A sudden scream breaks the silence.
"Did you want Mrs. Howel to be near your crotch?" Evan asks.
Michelle is in a great deal of pain, and she tries to lift her face from the ground, but Evan is stepping heavily on her hands.
"No," Michelle sobs.
Her face is distorted with pain. She recalls what Avery said to her. Although everyone knows that Evan doesn't love her or care for her, she's still his wife. He won't allow just anyone to hurt her.
"I was wrong, Mr. Howel, I'm sorry," she says, "No matter what Avery did, I shouldn't have asked her to do something humiliating and sexual like that.
Evan Howel sees Robert remove his gun from its holster on his waist, and he hands it to Evan. Evan cocks the gun and points the silver barrel at the woman's head.
"Forgive me, Mr. Howel, please. I can do anything for you," Michelle begs.
Tears streaked her heavy makeup. Black eyeshadow and mascara running down her cheeks, giving her an eerie appearance. The waiters don't dare to look at her or even help her. The waiters know that they need to protect themselves; Evan may see them as accomplices and blame them for what happened. Avery is upset and annoyed by the screaming and crying.
"Will you do anything?" Avery suddenly asks Michelle.
"Yes, yes, I will. Avery, we were classmates," Michelle begs, "Please help me, save me."
Avery does not like to use guns or fists to solve problems, she finds it distasteful and barbaric.
"Can you let her go?" she asks Evan, "She did indeed do something wrong, but she shouldn't die."
"Are you pleading for her life?" Evan asks, his cold eyes narrowing.
"Why did Avery say that she didn't like Michelle before?" Evan wonders, "But now she's pleading for her life. How odd!"
"In the end, I didn't go through her legs or get near to her crotch. Moreover, she's received her retribution now," Avery says.
Avery has already shamed Michelle. She'd feel terrible if the woman ended up dead.
"Yes, you're right," Michelle says, "I deserve the utmost shame. I spread my legs and then I fell, exposing myself to everyone. That is retribution enough, I assure you."
Avery turns to Michelle who looks abjectly miserable. She knows it's shameful for her to even mention her public nudity. Evan frowns. His expression is cold and distant and unreadable. He continues to point the gun at Michelle's head.
"I'm hungry, and it seems she understands what she's done wrong," Avery says, ``Shall we have lunch now?"
She wants to change the topic and recall Evan from his murderous rage. All she wants is for him to spare Michelle's life. She doesn't care about stealthy accusations or Michelle's rude words; she doesn't even want to make Michelle apologize anymore.
Knowing that no one can change Evan's mind once he's made a decision, she calmly places her palm over the muzzle of the gun.
"Manager Michelle, be quick and arrange the lunch," she says.
Michelle continues to choke and cry. She looks at Evan fearfully, waiting for his permission. Even though Avery has helped her, she doesn't dare to leave without Evan's approval.
Robert Tinder is in a cold sweat. Robert has served Mr. Howel for many years, and he knows him very well; when Mr. Howel is angry, he will crush everyone and everything in his path.
"I can't believe Mrs. Howel blocked the gun with her hand. Isn't she scared of being shot?" he thinks.
"Go then," Evan says angrily.
He put-puts the safety on the gun and tosses it to Robert.
Michelle staggers to her feet and hurriedly runs away to the hotel, losing one of her shoes in the process. The terrified waiters follow in Michelle's steps. The sounds of crying and screaming gradually disappear. Only the quiet moaning of the bodyguards in the grass remains.
More than a dozen people search carefully for the ring, but it can't be found. Evan takes Avery's hand in his and stares at her without moving. His eyes are blank.
"Do you know why I let her go?" he suddenly asks Avery.
"Because my palm was blocking your gun?" Avery answers peacefully.
"Because in your eyes, it wasn't such a big deal. You didn't seem to be as furious as I felt," Evan said.
Avery nodded her agreement; she's not narrow-minded.
"In my opinion, anyone who intends to hurt my wife should be killed. And I want to be the one to do it," he says roughly.
The breeze blows again and Avery looks up at him with confusion.
"Suddenly people can't hurt his wife?" she thinks, "Well, nominally, I'm his wife. And he's the one who always wants to hurt me most.'
From across the lawn, a bodyguard shouts, "We found it."
Avery turns to the guard, eager to retrieve her ring. Evan glances at Robert, and Robert takes the ring to disinfect it. Evan is picky about things that have been on the ground or touched by others.
"Why are you so nervous about this ring?" he asks Avery, examining it, "The jewelry that the Howel's give you every year is ten times nicer than this."
Avery didn't think that he would pay attention to the ring. He's so jealous and possessive, she knows he'd be furious if she mentioned that Charles Meyer gave her the ring.
"My mother gave me the ring," she says, "It has sentimental value."
Evan takes the sanitized ring and holds it in front of his eyes, observing the color of the light through the gem.
"A rare green diamond, I see," he says, "You used it to stab me in the heart that day?"
"It's just an ordinary ring, modified for self-defense," Avery shrugs.
She wants to get her ring back, but Evan continues to hold it. She places her hand on his, and he slides the ring onto her index finger. He plays with her other, unadorned fingers, gently.
"I want you to start wearing your wedding ring," Evan says peacefully and decisively.
"Wear my wedding ring?" Avery thinks, "I don't even know what my wedding ring looks like.
Robert coughs discreetly and whispers to Evan, "Mr. Howel, when you were first married, you didn't wear wedding rings."
"Who asked you?" Evan says rudely and coldly.
A bald man about forty years old is running across the lawn and shouting, "Mr. Howel!" His flesh shakes as he runs. The bodyguards stop him before he can get too close to Evan.
"Mr. Howel, I'm the director of the Zuri Hotel," he pants, "My name is Gates. I know my staff has made some mistakes, but I humbly beg you to forgive them."
Gate uses his handkerchief to mop sweat from his forehead. Evan scowls and looks at Gates, angered that the bald man has destroyed the gentle moment with Avery. Evan opens his palm and Robert puts a tablet in his hands.
"Purchase the controlling share of Zuri Hotel in the next two days," Evan taps the screen and checks the stock prices of the Zuri Hotel as he speaks, "Then transfer it all to Mrs. Howel."
Robert nods instinctively. Then suddenly, he raises his head and says in a broken voice, "Mr. Howel, Zuri Hotel belongs—"
"What's the problem?" Evan asks impatiently.
"Zuri Hotel belongs to the Summers."
"So what?" Evan asks.
Robert is so anxious that he's sweating again. The Summers family has two daughters, and everyone knows that the Zuri Hotel is reserved for Diana. Diana is currently traveling abroad to study hotel management.
"Mr. Howel—" Gates is horrified.
He wanted to apologize in the name of the hotel, but somehow he's bungled the apology and found that Evan intends to purchase the hotel. He's afraid of making more mistakes, so he stops speaking.
"Transfer it to me?" Avery twists the ring on her finger, "Why?"
Evan tosses the tablet back to Robert, "I know how you feel about Michelle. Now it's your hotel. You can do whatever you want to do."