**Chapter 63** Avery’s heart raced in turmoil as the implications of the lie detector test echoed in her mind. Elliot knew every word she had spoken, and the thought of it chilled her to the bone. A haunting question loomed: Was he truly the architect of her misery? Was he the one poised to seize Tate Industries' groundbreaking new program? The cold sweat that trickled down her spine felt like a harbinger of the chaos to come. With a quick decision, she abruptly ended her call with Cole and stepped out of her room, mind swirling with dread. In the living room, the air was thick with the aftermath of dinner and the lingering scent of smoke. Elliot sat with Ben, both lost in their thoughts, when Ben suddenly noticed Avery’s presence. Without hesitation, he extinguished his cigarette, concern etching his features. “Would you like to join us, Miss Tate?” Ben asked, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. With a subtle nod, Avery approached him, the weight of her urgency pressing against her chest. “I need to speak with Elliot. Alone,” she declared, her voice steady yet tinged with an underlying tension. Ben's brow furrowed, momentarily caught off guard. Was she dismissing him? The realization struck him, and embarrassment washed over his face. “Right. I’ll leave you two to it,” he stammered. “You could take a walk outside if you wanted; the weather is perfect.” Without another word, he made a hasty exit, leaving the heavy silence of the room to settle between them. Avery took a seat where Ben had been, her mind racing with the weighty news she had just gathered. “Cole called,” she began, her tone grave as the reality set in. “He’s being held at a casino, and they plan to cut off his finger.” Elliot’s eyes flickered, revealing the knowledge he already possessed of the situation. He had received word from his contacts—Cole had been on an extraordinarily reckless gambling spree that night. “Are you saddened by this?” he probed, the mention of Cole igniting a spark of irritation within him. Avery’s gaze hardened. “The captors believe he possesses the new system from Tate Industries, so they loaned him money to gamble. Now they want the program in return,” she stated, her words deliberate and unyielding. “You are among the few who know he has it…” “Are you accusing me?” Elliot’s voice shifted, ice creeping into his tone as ash slipped from the cigarette he held, a representation of the tension escalating in the room. “No,” she replied evenly, “I’m simply inquiring. But if it’s not you—” “It is me.” A cruel smirk twisted Elliot’s lips, his demeanor shifting unexpectedly. “Will you kneel and beg for his life, Avery?” Her brows shot up in fierce defiance. “Not on your life. Over my dead body.” Every sinew in Elliot’s frame tightened at her unwavering resolve. “You think I won’t instruct them to carry out their threat?!” he bellowed, the force of his words reverberating through the room. “Go ahead and do it,” she countered, the challenge hanging between them like a storm cloud. Silence fell, thick and oppressive. “Cole used to tell me I was the only woman he loved,” Avery continued, her voice now laced with bitterness. “But while he’s out doing who knows what with my sister tonight, if you sever his finger, I might just light up a cigarette for you after.” The icy glimmer in Elliot’s eyes deepened, a realization dawning that perhaps Avery had severed her emotional ties with Cole Foster. Moments later, Elliot’s phone buzzed, rousing him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen, then decisively powered it off, his expression unreadable. Just then, Avery’s phone chimed with an incoming call. She too silenced it, plunging them into an almost eerie quiet where the beats of their hearts could be distinctly heard. After weighing her options, Avery finally spoke up, determination radiating from her. “Don’t underestimate me, Elliot. If you try to play games, I will bring you down with me.” The air became charged, as the stakes between them escalated, each aware that the battle lines had been drawn.