Chapter 1021 - 529: Since You Like It, Next Time I’ll Make Sure You Enjoy Yourself

That feeling was like ten thousand arrows piercing his heart, it almost killed him. Just thinking that she was now in another man’s home made him want to die of pain. But then what? Forcing her to stay—he no longer dared to. He had to be careful even about getting close, afraid of scaring her, of driving her away, afraid she’d vanish into the crowd like foam on the sea, out of his sight, beyond his reach, leaving him to drown in an ocean of misery forever.

Seeing Joshua Hughes with that face full of suffering and hatred, Julian Carter was cursing in his heart. Damn, couldn’t you have said so earlier...

His face was almost turning green. He’d just come back from Eliza Bell’s place—go again? Just thinking of that woman, the way even her breathing was full of seduction... how was he supposed to talk business?

She was single‑mindedly trying to hook up with him, and he was just about at the point where he couldn’t resist anymore.

"Boss, maybe you should consider going yourself." Julian felt he really needed to think carefully about how to deal with that crazy‑like woman, otherwise if this kept up, something was bound to happen sooner or later.

"You’re getting bold. You’re ordering me around now?" Joshua opened his eyes, a cold, sharp light shooting straight at Julian from the depths of his gaze.

No matter how upset he was inside, he could only curse a few times silently, then lower his head and walk out. He was already thinking about how to go find Eliza Bell again.

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Pay enough money, and sure enough things get done fast. This principle applies at any time, to anything, and it’s always a sure shot...

When she received the file, Eliza’s hands trembled with excitement. She opened the manila folder; inside was a stack of documents, and she couldn’t wait to read them.

Avery Jane, mother died in childbirth; father was a drunk, living on welfare and working as a parking lot attendant. He’d lost three fingers, and when Avery was seventeen, he died of liver cancer.

It was written in great detail, all the important events from Avery’s school years were recorded. Eliza’s whole heart was so happy it felt like it was about to leap out of her chest. It really was her. She was her aunt’s daughter, the little girl standing in front of the grave in that photo. She was her older sister. The immense guilt the family had carried all this life was finally about to be released. The eight percent of shares she had been guarding were finally going to return to their rightful owner. In this world there was someone who had a close blood tie with her—her sister. Yet Avery looked even younger than her, and her beauty was breathtaking. Every cell in Eliza’s body was so excited it wanted to scream. She had found her sister; she could go to her grandparents’ and mother’s graves and tell them, to comfort their souls in heaven.

The ringtone seemed to sense her excitement too and started chirping happily...

It was that big ice block. She picked up, still riding the wave of excitement, so her voice inevitably rose a few notches: "Hello, what’s up? Julian Carter..."

"I’m coming over now, wait for me." Even Julian himself felt his voice sounded a bit off. What was this? He was once again delivering himself right to her door, waiting for her various attempts to seduce him?

"No time." Eliza hung up in an instant. Right now she was going to find her sister, to talk properly about the past, to give her a good hug—there was still someone in this world who was her family. That thought made her so happy she almost didn’t know what to do with herself.

On the other end of the line, Julian was left staring dumbly. She’d said she didn’t have time, then promptly hung up. If it were some other woman, he’d think she was playing hard to get or being coy. But Eliza wasn’t that type. Could it be that after what happened just now, she’d completely lost interest in him? Was he that bad? Julian’s expression, normally as stiff as a deadpan mask, cracked open a little...

She wasn’t there? Eliza drove as fast as she could to the biggest, most luxurious shopping mall in the city, and went straight into the store where Avery worked. But Avery was already gone; they said she was sick and had gone to her boyfriend’s place to recuperate. After asking for her phone number, Eliza stood in the middle of the mall and impatiently dialed Avery’s number.

"Hello?" The voice was soft and weak, yet carried a strange tension. She really had inherited everything from Eliza’s aunt. It was said that back in the day, even if her aunt only said a few words, it was enough to make all the young gentlemen in town go weak in the knees.

"Avery Jane, do you remember me? I’m Eliza Bell. That day you picked a tie for me." She couldn’t suppress her excitement, speaking loudly into the phone.

"Miss Bell, I remember you. Is something wrong?" Avery felt a bit strange. Why would a customer call her? Could it be the tie she bought wasn’t suitable? But it’d already been several days; it probably couldn’t be returned now.

"Yes, yes, something’s up. Avery, where are you? I have something really important to tell you." Ever since confirming Avery was her sister, Eliza had been as hyped up as if she’d just taken a shot of pure adrenaline. From as far back as she could remember, her grandmother and mother had repeatedly told her she had to protect her sister, take care of her. Now she could finally fulfill everyone’s wish—how could that not be exhilarating?

"Right now, I... I might not be convenient..." Avery hesitated a little. After all, she was staying at Beckett Wright’s place at the moment, and she and Eliza had only met once.

"It can’t be inconvenient. I have to tell you that you and I are blood‑related, you’re my older sister, you have to see me right away." Eliza raised her voice. She knew it was a bit strange to suddenly ask to meet Avery like this, so she first mentioned their relationship. As long as they met, she could slowly explain everything about the past. She figured Avery probably didn’t know anything about her own origins. Her aunt had suffered such humiliation, then died after giving birth to her, so she’d never had the chance to tell Avery about her mother’s family.

Avery stood there holding the phone, stunned. How was that possible? Her mother had died giving birth to her. Her father had never looked for another woman in his whole life—how could she possibly have a younger sister?

Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window, shining on Avery’s skin, smooth and white like jade. Eliza looked at her—this kind of woman was enough to make even a fellow woman’s heart skip a beat, let alone a man’s. To avoid intruding on their conversation, Beckett Wright had said he needed to go out to take care of some matters as soon as Eliza arrived, leaving all the space to them. That was the kind of man he was: always considerate and measured, never making anyone feel awkward or pressured.

"Is what you’re saying true?" Avery could hardly believe what she was hearing. Those past events sounded like something out of a legend, making her heart almost stop beating. She’d always thought her father was just a bad‑tempered man who liked to drink. How could she have imagined that he was actually a genius gambler whose name was known all over Las Vegas?

Maybe that could explain why, when she was little, her father would have her pinch a smooth little bead between her fingers and keep rolling it through the gaps between them, day after day, until she could, like performing magic, spin a single smooth bead around in her hand so fast it dazzled the eyes.