Chapter 10 Elijah kicked the bedroom door open , but the room was completely empty . He sneered . He had let his anger get the better of him and forgotten that Avery was away on her trip . Pulling out his phone , he dialed a number and said coldly , " Bring Mrs. Tarver back to me . " Days went by , and still there was no sign of Avery . No matter how hard they searched , they couldn't find a single clue to where she had gone . Elijah stood in the bedroom , wearing a dark expression . The furniture was all still in place , but some of Avery's personal belongings were gone . He tore through the house until he finally found her suitcase hidden under the bed . Inside , he saw everything she had taken from the house . Staring at the clothes in the suitcase , Elijah felt a sharp , crushing pain in his chest . It was hard to even breathe . Avery had left so suddenly , taking nothing with her . She hadn't left a trace of attachment to the house or to him . Just then , his phone rang . " Mr. Tarver , we've found the rat , " the person on the other end said . Elijah's dark expression finally eased slightly . Since someone had the nerve to provoke him , he wouldn't mind getting his revenge . He grabbed his car keys and headed out to a remote area . At an old , deserted factory outside of town , the culprit hung from the ceiling with a sack over his head . After a few lashes from the whip , he spilled everything he knew . " Lara was the one who ordered all of this . She promised that if I handed over the company's secrets , I'd be set for life . I saw how close you were to Ms. Womack and figured she might be the next Mrs. Tarver . I thought she wouldn't harm the company , so I gave her the files . " Elijah's expression darkened , and his blood ran cold . " How could it be her ? Even at death's door , you're still lying ? " The man trembled as he said , " Mr. Tarver , please believe me , I have proof . " When the evidence was laid out before him , Elijah had no choice but to face the harsh truth . The woman he had loved since childhood , the one he cherished more than anyone in the world , had betrayed him . Soon , Dominic placed a stack of files in Elijah's hands . Elijah's temples throbbed as he held the files , feeling as if he were holding his own death Chapter 10 sentence . He closed his eyes for a long moment , drew in a deep breath , and finally opened them . The first page showed that as soon as Lara returned to the country , she contacted a rival company and struck a deal . After that , she had been steadily selling Tarver Group's confidential files to them . Elijah's chest tightened , and his veins bulged with rising anger . He forced himself to keep reading . Avery's name immediately caught his eye . The files showed how Lara had spent the past six months carefully setting Avery up , dragging her from one nightmare to the next . She had locked Avery in dressing rooms , stolen her concert performances , and left her open to attacks from enraged fans . She had cut her own hand and blamed Avery , ruining Avery's ability to play the cello . She had deliberately cut the bungee cord , causing Avery to crash into rocks . The more Elijah read , the more it felt as if invisible hands were squeezing his chest . He struggled to breathe , forcing himself to go through the files page by page . On the last page , it said that Lara had framed Avery at the Tarver residence . The files slipped from his hands and scattered across the floor . Elijah sank to his knees , clutching his chest in pain . What had he done all these days ? He had been blind , repeatedly protecting Lara while she hurt Avery . Only because Lara had once saved his life , he had committed so many unforgivable acts against his own wife . Thinking of Lara , the woman who had once saved him , his heart skipped a beat . His mind was full of questions he couldn't answer . Could this cruel woman really be the girl who saved him 15 years ago ? Elijah didn't dare think about it any further . If she wasn't the same girl , how could he ever face himself ? ... Lara groaned and clutched her head as she woke , realizing she was in an unfamiliar factory . Her drowsiness vanished instantly , replaced by a rush of panic . " Release me ! I'm Mr. Tarver's Chapter 10 woman . I dare anyone to try and lay a hand on me ! " she shouted , struggling violently . Elijah suddenly stepped forward , exuding complete control and authority . He stopped and lowered his gaze , looking at Lara with a chilling intensity , as if she were already a dying woman . " Why did you betray me ? Did I ever treat you badly ? " Lara froze . She lowered her head , unable to meet his gaze . " Eli , what are you talking about ? " Elijah let out a cold laugh and slammed a stack of files toward her face . " Explain yourself . What is all this ? " Lara trembled as she glanced at the files on the floor . Everything she had done over the past six months was clearly documented . She had sold company secrets , manipulated stock , and even framed Avery . Seeing no way out , Lara gave up trying to hide her feelings . She wiped her tears , sat on the floor , and laughed . " Now that you know the truth , what can you do about it ? I want you to feel what it's like to lose everything ! " Elijah frowned , feeling that the woman before him was now completely unrecognizable . " Why ? " he asked . Lara sneered . " Why ? Why don't you ask your beloved father ? I ended up like this because of him ! " Lara lifted her head and stared Elijah straight in the eyes . " The Womack family was ruined overnight . My parents either died or were left broken . It was all your father's doing , to keep us apart . I've spent all these years away from you , gathering my strength to come back for revenge . I'm going to make everyone you love suffer . I'm going to make you feel what it's like to be completely betrayed and abandoned ! " Elijah felt his temples pulse . He clenched his fists . " Did you save a boy ten years ago ? " he asked . Lara's eyes were wild with madness . " Save you ? If I had met you ten years ago , I would have killed you without mercy , " Suddenly , the sound of a phone ringing echoed through the empty factory . Elijah's heart suddenly trembled uncontrollably , as if some hidden truth was about to be revealed . " Mr. Tarver , I found a file and a banner about the boy who fell into the water ten years ago in the trash at the villa . It was signed by Mrs. Tarver . I've already returned them to your bedroom . 11 Chapter 11