Chapter 210


    Avery''s chest tightened.


    She could hear the nervous tremor in her own voice as she tried to stay calm.


    "I see... What did the challenge entail?"


    Elliot''s thick brows furrowed as he said with a chilling expression, "Come and strangle me, you


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    *sshole!"


    Avery was speechless.


    Ben did not know whether tough or cry.


    "I suspect the hacker''s pretty young!"


    "Not necessarily!" Avery said. "You can''t tell much from that one sentence!"


    "An adult probably wouldn''t add in the term ''*sshole'' right? Other than in those old, corny soap operas,


    of course."


    To prevent them from suspecting a minor, Avery looked at Ben and muttered, "*sshole," then turned to


    Elliot and once again said, "*sshole."


    Both Ben and Elliot sat in stunned silence.


    "See, there''s nothing silly about the word!" Avery said." Adults can easily use it, too."


    She was hard at work, trying to clear her son''s name.


    Her expression had unwittingly given her away.


    Ben and Elliot exchanged nces for a moment as they came to the same conclusion.


    "How did you and Mike meet, Miss Tate? It''s hard to imagine that you would know someone that


    special," Ben said, changing the subject to something more lighthearted. "Also, it looks like he''s


    especially obedient. He listens to your every word."


    Avery took a sip of water and made up an excuse.


    "We met at aworking event when I was studying abroad. We''re friends, so there''s no such thing as


    obedience."


    "I see... Did he follow you to Aryadelle?"


    "He came because he felt like it, and he''ll leave when he feels like it. What''s this about following me


    around? " Avery said as she picked up a taco and ced it on her te.


    Mike was at Sterling Group trying to exin his intentions to the receptionist at the front desk.


    "I''m sorry, but you need an appointment to see Mr. Rayner."


    "It''s lunchtime now," Mike said.


    "Exactly! It''s lunchtime, so you may make an appointment after lunch at two in the afternoon," said the


    receptionist.


    "That''s not what I mean... Elliot Foster and Ben Schaffer sent me to see him. Do you know who those


    two are?"


    The receptionist was taken aback.


    How could she possibly not know who the president and chief financial officer were?


    "One moment, Sir. I''ll call Mr. Rayner and bring the matter to his attention."


    After a short phone call, the receptionist turned to Mike and said, "Mr. Rayner doesn''t want to see you."


    "I know he doesn''t want to see me, but your boss told me toe here. Are you going to listen to him


    or your boss? Just take me to where he is," Mike said.


    He was determined to see Chad because he was absolutely furious!


    The receptionist hesitated for a moment, then led Mike to Chad''s office.


    The moment Chad saw Mike, he began to seethe with anger.


    Mike closed the door to Chad''s office behind him, then snapped coldly, "You spy!"


    Faced with Mike''s chastising, Chad refused to back down.


    "I admit, I had ulterior motives for getting close to you that night, but you-"


    "It''s good that you''re admitting to that! Avery gave me an earful! She even made mee here to


    apologize to you! There''s no way I''m apologizing!"


    Mike was infuriated, but he was still rtively levelheaded.


    "Nothing would''ve happened between us if you hadn''t deliberately approached me, so don''t act like the


    victim here!"


    "Delete my number!" Chad hissed through gritted teeth.


    "My pleasure!" Mike said as he pulled out his phone and deleted Chad''s number.


    At the same time, Chad also got rid of Mike''s number.


    "Let''s never meet ever again! Even if I run into you, we should pretend like we don''t know each other,"


    said Chad.


    "Ha! I''d rather run into the devil than run into you!" Mike responded.


    After a heated argument, the two men parted ways.


    Mike walked out of Sterling Group, then entered a cafe nearby and ordered a cup of ck coffee.


    He then gave Hayden a call and said, "Hey, Big H. Your mom knows about what you did. I''ve got my


    own butt to worry about, so you''re on your own this time!"


    "It looks like I''ll have to bring the n forward," Hayden mumbled.


    "I think so! I bet your mom''s going to confiscate yourptop and give you a piece of her mind. Elliot


    Foster gave her some trouble today, so I''m guessing she''s in a terrible mood! Shouldn''t you just run


    away from home? " suggested Mike.


    "I''d rather get a beating than break Mommy''s heart," said Hayden.