Chapter 12: The Family That Betrayed Her

Several weeks passed after Avery and Elliot admitted their feelings.

For the first time, Avery allowed herself to believe that she had truly found a home.

Her father's condition continued improving.

The Tate family's problems were slowly being resolved.

And her relationship with Elliot had become stronger with every passing day.

But peace rarely lasted long.

One afternoon, Avery received a call from her father's hospital.

"Miss Tate, there is an urgent matter regarding your father's financial records."

Avery immediately frowned.

"What happened?"

"Several old documents have been requested by a third party."

"The request was submitted using your stepmother's authorization."

Avery's expression hardened.

"Wanda?"

"Yes."

She immediately ended the call and contacted Elliot.

"Something's wrong," she said when he answered.

"What happened?"

"Wanda requested access to my father's records."

"I'll have Marcus investigate."

"Thank you."

That evening, Avery returned home to find Wanda waiting in the living room.

Cassandra stood beside her.

The moment Avery entered, Wanda's expression became dramatic.

"Avery, we need to talk."

"About what?"

"Your father."

Avery calmly placed her handbag on the table.

"If this is about his treatment, the doctors already said he's improving."

"That's not what I mean."

Wanda placed a document on the table.

"Money is missing from one of your father's old accounts."

"And according to these records..."

"Your signature authorized the transfer."

Avery stared at the document.

"That's impossible."

"I never signed this."

Cassandra immediately spoke.

"But the signature looks exactly like yours."

"It isn't mine."

"Are you accusing us of forging it?" Wanda demanded.

"I'm saying someone forged my signature."

Wanda's face hardened.

"You have access to the Tate accounts."

"And you're married to the richest man in Avonsville."

"Maybe you took the money and hid it."

Avery stared at her in disbelief.

"You really think I'd steal from my own father?"

"I don't know what you're capable of anymore."

Before Avery could answer, the front door opened.

Elliot walked inside.

His eyes immediately landed on the documents.

"What's going on?"

Wanda quickly changed her expression.

"Elliot, we were just discussing some missing money."

"Avery's signature appears on the transfer documents."

Elliot picked up the papers.

He studied them silently.

"These documents are supposed to be from the Tate company?"

"Yes," Wanda replied.

Elliot looked at Avery.

"Did you authorize this?"

Avery shook her head.

"No."

He immediately nodded.

"Then she didn't do it."

Wanda blinked.

"You haven't even investigated."

"I don't need to."

"I know my wife."

Cassandra looked irritated.

"Elliot, you can't simply take her side."

"I can when the evidence is obviously manipulated."

"What do you mean?" Wanda asked.

Elliot pointed toward the bottom of the document.

"The signature was scanned."

"There's no pressure variation in the ink."

"It's a digital copy, not an original."

Wanda's face changed.

Avery looked toward her.

"So someone really did forge it."

"Exactly."

Elliot handed the document to Marcus.

"Have the original file analyzed."

"And trace who submitted it."

"Yes, sir."

Cassandra suddenly stepped forward.

"This is unfair!"

"Why are you always protecting her?"

"Because she's my wife," Elliot replied calmly.

"And because you're accusing her without evidence."

Cassandra's eyes filled with anger.

"You don't know what she's capable of."

Avery finally spoke.

"Neither do you."

"You spent years pretending to be my sister while secretly betraying me."

"Don't act like you suddenly care about honesty."

Cassandra's face turned pale.

Wanda immediately tried to defend her.

"That's enough!"

"Cassandra made mistakes."

"Mistakes?" Avery laughed bitterly.

"She was sleeping with my boyfriend behind my back."

"She helped destroy my relationship with him."

"And now you're trying to frame me for theft."

Cassandra shouted,

"You already have everything!"

"You have Elliot."

"You have the Foster name."

"You have money and status."

"Why can't you leave us something?"

Silence filled the room.

Avery slowly shook her head.

"Because none of those things were ever stolen from you."

"You lost Cole because he chose to betray me."

"You lost our family's trust because you lied."

"And now you're blaming me for the consequences."

Cassandra couldn't answer.

Marcus returned moments later with another file.

"Mr. Foster."

"We traced the transfer request."

Elliot looked at the report.

His expression became cold.

"It came from Cassandra's personal email."

Wanda immediately turned toward her daughter.

"Cassandra?"

"That's impossible!" Cassandra cried.

"Someone must have hacked my account."

Marcus shook his head.

"The request was sent from your laptop."

"And the security camera recorded you accessing the account."

Cassandra's face went completely white.

"I..."

Avery closed her eyes briefly.

She wasn't surprised anymore.

She was simply tired.

Elliot looked at Cassandra.

"This ends today."

"Stay away from my wife."

"And stay away from every Foster and Tate account."

"If you try this again, the police will handle it."

Cassandra burst into tears.

"Please..."

"I made a mistake."

Elliot's voice remained cold.

"Some mistakes have consequences."

Wanda grabbed Cassandra's arm.

For once, she had nothing to say.

After they left, Avery stood silently in the living room.

Elliot walked toward her.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes."

"No, you're not."

She gave a tired smile.

"I'm just disappointed."

Elliot gently took her hand.

"You don't have to deal with them alone anymore."

Avery looked into his eyes.

"I know."

"That's the part that still feels strange."

"What's strange?"

"Having someone who stays."

Elliot squeezed her hand.

"Get used to it."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Avery smiled.

For the first time, she didn't feel like the unwanted daughter of the Tate family.

She didn't feel like a temporary wife inside the Foster mansion.

She felt exactly where she belonged.

Beside Elliot.

And neither Wanda nor Cassandra would ever be able to take that away from her.