Chapter 89

As Aurora had mentioned, Avery was already being pestered endlessly by Freya. Just as she stepped out of the elevator in her apartment building, she ran into Freya waiting by her door. Freya grabbed her arm, not letting go. Avery frowned and looked at her with a hostile tone, "How long are you going to keep bothering me?" Freya didn't waste words and got straight to the point, "Just pay for Trey's tuition abroad, and I'll leave you alone." "He's your son. What does he have to do with me?" "He is your younger brother. How can you ignore him?" Freya had dropped out of college to be with Dean and had never worked after having a child, relying entirely on Dean's support. Trey had attended the best schools abroad, but now that all of Dean's assets were frozen, she had no choice but to turn to Avery to ensure her son could continue his education. "My mother never gave birth to a brother for me." Avery shook off Freya forcefully. "And I've told you before, I don't have any money right now." Hearing this, Freya got angry, "You drive a sports car every day. How could you have no money?" Freya had no idea that Avery's car was about to be repossessed. She simply thought that Avery was unwilling to pay for Trey's tuition. Looking at her father's mistress, Avery found her current situation utterly ridiculous. When Stella appeared in the Carlson family at the age of 15, Avery watched as everyone's attention gradually shifted to her. All the spotlight was placed on Stella, while she was overshadowed and became just a foil to Stella. Not wanting to lose everything, she had to do whatever she could to hold on to Aaron. At one time, Avery believed the only thing she had over Stella was her father's love. But now, that too had become a joke. From the beginning, she had never thought about competing with Stella for shares. Yet, even without that, she still couldn't get what she wanted. Stella stood tall and proud, like an insurmountable mountain blocking her path. And what about Avery? She was left to live in this cramped apartment, dealing with endless troubles right in front of her. Thinking of this, Avery forcefully shoved away the unrelenting Freya. She had had enough! At the Horizon Group Building, Ethan sat at the head of the table of the conference room, his expression indifferent, listening to Simon's annual report. "The YT profit dropped by 5 points?" Ethan's voice was cold as he glanced at the financial report that Isaac had just handed over. Simon hesitated for a moment before carefully replying, "This year, the overall market profit declined, so YT was likely affected as well." When Ethan spoke, Director Atticus, sitting just below Simon, tensed up, fearing the boss would hold them accountable. To his surprise, Isaac suddenly whispered a few words into Ethan's ear. Ethan nodded slightly, stood up, and said, "Have the YT manager prepare a market research report. That's all." The heavy atmosphere dissipated, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief, curious about what Isaac had whispered to the boss. Ethan took the elevator back to his top-floor office, with Isaac and Jason following behind. "Boss, Mrs. Powers just called and asked you to go straight to the restaurant after work," Isaac said. For the past few years, the boss hadn't celebrated his birthday. Today was clearly different, and Isaac could tell Ethan was in a good mood. "Got it," Ethan replied. Jason laughed when he heard this, his voice teasing, "Is your wife planning a romantic evening with you?" "What brings you here?" Ethan asked, glancing over the financial report without looking up. Jason considered himself more thoughtful than Ethan. He clicked his tongue, "You really prioritize love over friendship. I'm here to give you a gift." Ethan glanced at the box Jason placed on the table, guessing it was a watch. He nodded and pointed, "Thanks. Take that coffee machine with you." The custom-made Nespresso coffee machine was unique, and Jason, a coffee lover, had his eye on it for a while. "Thanks," Jason said. Ethan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Did you handle those matters?" "Don't worry. I've warned William, and he won't cause any trouble." After saying this, Jason's eyes shifted, and he added, "But, what if your wife finds out one day? Isn't it said that women hate being deceived the most?" Aaron seemed to have lost hope and was considering leaving the country. William, always scheming, wanted Ethan's help, but that was impossible. After speaking, Jason noticed Ethan's slightly cold gaze and quickly changed his tune, laughing awkwardly, "I'm just being pessimistic. Your wife will never find out." With that, he quickly took the coffee machine and left.