Chapter 215: The Cost of Loving Her

“I’m sorry,” Avery whispered, her voice breaking as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She stood in the middle of the living room, shoulders trembling, eyes fixed on the floor. “I’m so, so sorry… for everything. For bringing your family into this mess. For Leroy… for Mathew… for all the pain my father caused you.”

Allison Foster looked at her for a long moment, eyes red and swollen from days of crying. Then she stepped forward and pulled Avery into a tight hug.

“It’s fine,” she said softly, voice cracking. “You brought my brother back to us. Mathew is alive. That’s what matters right now.”

Avery’s arms wrapped around her, holding on like Allison was the only thing keeping her standing. Behind them, on the large couch, the rest of the Foster family sat together. Jeanette, their mother, had her arms around Mathew, stroking his bruised face gently while tears ran silently down her cheeks. Eden and Ryan sat on either side, leaning into their older brother like they were afraid he might disappear again.

The reunion had been raw and heartbreaking. When Avery had brought Mathew home from the hospital earlier that day, the moment Jeanette saw her youngest son alive, even beaten and weak, she had collapsed to her knees in the foyer, sobbing so hard the sound echoed through the entire villa. Eden and Ryan had rushed to him, crying and hugging him now, hours later, they were all here, holding each other like the world might try to take more from them.

Avery pulled back slightly from Allison, wiping her eyes. “So… when do you plan to do the funeral?”

Allison’s face crumpled. She ran a shaky hand through her hair, trying to hold herself together.

“Mr. Ashbourne… he already prepared everything,” she said, voice cracking. “The burial plot, the coffin, the service. He said we only need to come and say goodbye. I… I haven’t even been able to look at the body yet. They told me it was… cut into pieces. I saw the photos the police showed us. I can’t stop seeing them.”

Her shoulders shook as she tried to hold back a sob. Avery crushed her into another hug, holding her tight as Allison finally broke down, crying into her shoulder like a dam had burst.

“I’m so sorry,” Avery whispered again and again, rocking her gently. “I’m so, so sorry. Leroy didn’t deserve any of this. He was good. He was kind. He loved you all so much.”

Allison clung to her, tears soaking Avery’s shirt. “Anything you need,” Avery continued, voice thick with emotion, “tell me. Anything at all. That man… my father… he is already paying for his sins dearly. I promise you.”

Allison nodded against her shoulder, pulling back to look at her. “And Mr. Ashbourne… he gave us a lot of money. Enough to start over. He even offered me a job, something stable, with good pay. So we don’t have to struggle anymore.”

Avery’s eyes widened in surprise, but she said nothing.

Allison gave her a small, sad smile. “Thank you… for always loving my brother. Just know I don’t ever blame you for his death. You tried to protect him. You tried to protect all of us.”

Avery’s throat tightened so much she couldn’t speak. She simply nodded, pulling Allison into one last fierce hug as fresh tears fell.

The two women stood there in the middle of the living room, hugging tightly while the rest of the Foster family quietly comforted each other on the couch. No one spoke for a long time. There were no words big enough for what they had all lost… and what little they had gained back.

Avery stood outside the heavy oak door of Ravial’s private study, heart hammering against her ribs. Her palms were sweaty. She wiped them on her jeans before raising a shaky hand and knocking softly.

There was a pause.

“Come in,” came the low, calm voice from inside.

She pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.

Ravial sat behind the massive mahogany desk, eyes fixed on his laptop screen, fingers moving across the keyboard with precise, unhurried clicks. He didn’t look up. The blindfold was still in place, as always, giving nothing away.

Avery stood there awkwardly for a long moment, the silence stretching until it felt suffocating. Finally, she swallowed hard and spoke.

“Thank you.”

Ravial’s fingers stilled on the keyboard. Slowly, he raised his head, that blindfolded gaze turning directly toward her. Even without seeing his eyes, the weight of his attention made her spine straighten.

Avery swallowed again, forcing the words out.

“Thank you for everything. For loving my sister the way you do… for protecting her. For helping me when I didn’t deserve it. And for helping the Fosters… bringing Mathew back, giving them a future. I know you didn’t have to do any of that. So… thank you.”

Ravial stared at her in silence for several seconds, his expression unreadable behind the black silk.

Then he spoke, voice cool, detached, and laced with that signature dark edge.

“I didn’t do it for you.”

Avery blinked, taken aback by the bluntness.

He leaned back slightly in his chair, fingers tapping once on the desk.

“Everything I did was for her. Leitana. My wife. My reason. I removed a threat that dared touch what belongs to me. I gave your mother and you security because it pleases her. I brought the boy back because she asked. Don’t mistake my actions for kindness, Avery. They are simply the consequences of loving her.”

Avery stood frozen, processing the chilling calm in his voice. There was no anger, no satisfaction, just cold, absolute fact.

Ravial tilted his head slightly, as if the word amused him in some distant way.

“Still… you’re welcome.”

“I’m grateful.” she said quietly, voice trembling but sincere.

Then he gave one small, almost imperceptible nod.

The silence returned.

Avery shifted on her feet, unsure whether to say more or leave. Ravial’s gaze stayed locked on her for another beat before he looked back down at his laptop, dismissing her without another word.

She turned and quietly left the study, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

Inside, Ravial stared at the screen, but his mind was elsewhere.

Grateful.

The word meant nothing to him.

The only thing that mattered was that Leitana was safe, untouched by that filth, and that the people she cared about were no longer weapons that could be used against her.

Everything else, gratitude, justice, revenge was simply irrelevant .