**Chapter 73** "That's her," Elliot confirmed, his voice steady and unwavering. “Got it! I’ll make a note of her name!” the captain replied with enthusiasm, as if he had just unearthed a vital clue in a thrilling mystery. Meanwhile, within the walls of the Foster mansion, Avery sat at her polished desk, her fingers poised over the keyboard of her laptop. She was logging into her social media accounts, the familiar buzz of notifications strangely comforting, as she prepared to share the distressing news of her stolen phone with the world. Yet after posting, she remained motionless, lost in a haze of thoughts—the screen illuminating her distressed expression. Perhaps, she mused, losing the phone wasn't the worst thing imaginable. The thought of an intruder rifling through her private life was far more horrific than the loss of the device itself. A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and she pressed her hand against her temples as if to soothe the spinning thoughts swirling in her mind. If only she had foreseen this disaster, she lamented. Maybe a simple stroll around her own neighborhood would have sufficed, keeping her safe from this uncertain fate. Rising from her desk, Avery meandered into the bathroom, seeking solace in the stream of warm water. After a shower, she climbed into bed, cocooning herself in blankets, but sleep continued to evade her like a shadow. The peace of the night was abruptly shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps in the hallway, followed by a sharp knock at her door. “Are you awake, Madam?” Mrs. Cooper's voice, laced with urgency, reached her ears. “Master Elliot just called! He has your phone back. You only need to sign some documents at the station. If you prefer, he can handle it for you.” Avery’s heart raced; she sprang from her bed and flung the door open. “They found my phone?” she exclaimed, hope flickering within her. “Yes! Master Elliot made sure to retrieve it,” Mrs. Cooper assured her, emphasizing his role in this small triumph. “I called him first and told him everything. You’re not angry, are you?” Avery shook her head vigorously, a wave of gratitude flooding her heart. How could she be upset when the thought of her phone being back in her possession filled her with relief? Half an hour later, they arrived at the police station. Upon spotting Elliot standing there, clutching her phone, anxiety washed over her in cold waves. “Give that to me!” she snapped, her voice a mix of desperation and urgency as she lunged forward to grab her phone. But Elliot, unfazed, held it just out of reach, his arm rising high above his head. “Are you really that worried about me looking through your phone?” he teased, his tone mocking. “Did you?” Avery shot back, her voice laced with indignation as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Who do you think you are? Do you have no respect for other people’s privacy? I'm not your plaything! You always do this! You never respect me!” Their confrontation drew curious stares from onlookers, the tension crackling in the air. Here was Elliot Foster—the man whose mere presence sent shivers down the spines of those around him—being confronted by the very woman who had dared to raise her voice against him. The air felt electric, the atmosphere thick with disbelief. Where did Avery find the courage to stand up to him like this? From the corner, the thief interjected with a sneer, “It’s just a bunch of photos of a belly in there!” His words ignited a fire within Avery, her face flushing with anger and embarrassment as if she had been stripped bare before an audience. Each photograph taken during her pregnancy, capturing the journey of her growing belly—intimate moments she had intended to cherish, now exposed for all the world to see. Elliot's brows knitted together in confusion, having not inspected her phone, and now, he glanced at Avery with a bemused expression, unsure of how to react to the thief's careless revelation. In this brief moment, surrounded by the echoes of their confrontation, Avery felt both vulnerable and surprisingly empowered, her voice loud enough to challenge even the mightiest of forces.