4

“Maxim!”

A hard blow struck Maxim's face, knocking him off his feet and crashing him onto the cold, hard granite floor. Blood dripped from the side of his torn, bleeding lip.

Leonard carefully examined Avery's arm. “Are you okay?” 

Avery shook her head slowly, “Just a little sore from your son's grip. I guess he doesn't like me.” Avery's lips curved downward, her eyes sad.

Leonard stared at his son, who was now getting up from his position, with a sharp gaze. “Mind your manners with my wife.”

Maxim spat contemptuously to the side, “Father, are you bringing back the trash I threw away?” he asked.

Those words made Leonard no longer throw a punch at his face, but a hard kick to his son's stomach, which again made Maxim fall to the floor with pain in his stomach exceeding that in his face. “You threw away a diamond, Maxim.”

Maxim chuckled with a condescending look at Avery as if assessing a worthless object, “She betrayed your son with another man, have you forgotten?”

“So?” Leonard's tone was as flat as his expression when facing Maxim.

Maxim stepped closer to his father, “Father, are you crazy? She's my ex-wife.” He rubbed his face roughly, “What were you thinking, marrying her without any of us knowing?” 

“Go inside, Avery,” Leonard asked, and the woman immediately obeyed, stepping inside Leonard's private quarters, leaving the man and Maxim behind. Leonard looked seriously at Maxim. “You, get out of my sight right now,” he ordered.

Maxim shook his head. He still hadn't resolved the issue with his father. “Father, you have to explain something.”

Leonard clicked his tongue, “You really want to cause trouble for me?”

Maxim chuckled dismissively, “You're the one causing trouble,” he retorted indignantly. “You left to take care of work for years without coming home, leaving your wife and child for almost five years without any news or proper communication. The one time you came home, you brought a new wife without warning. I'm amazed at your thinking,”

Leonard put his index finger to his lips with a soft hiss, “Be quiet, don't disturb your father and your new stepmother,” he said casually, slamming the door shut after entering his own room.

Maxim stared in disbelief, “Damn.”

Inside a luxurious room filled with expensive furnishings, a woman was lying on a long sofa with a laptop on her lap, her lips pursed to hold back laughter, her eyes narrowed as she watched a scene playing out on the digital screen. A man approached her with heavy steps, curious, “Are you laughing at that man?” he asked.

The woman, Avery, immediately closed her laptop screen when the man came, “Yes, it seems so,” she chuckled, “Did you make him leave, Mr. Leonard?” she asked.

Leonard nodded, sitting on the sofa right next to Avery. “Are you hungry? We should have had dinner earlier if only my wife hadn't thrown such a tantrum,” he said with an amused tone.

“That's what you wanted, to cause a commotion in the house,” replied Avery.

“Are you satisfied with what we just did?” asked Leonard.

Avery nodded, “Of course, and that's just the beginning. I can't wait for tomorrow.”

“To recharge your energy, just tell me what you want for dinner, and the waiter will bring it right away,” said Leonard.

Avery mentioned several menu items to Leonard, who ordered from the waiter downstairs using the house phone that was directly connected to the waiter. They ate dinner together in silence, neither of them talking or even intending to start a conversation. Avery cleared his throat softly to break the silence between them. He looked up at Leonard, who was focused on the food on his own plate. He hesitated a little to start the conversation, but he had to get closer so that his mission would run smoothly. “Are you really serious about our agreement?” 

Leonard then looked at Avery, his eating movement halted by the sudden question. “Of course, why do you keep asking? Don't you trust me?”

Avery shook her head quickly, “It's not that, it's just... Sophie and Maxim are your family, I don't see any strong reason for you to want to destroy something of theirs.”

Leonard put the cutlery from both hands down beside his plate and looked at Avery with serious eyes. The woman hoped she hadn't said the wrong thing to Leonard. “I have my own reasons for that. You don't need to know everything,” he said.

Avery raised an eyebrow, pausing to chew her dinner. “It's that unclear reason that makes me always wonder, are you helping me or using me, or even trapping me?”

Leonard folded his arms across his chest and stared intently at Avery with his sharp brown eyes. “Think about it, there's nothing more serious than someone hurting a family member.”

“Besides, I'm helping you with a mutually beneficial arrangement, no one will lose out,” he continued.

Avery remained silent, processing it all before speaking. “Alright, let's just say we trust each other now, as long as you don't involve my brother's health and my life in this.”

Leonard resumed eating his dinner with a relaxed expression, “Don't worry, your sister is getting the best care and I won't involve you in any heavy work, just enough to make them a little depressed.”

“I'm sure it will be easy and fun, don't worry, I'll do it so well that you won't even notice the day coming.” Avery resumed eating her dinner as well.

Leonard grabbed a glass of wine and lifted it to the center of the table, “Here's to tomorrow.”

Avery smiled slightly, took her glass of wine, and gently clinked it with Leonard's glass before they drank together.

On the other hand, Sophie was only released when the morning sun was about to rise. Her eyes were puffy and swollen like someone who hadn't slept all night because of crying and something else. She slammed the fancy vase next to her, “Damn it, they spent the night together while I was locked up all night!”

Sophie walked down the hallway while her personal maid ran after her, “Ma'am, you should clean yourself up first,” she warned, remembering that Sophie hadn't showered after leaving the empty room on the top floor, still wearing yesterday's dress and smudged makeup.

Sophie glared at the couple hugging near the kitchen table, wearing matching aprons. A warm kiss on the girl's forehead made Sophie's anger boil over again. She clenched her fists and glared at them, then walked quickly towards them with hurried steps, accompanied by uncontrollable anger. “Slut!”