Chapter 66: Deadly Threat

"Your boss wants to meet me?" Avery asks, confused.

"Yes, he entrusted the acquisition to me, but he'd prefer to meet you in person as well," the man said, "You needn't worry, though. He's satisfied to meet you here, and it shouldn't take too much of your time."

Avery is willing to accept the strange condition. She knows it's perfectly safe to meet this man at the hotel, though she doesn't understand why he didn't just meet her directly. She nods her consent, and the man stands up and leads her out of the suite.

Avery is wearing a professional but formal dress. Though the cut is modest, it can't disguise her curvy figure. She has already caught the man looking at her.

The staff in the hallway greets her with professional smiles and Avery smiles back. She doesn't want them to know she's selling the hotel until the contract has been signed. The man leads her down the hall to the elevators and then across the lobby to the outdoor restaurant.

"Someone booked the whole restaurant today, and we've just finished preparing it for them," Avery explains.

Suddenly understanding dawns on her: the mysterious boss and the person who booked the restaurant must be the same person. A breeze blows through the cherry blossoms, and the fragrance fills the patio. Someone flicks a switch and strands of small, pink lights twinkle to life. The blossoms and lights sway and glitter in the breeze.

One table in the middle of the patio has been elaborately set with a white embroidered tablecloth, ornately carved silver candlesticks and crystal glasses. Cherry petals have fallen across the table. A familiar figure stands by the table with her back to Avery. Shocked, Avery stops walking—her heart hammers in her chest.

"Leonie?" Avery blurts out.

Leonie turns slowly and dramatically like a villain in a movie.

She raises her delicately penciled eyebrows and smirks with self-satisfaction, "Did I surprise you?"

"Why are you here?" Avery asks.

Avery still can't believe her eyes. Is Leonie the buyer? She completely trusted Charles to find a buyer, but she realizes that she should have asked more questions and been more involved. She can't believe that the buyer is Leonie.

"Evan gave the Zuri Hotel to you as a gift, and the first thing you do is try to sell it to the highest bidder," Leonie says with disgust.

As Leonie speaks, she walks slowly toward Avery crushing the fallen cherry blossoms underfoot.

"He gave it to me, and how I handle it is my business," Avery says cooly, "Apologies if that bothers you."

"Of course it bothers me," Leonie snaps, "I care deeply about the hotel—it was practically my sister's dowry. Besides how will Evan react when he knows you're selling his gift?"

"You won't tell him," Avery says calmly.

Leonie is now standing in front of Avery. She smiles slightly.

"Why won't I tell him?" she asks, "Evan hates cheating and betrayal. How do you think he'll respond if he knows you've betrayed him like this, hmm?"

The two women stand glaring at each other like two rivals ready to fight to the death. Despite the gentle and romantic atmosphere on the patio, the air around them is charged with animosity.

Unbidden, Avery sees Evan's face in her mind. She imagines his ferocious expression and feels a small twinge of guilt. She quickly forces the feeling away and reminds herself that Avery's feelings have nothing to do with it.

He can't know she's selling the hotel because it will raise his suspicions and make it possible for him to discover her escape plan. If he finds out she's trying to run away he'll never let her go. Worse, he'll hurt the people she cares about.

"Are you scared?" Leonie taunts.

Avery takes a deep, steadying breath.

"What do you want, Leonie?"

"For starters, I want to know why you're so scared?" Leonie smirks. She arches her neck haughtily and adds, "But I'm willing to keep this from Evan—on one condition."

Leonie pauses to savor her victory. She eagerly examines Avery's expression for signs of defeat, but is frustrated to find that Avery remains calm. Her expression doesn't betray any emotion.

"My condition is simple: I want you to be completely obedient to me and do whatever I ask you to do," Leonie says.

"Do you still want me to have a baby with Evan?" Avery asks suspiciously.

"Of course not," Leonie laughs.

Leonie brushes cherry petals from her shoulder, displaying a large pink diamond ring on her finger. Avery examines the ring—the color perfectly matches Leonie's dress.

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"Alright," Avery says easily.

She looks at Leonie's sly expressions and smiles glamorously. She's not eager to place herself at Leonie's mercy, but she desperately wants to know what kind of game Leonie is playing. Besides, agreeing seems the best move for the moment—she can always change her mind later.

Leonie is surprised by Avery's reaction; she wasn't expecting Avery to agree so easily. Recently, Avery has become quite cunning and Leonie is afraid that perhaps the other woman has something up her sleeve.

"Don't be silly," Leonie chides herself, "That bitch doesn't have anything planned. She's just scared that I'll tell Evan. She thought she was being so sneaky, but I've got her now."

Leonie smiles contentedly, "Remember, I expect absolute obedience. One little act of defiance is all it takes for me to tell Evan."

Avery raises her eyebrows, "No problem."

Leonie gestures to the table behind her, "Serve me!"

She wants to test Avery's obedience immediately, and she plans to play the role of queen. She's eager to enjoy the patio while humiliating Avery.

"What would you like to eat?" Avery asks as she walks to the table.

"Pour me some red wine."

Avery nods sincerely and obediently poured red wine into the crystal glass, "Miss Summers, please enjoy yourself."

Leonie glances at the glass, "Pass it to me."

Avery quickly grabs the glass and offers it to Leonie, but Leonie refuses to take it.

"Do you call this service?" Leonie asks haughtily.

"What would you prefer?" Avery asks.

"I want you to kneel before me as you hand it to me," Leonie says, "And I want you to toast me."

Avery grips the goblet tightly and tries to resist the urge to slap Leonie.

"I should have known that her request would be complicated, petty and humiliating," Avery thinks.

"What's wrong?" Leonie asks, "Are you going to disobey me?"

"Of course not," Avery says with a smile.

Leonie smirks, ready to watch Avery grovel before her. However, instead of kneeling, Avery dips her fingers into the glass and flicks the wine towards Leonie.

"What the hell are you doing?" Leonie snarls.

"I'm proposing a toast to you," Avery says with smug confidence, "Next I'll bring you a bouquet and maybe light a candle in your honor."

Avery gestures to the bouquet and unlit candles on the table. Leonie's expression sours immediately. She knows that Avery is referring to an old folk ritual for honoring the dead.

"Are you threatening me?" Leonie fumes.

"Not only is this bitch disobedient, she dares to threaten my death," Leonie thinks, "How dare she!"

Leonie grabs a fork from the table and swings it wildly through the air to stab Avery. Avery agilely dodges the fork and darts out of Leonie's reach.

"You told me to kneel to propose a toast," Avery says, "You didn't say it had to be a toast for the living."

"Stupid woman! Don't you care that I'm going to tell Evan?" Leonie screams.

"Mr. Howel," a waiter says from the door.

Leonie immediately drops the fork in her hand and her expression changes. A sweet smile spreads across her face, and she whispers to Avery, "Evan is coming. You're dead."

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