Episode 2

The opulent dining room buzzed with conversation and laughter. A feast fit for royalty lay spread across the mahogany table, gleaming silver cutlery glinting under the soft glow of crystal chandeliers. Avery, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and apprehension, pushed open the double doors and stepped inside.

Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the group of people gathered around the table. There was Eric Chua, the bodyguard, radiating an aura of quiet strength. Beside him sat Blake Orion, the superstar, his youthful good looks accentuated by a trendy outfit. A woman, presumably Jaxon's younger sister, Celeste, sat across from them, her features twisted in a look of disdain.

But the two men at the head of the table held Avery's attention. One, sporting a pair of spectacles, exuded a studious air. The other, with a sharp jawline and a Stoic expression, possessed an undeniable charisma.

"Oh, my! Oh, wow!" Avery exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement. "They are all so good-looking!"

Abby, the ever-present voice in her head, chimed in, "The one on the far right is Eric Chua, the bodyguard. The one beside him is Blake Orion, the superstar of Nova Entertainment."

Avery's eyes darted to the woman beside Blake. "But… Could she be Milly?" she thought, a flicker of doubt creeping in.

"No, silly," Abby reassured her. "Milly's still abroad. Remember?"

Taking a deep breath, Avery decided to make her entrance. With a confident stride, she approached the table, her eyes flitting between the two men.

"Honey," she chirped, leaning down and planting a quick peck on the cheek of the bespectacled man.

The room erupted in chaos. The man choked on his drink, his face contorting in surprise. Eric Chua's eyes widened in disbelief. Celeste's disdain morphed into disgust. Blake, caught off guard, sprayed his drink across the table. The remaining man, his face hardening with anger, slammed his fist on the table.

"Who are you calling honey?" he growled, grabbing Avery's arm with a force that sent a jolt of pain through her.

Avery's heart lurched. Looking at the man holding her arm, a wave of panic washed over her. "Oh no," she thought, her initial excitement evaporating.

Pushing Jaxon's hand away, she stammered, "Who did I call honey?"

A tense silence filled the room, broken only by the clinking of silverware that had fallen to the floor.

"Today is our wedding anniversary," Avery finally managed, her voice barely a whisper.

Jaxon, the man holding her arm, raised an eyebrow. "So, what?" he replied, his tone cold and indifferent.

"You weren't home yet, so I was worried about you," Avery continued, her voice trembling slightly. She reached out, tentatively touching his hand. "Is everything alright?"

Celeste, unable to contain herself any longer, scoffed. "Big brother," she interjected, "she must be here to check up on you. She knows it well that today is Milly's birthday, but she's here to give you a hard time."

Jaxon's grip on Avery's arm tightened. He tilted her chin up, his eyes boring into hers. "Who do you think you are?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Our marriage is just a contract," he said. "I married you out of filial piety" "Don't take it too seriously."

He flung her hand away, the force sending a stinging pain through her wrist. Tears welled up in Avery's eyes, a mixture of humiliation and anger burning in her chest.

"Listen to his harsh words," she thought, tears blurring her vision.

Wiping her tears away, she straightened her back and met his gaze. "Yes, I know our marriage is a contract," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "But before it ends, I am still your wife. It's our wedding anniversary, is it wrong for me to spend time with you?"

Celeste let out a derisive snort. "You're just taking advantage of my brother by marrying him. So stop playing innocent."

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