As he removed his mask, his face was revealed, and Avery's eyes widened in shock. She gasped, her voice trembling, "You...you...you..." Her knees buckled, and she felt herself weaken. Cedric's face, once hidden, now shone with a gentle plea, "I know you're hurt, Avery, but give me a chance to explain, please understand..." But Avery's shock turned to horror, and she turned to flee, her feet pounding the ground in a desperate bid for escape. Cedric gave chase, his longer strides easily catching up to her. He grasped her hand, but she shook him off, her palm connecting with his cheek in a resounding slap. His face jerked to the side, his hair momentarily obscuring his features. Avery's voice cracked with pain, "How could you, how could you?" Cedric's eyes implored her to listen, "I can explain, Avery, just give me a chance, please understand..." But she pushed him away, her voice rising, "Stay away from me, killer!" ****** Avery Travis, as simple girl, who lives with her father Mr Andrew Travis, she was his eldest daughter, her younger sister Emily was supposed to get married but on the day of the wedding, she ran away leaving Avery to take her place. Avery entered into a marriage with a man the world knew absolutely nothing about. His face hidden but all the world knew was that he was filthy rich. His name Cedric Matthews and his face has never ever been shown to the world but there's someone who can't stand his presence and that's Benjamin Maxwell. A billionaire as well, the second in the country after him whose father always always compared him to Cedric which made him hate Cedric so much. What happens when Avery finally gets to see Cedric's face? What did he do to make her hurt? What happens if Benjamin ends up loving Avery? What happens if Emily returns to take back what is rightfully hers? Find out in THE MASKED BILLIONAIRE
Avery go get your sister!" Mr Travis's male voice filled the air and Avery looked at him with pleading eyes, but his eyes were still filled with the same emotions of disgust.
Avery sighed tiredly and walked up the stairs, they were downstairs waiting for the bride but it seems that the bride was no where to be seen.
Avery went to her sister's dressing room and opened the door and saw a letter.
Avery knew what the letter might hold but she didn't want her sister to make such a hasty decision for it would affect her.
Avery walked to the table where the letter was and she wasn't surprised by its content.
The letter confirmed her thoughts, her sister ran away as usual and left her problems for her sister to solve.
She sighed audibly.
"Why did she have to do this?" She asked no one in particular.
A few weeks ago, her father's company was at a loss due to her father's frequent spendings on women and drinks his company started to go bankrupt.
But Mr Travis couldn't let it happen, he had to find a way, and that was how he remembered the agreement his wife made before she died.
That her first daughter shall marry the heir to the Matthew's family.
He smiled and went to have a meeting with Mr Matthew's assistant and luckily Mr Cedric Matthews agreed to marrying his daughter.
Due to the fact that his late mum was best friends with Mrs Travis before their deaths.
So he decided to honour his mum's wishes and agreed to marrying to first daughter which was Emily.
Emily was the definition of perfect, she was sweet, calm, kind and was the perfect definition of a woman.
When Cedric looked into the family members history he discovered the kind of woman he would marry would be easy to break, they would just get married and divorced after a while.
But the thing was that Emily's mistakes were always covered up by her sister Avery, Avery did many things to protect her sister although they hurt her but because she loves her sister and also promised her mum before she died that she would take care of Emily.
As soon as he agreed, Mr Travis wanted them to be engaged as soon as possible.
They were engaged and so it was time for the wedding and Emily ran away.
Avery read through the letter again and cried.
She knew her father, he wouldn't care how it would happen but this marriage is going to hold today.
Even if she was gonna be the one to cover up for her sister again.
She carried the letter and walked down the stairs.
"She's back!" Her father said with a smile but his expression changed when he saw that Emily wasn't behind her.
Avery took slow steps to her father and he glared at her his eyes filled with fire and debris ready to kill her in the spot.
"Where is Emily?" He asked.
"Where is she?.....woman!!!!" He yelled and Avery shook and gave him the letter.
As he read it he scoffed.
"What nonsense!, is this how that ungrateful daughter repays me for all I have done for her?" He asked no one in particular.
Avery's head was still hung low.
"I'm sorry sir but if the bride is not here Mr Matthews may not agree to this marriage!" Dylan, Mr Mathews assistant said.
"Where is your sister?"
"I don't know, dad!!, I don't know!!" She yelled and it seemed like she broke all the barriers of resistance she had in her.
"What did you expect huh?, that she would happily marry a man she knew nothing about, a man who hasn't shown his face to the world in decades all for money you forced your daughter to marry him and you expect her to go through with it?" She asked her father.
"You bîtch!" He said and slapped her hard across the face.
"You!" He said pointing to a maid.
"Get her ready, she is getting married to Mr Mathews"
"I am not!" Avery said.
"Let me see how you stop me?" He said as he smirked.
"Mum was right!..., you are evil!" Avery said as she was held down by guards and they started taking her up the stairs.
As they got to the room, they through her in and locked the door shut.
Avery ran to the door and started banging it hard.
"Open this door!!!, open it!!!" She yelled but no one listened to her, it was like the whole world had gone deaf.
She continued but no one came she gave up and sat down on the floor and sobbed.
Cedric was sitted on the couch, his legs crossed as he went through his phone.
The door opened and his assistant walked in.
"What's the news?" He asked as soon as his assistant came in.
"Well. Umm...., the girl ran away!"
Cedric chuckled.
"She ran away?"
"Yes sir!"
"That's good, I don't need to go through with the marriage!" He said and stood up about to leave when Mr Travis came to the room.
"I'm sorry sir for the inconvenience, my daughter may have left but I'm sure you are aware that I have two daughters and the second one is even more beautiful" he said trying to coax Cedric.
Cedric adjusted his facemask and glasses and looked at him without the slightest interest in what he was saying.
"I'll show you her pic, please sir this marriage will be profitable to both of us!" He said and brought out his phone and showed him a picture of Avery.
Cedric looked at the photo for a while and muttered something then looked at Mr Travis.
"Fine, I'll go through with it!" He said and Andrew Travis smiled.
"You won't regret it sir!"
"Believe me, I won't!" He muttered and walked back into the room.
His assistant closed the door and looked at him.
"Are you really going to go through with this?"
"Yes, she seems promising!" He said and continued what he was doing on his phone.
Trevor sighed.
*
"Get her ready now, she needs to look as beautiful as ever" Andrew told the Makeup artist and the woman nodded and walked upstairs.
The guards in front of the room opened the door and she walked in to see Avery on the floor in tears.
"Please let me out!" Avery said as soon as she saw her.
"I'm sorry but I'm just here to do your makeup and leave!"
"Please tell them, help me escape!" She said.
"I'm sorry ma'am but I can't do that!" She said again and Avery sighed.
But she didn't give up, she ran to the door it was slightly opened and she pushed it.
"Catch her!!!" One of the guards screamed as Avery ran out of the room.
Avery ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her long brown hair swaying behind her as she ran.
She ran until she reached a dead end. She looked behind her and saw some guards.
"Im sorry ma'am but you've forced us to use violence!", one said and a dart came flying and hit her neck, she instantly passed out.
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