**Chapter 23** Elliot, his expression as hard as ice, brusquely shoved Avery's hand away with an indifferent flick. “Letting you live is already a mercy. Keep your mouth shut and stop testing my patience!” he spat coldly. Avery met his gaze, her heart heavy with unspoken emotions, and swallowed her hurt. Words felt useless; there was nothing she could say to change the turbulence churning in his heart. She turned her body away, pressing herself into the seat, her eyes trailing the scenery outside the window, watching the world blur by. Moments later, the car ground to a halt in front of the hospital, and without ceremony, she was yanked from the vehicle and dragged across the pavement towards the gynecology clinic. While Elliot remained behind, lighting a cigarette, the image of her tear-streaked face and the fury that emanated from her gaze tormented him like a looped memory. He steeled himself, refusing to show her any compassion. There were consequences for betrayal, and Avery would learn that lesson painfully. As the heavy doors to the operating room swung shut behind her, a wave of finality washed over the moment. Time dragged in the sterile air, and approximately thirty agonizing minutes later, they cracked back open. The doctor emerged, his expression neutral, as he addressed the bodyguard guarding the door. “The surgery is complete, but we will need to monitor the patient for at least an hour.” With his mission accomplished—the task of ensuring Avery went through with the abortion— the bodyguard promptly vacated the waiting area, leaving the doctor to re-enter the silent operating room where Avery lay, a storm of emotions whirling within her. Not long after, Laura was informed of the situation, and her heart dropped as she rushed to the hospital. She found Avery slumped over on a bench, eyes swollen and red from crying. “It hurts, Mom…” Avery’s voice was a fragile whisper, filled with anguish. Laura wrapped her arms around her daughter, compassion pouring from her. “Shh, sweetheart. Don’t cry. We’re going home. He’ll regret this when he learns the truth!” she comforted, her tone imbued with maternal strength. Avery shook her head, the flicker of hope extinguished by the harsh reality. “No, he won’t. He will never regret it. His heart is colder than stone,” she replied, wiping fresh tears from her cheeks. Supporting her daughter, Laura helped her off the bench as they exited the hospital and hailed a taxi, their hearts heavy with unspoken burdens. Meanwhile, Elliot's car tore out of the hospital parking lot, the roar of the engine echoing his unresolved inner turmoil. Back at the estate, Cole was summoned, a hint of dread prickling at the back of his neck as he wondered why his uncle had requested his presence. Hadn’t Elliot made it clear he wished to avoid any family gatherings? “Mrs. Cooper,” he inquired, his voice laced with uncertainty as he sipped his tea, “do you know what my uncle wants to talk about? Didn’t he say he didn’t want to see me here again?” Mrs. Cooper's face contorted with anxiety, her body shaking in response. “I-I don’t know anything. Please, don’t ask me,” she stammered, her mind replaying the horrifying scene of Avery’s forceful removal. The shocking news of Avery's pregnancy had taken her by surprise, but even more so, the fact that Elliot would compel her to terminate it. Just as Cole’s unease escalated, the sound of Elliot's car pulled into the courtyard. Rising swiftly, he left his seat to greet his uncle. The moment Elliot emerged, his dark scowl stark against the waning evening light, an ominous feeling knotted in Cole's stomach. A forced smile flickered across his face. “Uncle Elliot, why did you call me?” Before he could finish, a bodyguard lunged forward, kicking him brutally in the gut and sending him sprawling onto the ground. “So, you decided to show your face, you little brat? How dare you think you could deceive your uncle!” the bodyguard hissed, planting a boot on Cole's neck, an intimidating weight pinning him down. “Since you’re Master Elliot’s nephew, you get the rare opportunity to choose how you want your suffering to end. What do you say?” Terror coursed through Cole’s veins, paralyzing him. “Uncle Elliot, what have I done? Please, tell me! I’m confused—what did I do?” he pleaded, his voice flailing in desperation. From his wheelchair, Elliot cast a cold, deliberate stare down at his nephew. “I killed your and Avery Tate’s baby,” he announced curtly, the words like daggers slicing through the air. Cole’s eyes widened, horror etching every feature of his face. “How is that even possible? I’ve never even been... intimate with her! How could she be pregnant with my child?” His voice trembled, disbelief etched in every syllable. After a few tense, agonizing seconds, realization dawned over him. "Wait, Uncle Elliot, did you say Avery is pregnant? Wouldn’t that mean the child is yours?” The air thickened with unexpected tension, the truth hanging like an uninvited ghost in the room, ready to unleash chaos in its wake.