But he was somehow different.
Maybe it was because their positions were swapped. In the past, Jessica was the favorite daughter of the Clifford family. She was arrogant. James, on the other hand, was just an unknown bodyguard.
But now, James was the proud prince of B Country while Jessica was a sex slave sold to the black market.
This happened within months.
Avery didn't know what happened between them. She could only hear Jessica's screaming. James picked her up on his shoulder and took her away like prey.
The water still kept running from the hose. Avery suddenly recalled what Jamie said.
He said Clifford was in a huge crisis because of James's betrayal.
That explained why James held the gun at Andrew's forehead even if he recognized him without the mask.
It was at James's turf. Andrew was like a fish swimming in a cooking pot.
Jessica was in no better position. She was walking on thin ice. A chance to meet her would be extremely difficult.
As soon as they left, there was no show to watch. The audience exchanged gossip in private and soon left too.
Avery was still wondering if she should tell Andrew the masked man was James. She had to think about how to meet Jessica. She had to consider too much at the same time, and it was a mess.
So she didn't notice a look landing on her.
Rebecca ordered the servants to clean up the pigeon corpses and wash the blood away. Afterward, she saw Evan couldn't take his eyes off, Avery. Rebecca frowned.
She started to imagine Avery's face was thrown acid and how ugly she was after she was disfigured. Then she started smiling slowly.
Rebecca knew men were easily attracted by looks.
Avery was so gorgeous that she could stop traffic. After she was pregnant, she looked sexier with her bigger boobs.
Rebecca had to admit that she sometimes envied Avery's look.
Actually, she was not bad, either. She was a noble princess with the presence that nobody could compete. Her face was also flawless. But it wasn't enough.
She couldn't compete with Avery's riveting smiles, her insolence, nor coolness. She didn't have to do anything. The way she stood there with languor would make man's blood run wild. She was a creature that man couldn't resist.
Rebecca knew it deeply. Even if she tried everything she could, she couldn't.
If so, she had to destroy her.
After she was disfigured, she wanted to see if Evan would still love her.
Rebecca kept the thoughts in her mind. Seeing Evan started to leave, she followed him. She pretended to look innocent.
"Evan, are you still mad at me because of what happened last night? It's not me. I asked the servants to examine inside and outside the house. They said the spider ran loose from James's pet box."
Avery was ahead of them. She overheard that Rebecca moved the blame to James. She smiled quietly. If anyone would fall for that, it was beyond foolishness. It was mutual consent.
Seeing they were about to catch up, Avery walked faster. She almost ran into Jamie with two walking sticks.
"Miss Peters, Mr. Clifford is worried about you, so he sends me over. The man with the mask..." Then he looked over Avery and looked far away, "is it, James Moore?"
Avery was still not sure if she should let Andrew know. So she didn't answer.
"Is he James?" Jamie wouldn't give up and asked again.
"Yes," Avery had to nod.
Jamie was furious. He was coming to James with his walking sticks. He was ready to perish with James.
"Stop! You and Andrew are both badly injured. How can you win? Don't forget we're at his turf. If you insist on confronting him, you will get nothing good. You can't even win me now..."
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Jamie wouldn't give up. Avery had to persuade him the other way.
"If you die, your master would be left alone. Nobody else would look after him."
Then she kept walking. She heard walking sticks following. She was relieved. It was lucky that Jamie didn't insist on getting even with James.
Sorts of noises came from Andrew's bedroom. The second Avery walked in, and a figure was at her
feet. The nurse was kicked out by Andrew. She was in so much pain that she couldn't get up.
"What's going on?" Avery asked.
Andrew wore a white bathrobe. His thigh was revealed, and the bandage was taken off.
The nurse's eyes were so red. She struggled to get up, seeing Avery, who gave her a hand.
"It's my bad. I hurt Mr. Clifford."
"It's no problem. I'll take over. You could take a look at Jamie."
Avery washed her hands in the bathroom and left it. She walked over to Andrew. Andrew lowered his head at Avery's toe.
"The nurse said two spiders were in your room last night."
"Yeah."
"Someone must put them there. Or where do they come from? This place is not safe. We have to get out of here soon. But before then, we have to stay."
"I can't run from whoever wants to hurt me. I'd better stay here to wait for her to dig her own grave."
"Ah—be gentle."
"Did you move the leg?"
It was apparent Andrew kicked the nurse with his wounded leg. The wound was burst apart, and new blood started seeping. Avery applied the drug on his leg. He was in so much pain that he almost jumped off the couch.
"Avery, be gentle!"
"I thought I was. Be careful, if you wouldn't let me apply for medicine, you might become limp."
"If you don't go easy on me, my leg would be broken. Ah... What did the hell happen? Who fired shots?"
Avery ignored him and kept working on his wound. Then she sprinkled some powders that helped the wound to heal. Then she wrapped it up with gauze.
"I saw Jessica."
Maybe it was pain or Andrew knew Jessica was involved, he heavily frowned.
"She's fine. The shots were aimed at pigeons," Avery noticed Andrew's thigh muscles relaxed. She applied layers of gauze on his wound and tied it up with a bowknot.
Andrew had to know the answer.
"Who fired the shots?"
From what he knew about Avery, she wouldn't mention Jessica if she weren't involved. Jessica never touched guns, let alone fired.
Then who was it that fired gunshots? Was it Arlington's adopted son?
Avery looked up slightly.
"It was James Moore."