Chapter 119: Venomous Look

Kathrine follows Gabrielle. She can't walk too fast because of her pregnancy, and she holds the handrail as she walks.

"Is this about the photo?" she asks with mock outrage, "I don't know why someone would do that to this family. Can't they at least let us enjoy our party?"

She shoots a quick venomous look at Avery, and continues: "Anthony, I think Avery is right. We have to find out what's going on, and we absolutely can't allow the person responsible for this to walk free. We can't allow any faith-breaking behavior in the family."

Though Avery is forced to look up at Katherine, she maintains her dignity.

"You mean we should banish the person who did this?" Avery asks, "Cut them off entirely? Disinherit them?"

"Yes," Katherine immediately agrees, "We should cut her off from this family. She doesn't deserve to carry the Peters name."

"What if she's not technically one of us?" Avery asks, "And why are you so sure it was a woman?"

"What do you mean?" Katherine asks, suddenly guarded, "You think it was me?" Katherine is the only one in the family who wasn't born a Peters. She clenches the handrail so tightly it seems that her fingers are gouging the wood.

"You're not wrong," Avery retorts, "I have my suspicions about you."

"That's enough!" Anthony cries, rubbing his temples, "Gabrielle, it was sent from your account. Why don't you tell me what's going on?"

Gabrielle shakes her head vehemently.

"I don't know anything about that," she insists.

"Gabrielle, didn't you just tell me that Avery borrowed your phone recently?" Katherine asks with a conniving smile.

Avery frowns, but refuses to respond to Katherine's insinuation. Avery knows that she borrowed the phone, but she also knows that borrowing the phone is no proof that she sent the photo. Evan had already assumed that Avery sent the photo, and Kathrine's statement seems to back up his speculation. He knows that Avery's phone isn't properly connected to the outside world, so it makes sense that she'd use Gabrielle's phone to send the photos. The previously stifling room seems to go cold.

"So you did this?" Evan asks Avery.

"I didn't do it," Avery says evenly.

"Avery, you have to own your mistakes," Katherine lectures, "Do you want to let this innocent family bear the brunt of your failings? Do you want our family to be completely humiliated?"

"I didn't do anything," Avery insists, lifting her jaw defiantly as she speaks, "What should I admit? You say I did it, Katherine, but tell me, what could I possibly gain by spreading this news?"

"Who knows what you're thinking?" Katherine sneers, "You invited the press last time to announce a divorce, and Gabrielle told me you've been using her phone. Just admit it already."

"Really? Just because I borrowed Gabrielle's phone doesn't mean I sent the photo," Avery says, "Why does sending the photo from Gabrielle's account mean it's me? I could just as easily say you sent it from Gabrielle's account."

"How dare you, Avery!" Katherine hisses, "I swear we'll get to the bottom of this—us Peters have nothing to do with it."

Katherine gives Gabrielle a gentle nudge with her elbow, prompting the young woman to back her up. Gabrielle bites her lip. While Gabrielle was getting her hair and makeup done, Katherine told her that something huge had happened. She said that Avery and Evan's divorce papers had been leaked from her account. She felt dizzy upon hearing the news because she knew nothing about the divorce or any photos.

She recalls Kathrine's talk with her. She remembers Katherine warning her: "You know all about Evan's famous hot temper. If he knows you sent the photos, you're screwed."

"It wasn't me," she'd told Katherine.

"Then who else could it be?" Katherine insisted, "It was from your Facebook account."

"Mom, I didn't do it," she repeated.

"Then think carefully," Katherine prompted, "Did you lend your phone to anyone recently?"

"No one apart from Avery," Gabrielle had answered without thinking.

"I know it's not necessarily Avery who did it," Katherine said to her, "But I suggest that you tell Evan she borrowed your phone. She's his wife and he won't do anything too severe to her. But you're different. To tell you the truth, the consequences will be disastrous for anyone who isn't Avery."

"But—" Gabrielle objected.

"Think about it," Katherine had warned, "If anything happens to you, what will happen to that boy you're keeping, hmm? Now I know you're too frightened to say anything. I'll speak up for you. You just stand there and keep quiet."

The conversation in the makeup room still rings in Gabrielle's ears. She takes a swift look at Avery, trying to see if there's any guilt on her sister's face.

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"Say something!" Evan snarls at Avery.

Gabrielle looks nervously between Evan, Avery and Katherine. She seems too scared to speak.

"Miss Peters, Mr. Howel only wants you to tell the truth," Robert prompts her.

Gabrielle digs her freshly polished nails into the palm of her hand. After a while, she takes a deep breath, mustering all the courage she has. She can't bring herself to look at Evan as she speaks, and she gazes down at her feet instead.

"Avery didn't send the photos," she whispers.

Kathrine gasps with astonishment.

"What evidence do you have?" Evan snaps.

"I sent the photos," Gabrielle whispers.

She knows she has to protect Avery. In spite of Katherine's assurances that Evan won't hurt Avery, she feels terrified of his anger. She worries that he's volatile enough to do anything.

"Gabrielle! Are you out of your mind?" Avery reproaches.

Vanessa and Janetta exchange shocked looks. They can't believe that meek Gabrielle is willing to take the fall for Avery. Evan rushes up the stairs and stands menacingly close to Gabrielle.

"Do you know what you're in for if I'm certain it's you?" he whispers.

Gabrielle shakes her head.

"I heard there are saltwater crocodiles in the estuary near here," he says, "I wouldn't mind asking you to go for a swim in it."

"It's not her!" Avery shouts.

She rushes up the stairs and throws herself between Evan and her sister. She knows that Gabrielle is trying to protect her, and she refuses to watch Evan threaten her little sister. Gabrielle is shocked by Avery's action. The saltwater crocodile is the most dangerous reptile in the world, and it's highly aggressive. If it attacks someone while they're swimming, there is no chance they'll survive.

"It wasn't her? It was you?" Evan asks.

He stares into Avery's eyes attempting to see her heart. The look is so intense she feels herself getting dizzy. Gabrielle shakes her head firmly.

"No, Avery didn't send them," she says a little more loudly, "It was me. I did it."

Kathrine exchanges a glance with Vanessa and Janetta, celebrating their imminent victory. No matter who takes the fall, it means victory for them. Though they are surprised by the intensity of Gabrielle and Avery's loyalty to each other.

"Why?" Evan asks Gabrielle, "What do you stand to gain by announcing a divorce?"

"I'm jealous of her marriage," Gabrielle said evenly.

"Gabrielle!" Avery interjects.

She half wants to choke her younger sister just to make her stop talking. She's trying so hard to take the blame, but Gabrielle insists on confessing. Avery knows that if Gabrielle takes the fall, her sisters and step-mother will win.

"Jealous?" Evan asks.

His face seems hideously distorted, and his hands are clenched into fists. Avery reaches out and places her hands on Evan's chest, to keep him away from Gabrielle.

"Evan, don't listen to Gabrielle," she pleads, "She's talking nonsense."

"Gabrielle, you sent this?" Anthony asks.

After going through such trouble to get Evan and other influential elites to come to their party, Anthony can't believe his youngest daughter has humiliated the family. He approaches her with his hand raised, as if preparing to slap her. Gabrielle takes one glance at her father's wrathful expression and cowers behind Avery.

Sudden, slow applause forces Anthony to stop. A man struts into the room, followed by a team of bodyguards. He lifts his face, revealing a mole beneath his eye. His applause slowly dies down as he surveys the people on the stairs.

"I don't imagine Evan invited me here for a family drama," Andrew says, then he smiles flirtatiously at Avery, "Sorry I'm late."

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