**Chapter 85** The reality of the situation struck Jun with all the subtlety of a hammer falling from a great height. “What’s next? Is Elliot really going to have to grovel for her forgiveness like some lovesick puppy?” he muttered, frustration brewing in his tone. Chad leaned back in his chair, contemplating. “I’ll swing by and check on them after work.” “Should I ask my girlfriend to visit Avery? Maybe she can work some magic,” Jun suggested, his voice trailing off. “Who's your girlfriend again?” Chad raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. Jun cleared his throat, desperate to regain his composure. “She’s Avery’s best friend. The one who spilled the beans to Avery in the first place. Honestly… if I weren’t so smitten, I might’ve ended things with her last night!” Chad sighed, shaking his head. “Man, you really have a knack for picking them.” “She could see right through me! How was I supposed to know she had such an eye for detail?” Jun's voice edged towards a whine. “Looks like you’ll need to keep your lips sealed around her from now on. You’re no longer one of us,” Chad smirked, reveling in Jun's plight. “I’ll stand my ground, I swear!” Jun declared, bitterness coating his words. “I’m doing it for Elliot!” As twilight draped its cloak over the Foster mansion, Ben and Chad arrived, their faces set with concern for Elliot. “Master Elliot stumbled home around five this morning,” Mrs. Cooper began, her voice laced with worry. “His bodyguard reported that he spent the night soaked to the bone outside Avery’s mother’s house. They only got him back after he collapsed around four.” Ben exchanged troubled glances with Chad, both men grappling with the absurdity of Elliot's situation. The mighty Elliot Foster, reduced to waiting out a storm in despair for Avery Tate? “The storm last night was vicious,” Ben remarked, furrowing his brow. “It escalated after midnight. The lake near my place overflowed,” Chad added, shaking his head. “No one could survive a night in that kind of downpour—no matter how fit they are!” Chad turned to Mrs. Cooper, his heart sinking. “Where’s Miss Avery? Is she not at home?” Mrs. Cooper’s response was a defeated shake of her head. “She won’t take my calls. I used to reach her every time, but this time… it seems like their argument was worse than I thought.” Just then, the doctor descended from the second floor, the weight of bad news painted across his face. “How’s he holding up?” Ben asked, dread pooling in his stomach. “His fever hasn’t broken yet,” the doctor replied grimly. “If this persists, pneumonia is a real possibility. His lungs may already be compromised. I suggested taking him to the hospital, but he refuses.” Panic surged in Mrs. Cooper. “We can't let that happen! I’ll try reaching Madam Avery again. Master Elliot only listens to her.” Ben's expression deepened into concern, and he took a step towards the door. “I’m going to find her.” Chad hurried to keep pace with him. “What if she doesn’t pick up again?” “I’ll track her down,” Ben insisted. “Any idea where she could be?” “Last I saw, she was with Charlie Tierney. He seemed to be in high spirits in his recent social media posts,” Chad informed, determination gleaming in his eyes. “I’ll stay back and keep an eye on things here. If the situation worsens, I’ll have to drag Mr. Foster to the hospital myself,” Chad promised. With a curt nod, Ben surged out of the mansion, urgency propelling him forward. Meanwhile, at Chateau Juliet—one of Avonsville’s most luxurious establishments—Avery found herself reluctantly swept into the evening. Though she wanted to resist, her management team had swarmed her with insistence until she relented, half out of exhaustion and half out of a desire to avoid transferring her gloomy aura to her mother. In the midst of a heartfelt conversation, Charlie placed a glass of apple juice before her. Avery took a hesitant sip, looking around the lavish private room, almost grateful for the distraction. But then, like a tempest crashing through a fragile door, Chelsea burst into the room, her fury palpable and ferocious. Avery’s heart sank as Chelsea advanced, her piercing gaze aflame. “Are you relishing the thrill of being desired by two men?” she spat, voice trembling with pent-up emotions. Without warning, she seized a glass of water from the table and hurled it at Avery, the contents soaking her face, leaving the air thick with tension. In that charged moment, all eyes shifted to the confrontation, the atmosphere crackling with an unspoken challenge. Avery’s heart raced, caught in a storm of emotions—betrayal, anger, and hurt—as she struggled to comprehend the chaos unfurling around her.