Inside the Tates' living room, Wanda Tate gave an ultimatum to her stepdaughter, Avery Tate. "You can see your father on the condition that you either marry Elliot Foster or fork out one and a half million dollars. The choice is yours."

Avery smiled coldly after hearing that. "You're pushing me to marry a man who is in a persistent vegetative state because you can't bear the thought of your daughter doing the same? And you're doing that just because you want the money? Well, keep dreaming if you think you can threaten me like that!"

"So, you're not going to make a choice then?" Wanda raised her voice and pointed at Avery. "Then I'll just end your father's treatment. Our family doesn't have much money left, so I might as well save it for your sister's dowry rather than spend it on a dying man. I'm still his wife, remember? I have the authority to stop his treatment at any time.”

"How dare you!"

"Tch! If you want to save him, then do as I say and marry Elliot."

Avery's expression turned cold and she left without saying another word.

Wanda was a sinister and vicious woman who never made empty threats.

Avery had to find a way to raise money as soon as possible. She took out her cell phone and called her boyfriend, Cole, because she felt that he would be able to help her. After all, Cole was one of the Fosters, and he was also Elliot's nephew.

However, his familiar ringtone somehow blared from a nearby bedroom. Avery thought that she misheard because Cole could not have been at her home, much less in her sister's room.

Avery was still doubting herself when her sister Cassandra's voice said, "It's a call from my sister. Aren't you going to answer it, Cole? What if it's something urgent?"

"Who cares about that b*tch? She's never let me f*cked her in the three years that we were together, so I bet she has some sort of illness down there. But with you… Oh my, I can't get enough of you! My uncle is a vegetable now, and he doesn't have much longer to live. When she marries him and ends up being a widow, I'll coax her so that all the Fosters' assets will be ours. Then I'm going to have lots of fun with you."

"You're so naughty!"'

Avery felt as if a thunderbolt had just struck her. Her head was buzzing, and whatever hopes she had of turning her situation around evaporated in an instant.

Her boyfriend who frequently declared his love for her turned out to have been cheating on her, and the woman who had an affair with him was none other than her sister.

Avery closed her eyes tightly as the loud and lustful echoes of passion intensified from inside the room. Alas, she was unable to stop her tears from sliding down her cheeks.

The Fosters were one of the wealthiest families in Avonsville, and Elliot—the head of the family—had unfortunately been in a persistent vegetative state after an accident six months ago. The doctor had already made it clear that he would not be able to survive until the end of the year.

His mother, Rosalie, did not want him to die unmarried, so she promised a sky-high betrothal gift to anyone who would be willing to marry him.

The Fosters were wealthy, and since Elliot was the head of the family, his mother would not even consider poorer households even though Elliot was in a persistent vegetative state. That being said, none of the upper-class young ladies would be willing to marry a dying person.

Coincidentally, her father was admitted to hospital with a sudden illness when his company went under. Money was required for his medical expenses, so Wanda decided to use his illness to threaten Avery after hearing the news that the Fosters were seeking a wife for Elliot.

Avery wiped her tears aggressively. She then opened her tightly shut eyes to reveal an icy cold stare.

She had been too naive. For years, she endured bullying from her stepmother and stepsister for her father's sake. She even believed every single lie that came out of her sweet-talking boyfriend's mouth.

At that moment, she decided that she would no longer let herself be taken for a fool!

Avery took out her cell phone and made a call.

"I'll marry Elliot."

The wedding ceremony was held three days later.

Avery was alone at the wedding, and she walked down the aisle with a white veil over her face and a bouquet in her hand. From then on, she was Mrs. Foster, and she was untouchable.

That night, Avery was sent to Elliot's mansion.

It was located in the heart of the city's affluent district and cost over 150 million dollars.

Before Avery could properly take in the mansion's layout, Mrs. Cooper had dragged her to the master bedroom.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the man on the large bed. She slowly walked over and carefully watched his face.

Elliot's deep-set features stood out on his chiseled face, and he exuded a majestic aura of nobility.

His skin was unusually pale from spending all that time indoors, but his handsome face made one unable to take their eyes off of him.

If he were not sick, Avery would have never become his wife.

Before he had been bedridden from the car crash, Elliot was a powerful figure in the country of Aryadelle. Sterling Group, which he headed, was one of the country's top ten corporations.

He was rumored to be ruthless and tyrannical and had a legal business as well as deals with the underworld. Anyone who crossed him was bound to pay a hefty price.

Avery never thought that she would marry a man like Elliot.

The bedroom door opened while she was lost in thought.

It was Cole!

"I'm sorry, Avery! I was too busy today and just managed to come to see you," said Cole as he approached Avery with feigned sincerity on his face.

"I just married your uncle," Avery snapped coldly. "Do I need to teach you how to address me?"

"I know you're mad. I didn't elope with you because I didn't want you to suffer a difficult life. Uncle Elliot is practically a dead man, so you don't have to lift a finger while married to him. Once he's dead, I'll get a good lawyer and make sure you get his whole estate!"

Cole eagerly grabbed Avery's hands and said, "When that happens, everything he has will be ours!"

Avery recalled the earlier scene she had witnessed between Cole and Cassandra, and she felt a surge of disgust.

"Let go!" she yelled as she violently shook his hands off.

Her sudden cry took Cole by surprise. Was this the Avery he knew?

Avery was always gentle and kind, and she would never raise her voice at him.

Could she have found out about something?

Cole felt a hint of guilt and moved closer to Avery in hopes of explaining things to her.

The next moment, his eyes shifted to something behind Avery. His eyes widened in disbelief as if he had just seen a ghost.

"He… He…" Cole stammered.

Elliot, who was lying still in bed, began to slowly open his eyes.

Under the lights of the crystal chandelier, Elliot's obsidian black eyes were deep, magnetic, and dangerous.

As always, it was a gaze that sent a chill down one's spine.

The color disappeared from Cole's face as he stumbled a few steps back.

'Elliot is awake?! Wasn't he supposed to be dying soon?'

A wave of terror washed over her, and she could not help but back away, and she ran toward the stairs.

"Mrs. Cooper! Elliot's awake! He opened his eyes!" Avery cried.

Mrs. Cooper rushed up the stairs upon hearing Avery's voice.

"Master Elliot opens his eyes every day, Madam, but it doesn't mean he's awake. Look, he's not responding to anything we're saying right now," Mrs. Cooper said. She then sighed and added, "The doctors said that there's a very low probability for someone in a vegetative state to wake up."

Avery still felt a lingering uneasiness as she saw Mrs. Cooper out of the room.

She sat stiffly next to Elliot and watched his striking features. She stretched her hand out and waved it in front of his eyes.

"What's on your mind, Elliot?" she asked, but there was no response.

Avery felt a sudden pang of sadness. Her suffering was nothing compared to what he had to go through.

"I hope you wake up soon, Elliot. If that scumbag Cole gets his cold sleazy hands on all your money, you won't be able to die in peace."

Elliot closed his eyes slowly after that.

At eight the next morning, Mrs. Cooper took Avery to the old mansion to visit Elliot's mother, Rosalie Foster.

The entire Foster family was in the living room when Avery arrived, and she proceeded to greet and serve tea to each family member.

Rosalie looked pleased with Avery's manners. An obedient child would be easier to control.

"How did you sleep last night, Avery?" asked Rosalie.

Avery's cheeks flushed as she said, "Quite well."

"I have something for you, Avery," Rosalie said as she opened up a purple gift box and passed it to Avery. "This bracelet complements your skin tone. Do you like it?"

Avery did not dare to reject the old woman in front of the whole family and immediately accepted her gift.

"I do. Thank you."

"I know things are hard for you, Avery. With Elliot the way he is now, he can't treat you well. However, there's a way for you to benefit from all of this," said Rosalie as she began to reveal her plan. "Elliot is running out of time. He was always busy with work and never had the time to date. He didn't even have the chance to have a child of his own…"

Avery stiffened upon hearing Rosalie's words.

A child of his own?

Was Rosalie thinking of having her give birth to Elliot's child?

"I'd like you to give Elliot a child and continue his bloodline," Rosalie finished.

Avery was stunned to hear that, and everyone else in the room had an equally shocked expression too.

"Mother, Elliot has been sick for a while. He may be infertile," said Elliot's eldest brother, Henry Foster.

Elliot was not dead yet, but everyone already had their eyes on his estate.

Rosalie chuckled and said, "I have a trick or two up my sleeve with the doctors, of course. With Elliot's vast estate, how could he not have an heir? I'll have Avery give Elliot a child. Even a daughter will do."

At that moment, everyone's eyes immediately fell on Avery.

"You're still in school, right, Avery? Your studies will be affected if you get pregnant now," said Henry's wife.

Henry immediately agreed and said, "That's right! Avery is still young. I doubt she's willing to give up on her studies and raise a child at home!"

Rosalie knew what her son and daughter-in-law were thinking. This was also the reason why she was adamant about ensuring Elliot had an heir.

"Are you willing to have Elliot's child, Avery?" Rosalie asked Avery. She did not hold back. "You should know that you and the child will inherit all of Elliot's estate in the future. It's a fortune large enough for you and the child to live a comfortable life."

Elliot might still be alive, but everyone was already coveting his property.

For that reason, she felt some sympathy for Elliot and Rosalie. Having an heir would also be the perfect revenge on Cole because that would prevent him from getting a single dime of Elliot's money. She was therefore willing to give it a try. Besides, even if she was unwilling, the Fosters were powerful enough to compel her into doing it.

"I'll do it," Avery responded without hesitation.

Once tea was over, Avery walked out of the old mansion and prepared to return home.

Cole stopped her before she could leave.

The morning sun was shining, and the cicadas were chirping.

Avery felt sick to her stomach at the sight of Cole's face.

"Please take the gifts home first, Mrs. Cooper," Avery said.

Mrs. Cooper nodded, then walked off with the gifts.

Cole made sure no one was around, then said, "You're breaking my heart, Avery! You never let me touch you the entire time we were dating, but now you've agreed to give birth to Uncle Elliot's kid!"

"Giving him a child means getting his estate. Why wouldn't I do it?" Avery snickered as she deliberately chose words that would hurt him.

Sure enough, Cole became agitated.

"It's not a bad idea, but you can have my kid instead and say it's Uncle Elliot's. It would still be a Foster. Even if my grandmother gets angry, she would never make you abort it."

The sneer on Avery's face instantly vanished.

"It's good to be ambitious, Cole, but ambition without brains can be a dangerous thing," Avery warned. "I heard that the people by Elliot's side are a ruthless bunch. As long as he's breathing, his minions will be waiting for him to wake up. Do you really think they'll let you go if they find out that I got pregnant with your child?"

Avery's words were like a wave of ice-cold water, chilling Cole to his core.

He knew better than anyone else that each one of his uncle's people was more ruthless than the last.

The fact that they had kept a low profile after Elliot's accident was not an indication that they were not around anymore.

Avery chuckled mockingly and said, "I'm off. Your grandmother has arranged for a doctor to pick me up back at your uncle's place."