The CEO Gets What He Wants

Avery and Alina went upstairs to continue their chat while Cayden accepted an international call to discuss the partnership.

As he was talking on the phone, Cayden noticed the awkward interaction between Avery and Aline. However, he couldn't hear anything they said because he was far away.

Soon, Cayden hung up the call only to see Avery and Alina disappearing into the yard together.

Xavier walked over then. Without daring to conceal the truth, he reported, “She said she is Ms. Avery's aunt.”

With that, Cayden retracted his gaze from where the duo disappeared before instructing Xavier, “Look into her aunt's background.”

Xavier nodded in response.

Cayden's stern eyes landed on an ordinary-looking, opened aluminum alloy window on the second floor. Even though there were no emotions on his face, his possessiveness began to emerge internally.

On the other hand, in the bedroom on the second floor, Avery was feeling awkward being around Alina while, at the same time, her heart was racing because the room was filled with Cayden's scent. It was as if she had done something bad, and she didn't want anyone to find out about it.

Alina scanned the room before asking curiously, “The man who went downstairs with you was your...”

Avery panicked the moment Alina asked her question. She interrupted the latter's sentence and explained, “He is my boss.”

As Avery was young and inexperienced, she couldn't stay composed and relaxed in front of certain issues. To Alina, Avery was a blank slate and she was innocent. At the very least, she didn't have what it took to hide her secrets.

As Alina's thought landed on that, another idea came into her mind. Hmm... Maybe our relationship is naturally close because we are related by blood. That's why Avery didn't try to hide anything from me. I like the way Avery is around me.

Alina sat down and she told Avery to take her seat too.

Avery sat down cautiously, using her finger to caress the bedsheet beneath her. She was afraid that the bedsheet was creased and that the signs of her being intimate with Cayden were left behind. After quite some time, she finally remembered that she had already changed the bedsheet. The bedsheet that she and Alina were sitting on now was fresh and clean.

The cooling wind of the early fall blew in through the opened window, bringing freshness to the air in the confined room.

Alina jumped straight to the question that she cared about the most. “Are you staying with your grandpa and your dad now?”

Avery nodded. Truth be told, she held a slight grudge toward Alina.

“My dad is still in Ackleton. I brought Grandpa to stay with us. I couldn't bear to see him having sleepless nights and a poor appetite, living alone in the old house in the small town. Every granddaughter would feel the same when they see their grandpa bending their body to start a fire for a meal,” said Avery.

“I'm sorry. It's all my fault,” Alina apologized, admitting her mistake. She looked at Avery before continuing, “I had just divorced my husband during that period. I wasn't feeling great. I had a serious case of depression, and I tried to end my life multiple times but did not succeed. In a fury, I sent your grandpa home without thinking about how he would live out the rest of his life. I'm sorry.”

Avery looked at Alina. Even though she wanted to complain further, the moment Alina said she had severe depression after her divorce, Avery paused. I know a little about depression from watching the news. I know how much torture depression could inflict on a person.

Just like that, the beguilement Avery felt vanished.

Alina spoke slowly. “I'm all sincere to come and see you.” Then, she took off the watch on her wrist.

Avery had no idea what Alina was trying to do. But then, she was shocked when she spotted the multiple scars on Alina's wrist. The scars were horrifying as one intertwined with another, many repeating the same pattern.

Good god!

Alina mocked, “All these were left behind when I hurt myself multiple times. Your grandpa witnessed all the bloody scenes and the rescue. Now that I've recovered from my depression, I wondered why I wanted to hurt myself so much during that time. Not only does it look awful on my wrist, but the process of ending my life will also be slow and painful too.”

Avery lifted her head as she listened to Alina tell her story in a calm voice and with a gentle smile.

Terrified, Avery's body went cold in an instant. She wondered inwardly. How painful is it to suffer from depression? How much it tortures someone? I didn't even suffer from depression when Dad was diagnosed with liver cancer all those years ago. What exactly has Aunt Alina been through?

Alina put the watch back onto her wrist. Her fingers caressed the band as she said without lifting her head. “I'm here to entrust something to you. I don't have any young relative other than you in the Rumpley family.”

Avery asked instinctively, “What is it?”

After all, Alina was her elder. If what she wanted to entrust to Avery wasn't evil, Avery could agree to anything.