<b>Chapter 708 </b>
<b>It </b>took a while for <b>Matthew </b><b>to </b>react. <b>Avery </b>was here for a reckoning<b>, </b><b>and it </b>was happening today<b>! </b>
<b>The </b>surprise etched on <b>every </b>face
<b>the </b>room was like a <b>spotlight </b><b>on </b><b>Matthew’s </b><b>frozen </b><b>expression</b><b>, </b><b>Jeff </b><b>included</b>.
“Avery, what the hell are you on about<b>?</b>”
<b>He’d </b>seen <b>his </b>fair share of <b>backstabbers</b><b>, </b><b>and </b>Avery’s <b>airy </b>usations weren’t going to ruffle him. With a gritted<b>–</b><b>teeth </b>grin, <b>he </b><b>retorted</b>, <b>“Your </b>mother was the one ying the <b>field</b><b>, </b><b>Avery</b>. <b>What’s </b><b>that </b><b>got </b><b>to </b>do with me<b>?</b><b>” </b>
<b>*</b><b>Just </b>answer <b>me </b>this. Can <b>you </b>swear on <b>your </b><b>honor </b><b>that </b>you had nothing <b>to </b><b>do </b><b>with </b>my mother’s downfall<b>?</b><b>” </b>
“Swear <b>to </b>you? <b>Why </b><b>would </b><b>I </b>owe you that? Who do you think you are<b>?</b><b>” </b>Matthew wasn’t taking the bait.
<b>Avery’s </b><b>l*ps </b>curled ever so <b>slightly</b>, his eyes swirling with <b>a </b>deadly storm, “Matthew<b>, </b>are you the one <b>who </b>always wanted <b>to </b>snatch the <i>CEO </i><b>title </b><b>from </b><b>my </b><b>grip</b><b>? </b>Let’s make a wager. If you swear my mother’s downfall had nothing to do with you<b>, </b><b>I’ll </b>hand <b>over </b>the CEO position <b>to </b>you.”
<b>The </b>room gasped <b>in </b>unison<b>! </b>Even Evadne and Thaddeus couldn’t hide their shock at Avery’s words.
To <b>Avery</b><b>, </b><b>he </b>had sought all means <b>to </b>finally get the CEO seat of the Chambers Group; there was no doubt it was <b>his </b>crown jewel. He was <b>ready </b>to slice off <b>a </b>piece of himself to gamble with Matthew, showing just how prepared he was <i>to </i>strike back.
“What do <b>you </b>mean ‘hand it over‘? That position was rightfully mine in the first ce!” Matthew spat venomously, his <b>anger </b>boiling over at Avery’s smugness, “It’s you who used all sorts of d*rty pools and snatched the position from me, so don’t pretend that is rightfully yours!”
“Fine<b>, </b>it’s <b>yours</b>. But not only will I give it back, I’ll leave the Chambers Group and go back to Helgen.”
<b>Avery’s </b>eyes shed crimson, “Do you dare ept?<b>” </b>
It was an all–<b>or</b><b>–</b>nothing move!
Evadne’s <b>l*ps </b>pressed slightly as she watched Avery with <b>a </bplex expression. She couldn’t deny that as for dealing with his mother’s issue, Snakey Avery had offered hisst ounce of conscience, surrendering everything he’d fought for simply to honor his mother.
Clearly, the injustice his mother had suffered was a thorn deep in his heart.
It was Matthew’s scheming, Jeff’s suspicions, and their ruthless abandonment that had twisted Avery into the wicked man he
<b>was </b><b>now</b>.
<b>In </b>some ways, it was Matthew who caused all this. If only Mrs. Camille Chambers hadn’t been framed, if only she could have stayed and raised her son, perhaps Avery wouldn’t have turned out this way.
But there were no what–ifs in life. A ckened heart never regained its purity.
The room fell silent, tension crackling like static in the air.
Mrs. Camille Chambers shivered in her son’s embrace<b>, </b>unaware of the storm brewing around her. Matthew’s teeth ground together, but his mind was racing.
<b>This </b>bet was sky–high, akin to going all–in at poker! It had been so long since those events<b>; </b>evidence was likely long gone. So he sneered venomously, “Avery, everyone’s watching. Just don’t try to weasel outter.”
<b>“</b>But if my mother’s downfall is linked to you, Matthew, I want you to kneel before her and beg <b>for </b>forgiveness. Call a press conference<b>, </b>reveal all the plots you’veid against her, and restore her dignity.”
Each of Avery’s words wasced with venom, “The mighty Chambers eldest son wouldn’t be so cowardly, right?”
“I’ll take your challenge, but you won’t get what you want. Because I’ve done nothing wrong,” Matthew’s smile was dark and <b>malicious</b>.
<b>Jeff’s </b>face <b>was </b><b>a </b>canvas of anger<b>, </b>flushing red then pale. More than the truth of his wife’s infidelity, he was outraged that Avery had aired their d*rtyundry <b>for </b>all to <b>see</b><b>. </b>
And instead <b>of </b>covering up the past, Matthew was boldly epting the challenge<b>, </b>escting the affair to a point of no return. His mind must have got crashed by cars<b>! </b>
Avery’s eyes gleamed with mischief; he raised his hoarse voice<b>, </b><b>“</b>Bring him in!”
The next moment<b>, </b>the <b>ballroom </b>doors creaked open.
<b>Harvey </b><b>led </b><b>the </b>way<b>, </b><b>followed </b>by <b>two </b>men <b>in </b>ck<b>, </b>dragging a shabby, disheveled middle–aged <b>man </b>before <b>the </b>crowd. <b>The </b>man
<b>Chapter </b><b>70S </b>
trembled as if cold, sniffling constantly.
“This guy’s <b>a </b>junkie, Jareth, with his worldly knowledge, recognized the signs immediately.
<b>Suddenly</b>, Mrs. Camille Chambers let out a hysterical scream, her eyes wide with terror!
<b>All </b><b>the </b>guests were startled Avery quickly shielded his mother from view, patting her shivering back soothingly, while casting a meaningful nce at Matthew.
<b>“</b><b>Matthew</b>, remember him<b>?</b><b>” </b>
Matthew’s brows knitted together as he scrutinized the man on the floor in astonishment, not recognizing him at all.
<b>“</b>Introduce yourself,” Averymanded, his voice grave.
<b>The </b><b>man </b>shuddered, sniffled, and stammered, “My name’s Chris. I was Mr. Jeff Chambers’s personal b*dyguard.”
At the mention <b>of </b>the name, Matthew’s eyes turned wide open in shock, his mind nk. The man before him was the very b*dyguard <b>he’d </b>bribed years ago to y the role of the adulterer!
He’d looked different two years ago; now he was a shadow of his former self, barely recognizable, which was why Matthew hadn’t recognized him at first.
? ???? ? ??? ?? ? ? ?? ?? ?
<b>“</b><b>My </b>personal b*dyguard? I’ve never seen you before,” Jeff was puzzled.
<b>“</b><b>I </b>worked for you, that was fifteen years ago.”
His eyes shifted from Avery to Matthew’s pale face, filling with resentment and regret. Matthew quickly looked away, avoiding his using gaze.
“Matthew, your memory seems to fail you, forgetting even the pawns you used in your own schemes.”
Avery let out a mockingugh, “The man helped you once at least, and this is how you repay him? Cold–hearted, indeed.”