the backyard," he shouts.
A servant snatches the parrot's cage and runs out of the room.
Avery laughs sarcastically, "The only one here who dares to tell the truth here is a parrot."
"You'll see how I punish it," Andrew threatens.
"Punish it? For what?" Avery asks. "The poor bird was just telling the truth."
Andrew licks his lips, "I love your sharp tongue."
Avery glares at him and leaves the room, slamming the door behind her. She stops a maid in the hallway. "Where are Ruby and the other girls?" she asks.
"They're playing cards upstairs," the maid replies.
"I need you to help carry so items to them," Avery says.
She gestures for the maid to follow her and leads her to a pile of shopping bags made of various creamy papers and silks. Lingerie, costics, shoes, and clothing peek seductively from beneath the layers of tissue paper. As the maid carts the bags up to the won, Avery sits on the living room sofa. She toys with her cell phone, hoping it will sohow transmit her location to Evan, but she still doesn't have any signal. She stands up and walks around the room, waving her phone in a mad attempt to get a signal.
Suddenly, the maid sprints into the room. The bags she's carrying bounce wildly in her hands. "Miss Peters, Miss Miller said they don't want the things you bought for them, and she asked to throw them away," the maid says.
Avery is surprised that their attitudes have changed so quickly. Won are indeed fickle, she thinks. The sound of won's voices cos from the hall, interrupting her thoughts.
"Avery is so scheming," Ruby says. "She was married to Mr. Howel, but she's pregnant with Mr. Clifford's baby. She's not a simple woman, and we can't trust her."
"Is she really, Mrs. Howel?" another voice asks.
"Where have you been all this ti? Of course, she is," Ruby says. "And we can't trust her for a second. What kind of woman can conquer the two richest n in the country?"
"You have a point," says another. "Why would she be so good to us? It's all fake. She must be planning sothing."
"She secretly sched against before, and I lost my job," says Michelle Cindy. "She's such a bitch. She probably just wants us to annoy Mr. Clifford so he'll throw us to his bodyguards. You all know what happened to at the party."
Avery is surprised to hear Michelle Cindy's voice, but she doesn't have ti to deal with the woman. She looks down at the phone in her hand and frowns. "Isn't there any cell service?" Avery asks the maid.
The maid is eavesdropping on the gossiping won, and she jumps with surprise when Avery speaks. "No," the maid says with a curt shake of her head.
No reception? Avery thinks. That's impossible. How on Earth could Andrew text before?
The maid tries to place the many bags on the table, but Avery stops her. "These are all for you," Avery says, "If they're not your size, you can give them to soone else."
The maid stares at Avery in confusion, but then a faint glee begins to fill her eyes. "Are you really giving these beautiful things to ?" the maid asks.
"Sure," Avery says, "The other won didn't want them, and it seems a waste to throw them out. Soone should get the chance to enjoy them."
The maid looks at the luxury goods, and she hesitates.
"If you don't want them, I'll have to throw them away," Avery says.
"I want them," the maid says quickly. and try again?"
"Do you really want to?" Andrew asks.
His eyes are glowing, and his desire is very obvious.
"No, but you're so attractive that many other won want to serve you," Avery says, laying the groundwork for her plan, "It shouldn't be hard to find soone who can please you."
Andrew raises his eyebrows. He suspects Avery's playing so sort of ga, but he's not sure about her motives. Either way, he enjoys playing gas with her. Avery worries that he'll see through her plan, so she stops talking. They walk together intense silence.
Suddenly, she turns around and looks behind her. Ever since she arrived at Andrew's mansion, she's felt as if a pair of eyes have been staring at her everywhere she goes. She doesn't know if it's an illusion or if soone is really following her. She looks around, but she doesn't see anything out of the ordinary. Beyond the wall of bodyguards, there are only a few passers-by.
"What are you looking for?" Andrew asks curiously.
"It has nothing to do with you," says.
The servants move silently through the Misty Mansion. Occasionally, chirping birds break the oppressive silence. A caged parrot sees and Andrew and clicks its beak.
"Master, master," the parrot squawks.
Andrew ignores it.
"Asshole, asshole," the parrot squawks.
Andrew casts a fierce look at the bird.
"I told you to keep it in the backyard," he shouts.
A servant snatches the parrot's cage and runs out of the room. Avery laughs sarcastically.
"The only one here who dares to tell the truth here is a parrot," she remarks.
"You'll see how I punish it," Andrew threatens.
"Punish it? For what?" Avery replies, "The parrot was just telling the truth."
"I love your sharp tongue," Andrew flirts.
Avery glares at him and leaves the room. She stops a maid in the hallway.
"Where are Ruby and the other girls?" she asks.
"They're playing cards upstairs," the maid replies.
"I need you to help carry so items to them," Avery says.
She gestures for the maid to follow her and leads her to the shopping bags filled with lingerie, clothing, costics, and jewels.
While Andrew takes a long bath, Avery sits on the living room sofa. She toys with her cell phone, hoping it will sohow transmit her location to Evan, but she still doesn't have any signal. She stands up and walks around the room, hoping to find a signal.
Suddenly, the maid runs bursts into the room, carrying dozens of bags in her hands.
"Miss Peters, Miss Miller said they don't want the things you bought for them and asked to throw them away," the maid announces.
Avery is surprised that their attitudes have changed so quickly.
"Won are indeed fickle," Avery thinks.
The sound of won's voices cos from the hall.
"Avery is so scheming," Ruby says, "She was married to Mr. Howel, but she's pregnant with Mr. Clifford's baby. She's not a simple woman, and we can't trust her."
"Is she really, Mrs. Howel?" asks one of the won.
"Yes, and we can't trust her to help us," Rub says, "What kind of woman is actually generous enough to give up her man?"
"You have a point," says another, "Why would she be so good to us? It's all fake. She must be planning sothing."
"She secretly sched against before, and I lost my job," says Michelle Cindy, "She's such a bitch. She probably just wants us to annoy Mr. Clifford so he'll throw us to his bodyguards. You all know what happened to at the party."
Avery is surprised to hear Michelle Cindy's voice, but she doesn't have ti to deal with the won. She looks down at the phone in her hand and frowns.
"Isn't there any cell service?" Avery asks the maid.
The maid is eavesdropping on the gossiping won, and she jumps with surprise when Avery speaks.
"No," the maid says with a curt shake of her head.
"No reception?" Avery thinks, "How on Earth could Andrew text before?"
The maid tries to place the many bags on the shopping table, but Avery stops her.
"These are all for you," Avery says, "If they're not your size, you can give them to soone else."
The maid is staring at Avery in confusion, but then a faint glee begins to fill her eyes.
"Are you really giving these beautiful things to ?" the maid asks.
"Sure," Avery says, "The other won didn't want them, and it seems a waste to throw them out. Soone should get the chance to enjoy them."
The maid looks at these luxury goods, and she hesitates. She wonders if she should really accept them.
"If you don't want them, I'll have to throw them away," Avery says.
"I want them," the maid says quickly.
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