Avery believes Liam will be a husband unlike her father. When her stepsister, Mia, tries to take the gemstone ring Avery has chosen as a wedding gift, Avery buys it outright. Liam's apparent acceptance convinces her that she has chosen the right man. On their wedding night, however, Liam takes Avery to a private auction where her intimate recordings are offered for sale. He also admits that he caused the collapse of Bennett Group. Liam and Mia expect her to surrender and apologize, but a previously arranged fifteen-billion- dollar loan arrives, allowing Avery to purchase every auction lot.
After leaving, Avery begins rebuilding her working life while pursuing the original files Liam still holds. Mia circulates fabricated photographs to Avery's clients, and Liam's favoritism culminates in his security staff assaulting Avery. An old recording and submission records eventually expose Mia's false claim that she saved Liam's life, as well as her role in creating the fake photographs. Liam returns the files and reimburses Avery's auction spending, but she refuses to return to him. Mia then uses a retained copy to force another confrontation. During a knife attack, she fatally wounds Liam before injuring herself; neither survives. Avery continues tracing the remaining files, settling her borrowing costs, and rebuilding her mother's business projects. Her future is no longer something anyone else can price or control.
