When His Eyes Opened novel by Simple Silence

Chapter 1

It was the day of Avonsville socialite Avery Tate's wedding, but there was no groom in sight.

The groom, Elliot Foster, had been in a vegetative state since a car crash half a year ago. His doctors said that he was not going to make it until the end of the year.

In a grief-stricken act, Elliot's mother decided to arrange a marriage for her son before he met his untimely end.

The Fosters were one of the wealthiest families in Avonsville, but no socialite in her right mind would want to marry a man who was knocking on Death's door.

Avery sat at the vanity with her slender figure gracefully dressed in a white wedding gown. With her elegant makeup that brought out the exquisiteness of her pale complexion, she looked as delicate as a budding red rose.

Yet, there was an uneasiness in her almond-shaped eyes.

There was only another 20 minutes until the ceremony, and Avery was frantically sliding her fingers across her phone screen, anxiously awaiting a text message.

She had a boyfriend before she was forced to marry Elliot, and it was a terrible coincidence that he just happened to be Elliot's nephew, Cole Foster.

However, they had never made their relationship public.

Avery had texted Cole the night before in hopes that they would escape Avonsville together and elope. She had stayed up all night waiting, but she never got a reply. She could wait no longer.

Avery rose from her seat, clenched her hand around her phone and made up an excuse to leave the room.

She hurried down the corridor and froze in her tracks as she walked past one of the rooms.

Avery heard the sound of her sister, Cassandra giggling delightedly through the slightly ajar room door.

"I bet my dumb sister is still waiting for you to go to her, Cole! Maybe you should go and butter her up a little more. What are we going to do if she changes her mind and decides to back out of the wedding?" "Do you think she has a choice now that things have come this far?" Cole said as he held Cassandra in his arms and nuzzled his thin lips against her neck. "Even if she tries to back out now, the guards will drag her down the altar by the neck!"

Cassandra snickered wickedly, then said, "Avery will lose her mind if she finds out that you've been spending every night with me!"

Avery felt a violent buzzing in her head. She took a step back and almost lost her balance.

She clenched her fists around her gown and held back the tears in her eyes.

Her father was admitted into hospital when his company went under.

Her stepmother, Wanda Tate, turned on Avery and forced her to marry into the Foster family so she could reap the benefits. She had made it sound like the marriage was for the good of the Tate family, but Avery knew that this was Wanda's way of getting rid of her!

What was least expected, was the fact that the boyfriend who said he loved her would turn around and betray her!

It was no wonder Cole urged her to carry on with the wedding. He said that he would marry her once Elliot died, but it was all a huge lie!

All of her hopes and dreams were crushed, and she could barely breathe.

As the voices in the room intensified, Avery clenched her fists, and her eyes turned ice cold.

For years, she endured her stepmother and stepsister's bullying for her father's sake. She suffered through all kinds of injustices for the sake of the family.

She was too stupid and naive.

Now, she would no longer allow them to take her for a fool!

She would take back all that was hers!

The wedding ceremony began shortly after.

Dressed in her wedding gown with a bouquet of flowers in her hands, Avery walked down the aisle as soft, romantic music played in the background.

She said her own vows and put on her own wedding ring.

The crowd looked puzzled, but she paid them no mind.

From now on, she was Mrs. Foster, and she was untouchable.

However, her new husband, who used to hold Avonsville in the palm of his hand, did not have much longer to live.

That night, Avery was sent to Elliot's mansion.

It was located in the heart of the city's affluent district and cost over 150 million dollars.

Before Avery could properly take in the mansion's layout, Mrs. Cooper had dragged her to the master bedroom.

Her eyes were immediately drawn to the man on the large bed. She slowly walked over and carefully watched his face.

Elliot's deep-set features stood out on his chiseled face, and he exuded a majestic aura of nobility.

His skin was unusually pale from spending all that time indoors, but his handsome face made one unable to take their eyes off of him.

If he were not sick, Avery would have never become his wife.

Before he had been bed-ridden from the car crash, Elliot was a powerful figure in the country of Aryadelle. Sterling Group, which he headed, was one of the country's top ten corporations.

He was rumored to be ruthless and tyrannical and had a legal business as well as deals with the underworld. Anyone who crossed him was bound to pay a hefty price.

Avery never thought that she would marry a man like Elliot.

The bedroom door opened while she was lost in thought.

It was Cole!

"I'm sorry, Avery! I was too busy today and just managed to come to see you," said Cole as he approached Avery with feigned sincerity on his face.

"I just married your uncle," Avery snapped coldly. "Do I need to teach you how to address me?"

"I know you're mad. I didn't elope with you because I didn't want you to suffer a difficult life. Uncle Elliot is practically a dead man, so you don't have to lift a finger while married to him. Once he's dead, I'll get a good lawyer and make sure you get his whole estate!"

Cole eagerly grabbed Avery's hands and said, "When that happens, everything he has will be ours!"

Avery recalled the earlier scene she had witnessed between Cole and Cassandra, and she felt a surge of disgust.

"Let go!" she yelled as she violently shook his hands off.

Her sudden cry took Cole by surprise. Was this the Avery he knew?

Avery was always gentle and kind, and she would never raise her voice at him.

Could she have found out about something?

Cole felt a hint of guilt and moved closer to Avery in hopes of explaining things to her.

The next moment, his eyes shifted to something behind Avery. His eyes widened in disbelief as if he had just seen a ghost.

"He... He..." Cole stammered.

Elliot, who was lying still in bed, began to slowly open his eyes.