Billionaire Defiant Wife

Chapter 233: Visiting Charles

Fiona stalks across the room toward Avery. Avery lifts her chin defiantly and stares Fiona downthe woman suddenly seems more capable and fierce than she did in Leonie's hotel room. Avery wants to step back, but she's scared it'll make her look guilty. Slowly, Fiona circles Avery like a cat toying with its prey.

"I didn't steal your jewelry," Avery says, pointing at a small camera hanging from the ceiling. "If you don't believe me, you can just check the security footage. I'll wait if you like."

"I wouldn't want to keep a busy woman like you are waiting," Fiona says with a nasty smile. "I can think of a much faster way to find out if you're a thief."

"Are you saying you want to search me?" Avery asks.

"Exactly," Fiona says. "My men are already here, so it won't take long."

"You have no right to search me," Avery says. "You may think you can bully me, but I know my rights if you want to accuse me of a crime, you need to go to the police and wait for them to get a warrant. If not, you need to let me leave."

"If you weren't a thief, you wouldn't mind a search," Fiona says. "If you really have nothing to hide, prove it."

Avery shakes her head and says, "I value my privacy, Mrs. Summers. I refuse without a warrant." 

"Oh, you value privacy?" Fiona asks with a little laugh. "Maybe you should have remembered that before you broke into my private workshop. Besides, you asked your bodyguards to use force against my employees, and I really don't appreciate that."

Fiona nods at her security guards, and the men rush forward and grab Avery. Another man stands in front of the door with his arms crossed over his chest. Avery kicks and flails her leg, but the guards are strong.

"Get your hands off me," Avery screams. "If my husband hears about this, you'll all be sorry. You're not just hurting me, and you're hurting my unborn child."

"Oh, that's right, you're pregnant too," Fiona says, and her voice sounds creepily nice. "That's such a coincidence. You and Leonie share the same birthday, and now you're pregnant with the same man's child at the same time. It's almost like you have the same destiny. The only thing is, he refuses to recognize her child. My poor Leonie is miserable in the hospital while you're out and about, flaunting your conquest of that poor man.

How is that fair? It's not poor Leonie's fault that you can't satisfy your own husband. It's not her fault that he wanted a real woman instead of a cold witch like you. It's your own fault he chose her. You couldn't handle that and forced him to disown his own child. Women like you disgust me!"

By the time she finishes talking, Fiona is panting with anger. She lunges toward Avery and grabs at her belly. Avery tries to kick her hands away, but a guard grabs her ankles.

"Stop it!" Avery screams. "Francis Howel is very concerned about this child. If you do anything to hurt it, what will happen to the Summers family, hmm? Right now, your family is on good terms with the Howel's, but imagine what would happen if that changes."

Avery knows that the Summers family is in a delicate position. Fiona, Diana, and Leonie are the only living members, and they depend on the support and friendship of more powerful families. If Francis Howel cuts ties with the Summers family, they'll fall into poverty and ruin. As angry as Fiona is, she can't afford to upset Francis.

"Of course, I won't hurt you," Fiona snaps. "I just want to find out if you're a thief or not."

"You know I'm married to Evan, so why on Earth would I need to steal from you?" Avery asks.

"Who knows," Fiona says. "Some people get a sick thrill out of it. And we all know you're a sick woman."

Fiona pats the outside of Avery's gray trouser pockets and then slides her hands inside. Avery flinches, but the guards are holding her too tightly to move. Fiona frowns, disappointed that there's nothing in the pockets. She circles Avery and grabs her coat. She shoves her hands into the pockets, and a nasty smile lights up her face.

"What's this?" Fiona asks, holding the green diamond ring up to the light.

"It's not yours," Avery says. "I chipped the stone, and I came here to ask you to fix it."

Fiona's eyes widen as she examines the ring. She runs her fingers over the crack, and her smile grows even wider. She wraps the ring in her fist and shakes a finger at Avery.

"You're rightthe ring's not mine," Fiona says. "But I don't think it's yours either. I know this ring: it's a Meyer family heirloom, and everyone knows it's meant for Charles' future wife. Why do you have it?"

"Charles asked me to keep it for him," Avery says. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"You think I believe that?" Fiona asks, rolling her eyes. "Why would he ask you to keep such a precious family heirloom?"

"That's none of your business," Avery says. "Now, I have things to do. Give me a ring, and I'll leave."

"No, I don't think so," Fiona says. "I think I'm going to have a little chat with the Meyer family. If Charles gave you a ring, as you say, you have nothing to hide."

Avery tries to hide her panic, but her palms are sweating, and her head is spinning. She has no idea what Charles' parents know about the ring. Fiona moves in slow motion, dramatically pulling her phone from her pocket and dialing a number.

"Are you don't want to confess?" Fiona asks, her finger hovering over the call button.

Avery presses her lips together and grinds her teeth. Fiona is probably going to set me up, she thinks. She's going to tell some twisted version of the story to the Meyer family, but what else can I do? I've told the truth, and there's no point in confessing to something I didn't do. She shakes her head at Fiona.

"Fine, have it your way," Fiona says as she presses the button. 

A guard clamps his hands over Avery's ears, and Fiona turns her back to Avery. Avery strains her ears to hear, but it's impossible with the guard's thick palms on her head. She wonders who Fiona is talking tocould it be Charles? Avery's heart beat wildly in her chest, imagining Charles alive and well on the other end of the phone.

It seems like Fiona talks for ages. The guard's palms begin to sweat against the side of her face, and Avery feels her stomach twist and turn. Finally, Fiona turns aroundshe's smiling like she's just won the lottery. She nods at the guard, and he takes his hands off Avery's head.

"Someone will be here to deal with you soon," Fiona says.

Avery chews her lip and wonders who it could be. She's heard rumors that the Meyer family moved to one of their island vacation homes after Charles disappeared. Are they sending someone to do their business for them? Avery thinks. Or has Fiona tricked me? Maybe she's called someone completely unrelated to do her dirty work for her. 

"Make yourself comfortable while you wait," Fiona sneers.

Avery walks across the room and sinks onto a sofa. She hates showing any sign of weakness in front of Fiona, but she feels exhausted. She's not sure if it's the stress or the pregnancy or some combination, but she finds it hard to keep her eyes open.

There's a sharp knock at the door. She checks her watch: it's just after 4:00. A security guard opens the door, and a tall, slender man struts into the room.

"It's you?" Avery asks, unable to believe her eyes.