Chapter 36: Escape

"Mr. Howel, Mrs. Howel is gone," Robert Tinder says.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Evan asks.

"No wonder she gave away her phone; she wanted to escape from the hotel," he thinks, "She wanted to prevent the physical examination. It must be because she does care for Charles Meyer.'

He hates deception the most, but she and Charles Meyer conspired to tell him that she's unfit for pregnancy. He can't help but wonder about the affair again—what other reason could Avery have for this deception?

Without realizing it, he flips the dining table over. The glasses and porcelain plates shatter into dozens of pieces under the table and across the floor. The lilies scattered everywhere, dropping petals. The wine bottle cracks in the middle, and red wine slowly seeps from the crack turning the embroidered white tablecloth a deep red.

Michelle Cindy bites back a scream. Her face is pale and shaking as if she's cold, but she's terrified. Evan rages and fumes; he looks like a ruthless bear and the hotel staff are terrified.

"Find her," he commands.

The bodyguards run from the room and begin to track Avery.

"I'll order our hotel security team to search as well," Michelle says, trying to win Evan's approval. She turns and whispers orders to a waiter.

"I want to see the security footage," Evan tells Michelle, "Take me to security offices."

"Of course, Mr. Howel, I'll show you the way," Michelle says, already running after him.

Evan turns to look at her and coldly commands, "Go away."

Robert Tinder pushes Michelle aside and begins to lead Evan. Michelle staggers and falls into the hallway wall; she grits her teeth in fury, but her mood improves when she sees Evan's rage. There's no way he'd be so angry if he'd asked Avery to take the secret photos, and Avery wouldn't have run away if she wasn't guilty.

Michelle smiles to herself. "Even Mrs. Howel herself can't take secret photos of Evan and get away with it," she thinks with satisfaction.

She imagines that Avery has already been caught. In her mind she sees Evan's bodyguards slapping Avery around while Evan looked on coldly. What a brilliant scene that would make! She hopes she'll be able to record it and send it to her classmates for a laugh. Ever since Avery married Evan, they've all felt somewhat bitter towards her.

"I can't forget to send a copy to the Summers sisters," she thinks, "I need to curry favor with the woman who's going to become the next Mrs. Howel."

"Let's go," Michelle gestures to a waiter and heads for the garden.

It's early spring, and a variety of precious flowers bloom in the garden at the Zuri Hotel. Their fragrance perfumes the air and the butterflies dance from petal to petal.

After Avery jumped down from the window, she checked the hotel map posted on the wall. According to the map, there's a back exit at the hotel through the garden. She's so busy trying to locate the exit, she doesn't notice that her pant legs have caught on a thorny, peach Juliet rose bush.

When she feels the tug on her leg, an overwhelming and ominous presentiment takes hold of her. Suddenly, anxiety wells up in her chest. Scared by the presentment, she tries to carefully remove her pants from the bush without breaking the budding flower. She pricks her finger and recoils instinctively.

The thorn is hard and sharp, and the small wound on her finger bleeds. She idly recalls the saying that roses are like women, the beauty hides the thorns. Just a moment ago, she felt lucky, but now she can't shake the feeling that something awful is going to happen.

She pulls at the rose bush, and Charles' ring starts to slide off her finger. She tried to pull her hand back, but the diamond is heavy and the band is loose. The ring flies off of her finger, and makes a faint sound when it hits the ground.

Hearing the sound, she looks around and finds that the grass is thick and lush. It's impossible to see below the blades of grass without getting down on hands and knees. She drops to the ground and tries to dig through the grass with her hands and feet. Her palms turn itchy where they touch the grass, and she can feel the sun beating down onto her back.

A gust of wind blows, and the trees and grass rustle and ripple. She worries she'll never find the ring in time. From across the lawn, she sees a pair of black high heels walking toward her. She raises her head further and sees that the shoes belong to Michelle Cindy. Hands grab her arms and pull her to her feet.

"What are you doing here?" Avery asks unhappily.

The wind blows again, catching on Michelle's already messy hair. Her lips look cracked and cruel like a vampire.

"You're really surprised? Is it so unexpected to see me at the hotel where I work," Michelle says with a slight smile.

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"What do you want? I already gave you the phone!" Avery says.

"Well, it's none of my business, but when I told Mr. Howel about the secret photos, he was furious. He asked that I assist him in finding you."

Michelle smirks, savoring her victory.

"You seem afraid," Michelle says, "Naively, I thought that Mr. Howel would probably let you off easy to protect your relationship. I guess I didn't anticipate just how much he hates you. It's one thing for him to have an affair with another woman, but it's entirely different for you to take photos of him and the woman in secret. He's furious, and honestly, I'm ashamed to know you."

"Michelle did you forget to take your medicine today? You're insane," Avery scoffs, "My marriage is none of your business. Now I'm warning you to let me go before you regret it."

"Let you go?" Michelle asks incredulously, "No Avery, it seems that you're insane."

Michelle walks toward Avery slowly, pausing between steps, "Even if I pretended I didn't see you, Mr. Howel will still hunt and catch you. I think you should give up."

"I told you I didn't take photos in secret, but that was only half true. I didn't take any photos at all," Avery says, "The phone is literally in your hands. Check it and see for yourself.

"You just want me to check your phone so you can accuse me of invading your privacy. I'm not stupid."

"I'm not so sure," Avery sneers, "At first I thought you were just insane, but now I think you may be stupid, too.'

"How dare you! What gives you the right to be so aggressive," Michelle asks, clenching her fists tightly.

"Let me go. I'll find my husband on my own."

"And then what?" Michelle asks, "Will you run away? Will you ever come back?"

Avery stares at Michelle defiantly, and Michelle senses an opportunity.

"Well, okay," Michelle says, her tone becoming falsely friendly, "As your old school friend, I do feel some affection for you. I know how afraid you are of Mr. Howel. If you want to get away from here, I can help you."

"What are you suggesting?" Avery asks suspiciously.

Michelle Cindy laughs cruelly and tugs the hem of her skirt an inch higher, "Crawl through here."

Her flaming red lips turn up in a smug smirk. The outrage on Avery's face is priceless. Michelle feels humiliated by Avery, and she's scared that her job may be at stake if Evan becomes angry enough. She wants revenge, and she wants to see Avery abused and humiliated.

The waiters holding Avery are scared. Although Michelle has always been an arrogant boss, she usually acts very carefully. No matter what sort of disgrace she's in, Avery is still Mrs. Howel, Evan Howel's legal wife. Michelle is boldly asking a Howel to crawl through her legs like an animal.

"Is she insane?" they wonder.

Avery looks at Michelle calculatingly.

"Michelle was always a show off and a social climber," Avery thinks, "If she's heard the rumor about Leonie becoming Evan's next wife, she's probably trying to prove her loyalty. Likely she wants to humiliate me, so she can tell everyone that she's one of Leonie's best friends."

Avery smiles coldly at Michelle, "I'll give you one more chance: let me go now."

Avery's expression unnerves the waiters, and they release her arms. Avery lists the corner of her mouth in a half smile as she walks towards Michelle.

"If I crawl through your legs, you promise to let me leave without pursuit?"

"Yes, that's right," Michelle smirks, "But you should hurry up and do it. Many people are looking for you."

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