Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge-Chapter 48: The Cracks

In the evening, at Ashford Holdings,

Damien leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly after sealing the deal with the new investors. All that remained was finding vendors to resume his stalled project. He was confident his team could handle it.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment of calm, but a knock on the door sounded too sharp and ominous. When the door opened, his eyes darkened at the sight of the man entering.

Lawrence Ashford. Early fifties. Damien’s uncle. A director at Ashford Holdings and one of the contenders for the CEO position.

Tugging at a blazer that barely hid his belly, Lawrence flashed a crooked smile. "Damien, you succeeded. Congratulations."

Damien didn’t bother hiding his distaste. Lawrence was the one who stirred the board into pushing for stricter actions against him.

Lawrence sat down casually, his crooked grin never leaving. He and Maxwell, Damien’s father, had once been equals. They were meant to alternate as CEO. But Maxwell had outmaneuvered him, held the role longer.

Greediness comes with a price. Maxwell burned through too many funds on extravagant pursuits. The fallout had cost Maxwell dearly. Now, with an interim CEO in place, everyone wanted the crown. Lawrence believed it should’ve been his from the start.

Damien sneered, "You’re not here to wish me well." Lawrence always comes with bad news.

Lawrence chuckled heartily, hearing Damien. He liked Damien, who was straightforward, unlike sneaky Maxwell. "You are right."

Damien narrowed his eyes. For all his bitterness, Lawrence had never actively sabotaged his projects.

Lawrence’s smile faded. "You fixed one mess. Another’s waiting."

Damien frowned. His secretary hadn’t returned yet, and he’d been too wrapped up in meetings to check in. "What do you mean?" He asked, without slipping his control.

Lawrence shook his head like a disappointed parent. "That little toy of yours quit."

Vivienne?

Damien’s expression darkened. He hated it when Lawrence referred to her like that. She had begged to be the brand ambassador so that she could be seen at his side.

Why would she suddenly walk away?

Still, Damien’s face was blank. "Are you done?" With a deliberate pause, "Get out."

Lawrence clenched his jaw but covered it with a smirk. "All your efforts!?" He rubbed his fingers together, then blew the air off them, as if brushing away dust. "Poof."

Vivienne’s exit wouldn’t have mattered if it were quiet unless her statement hit the press.

Damien clenched his fist, watching the door close behind his uncle. The second it clicked shut, he opened the latest headlines on a major news portal.

’Vivienne Sinclair enters the family business. Says not every brand aligns with her interests.’

He didn’t bother reading further. He dialed her number. It rang till the end, but there was no answer. He called again, still nothing.

His secretary burst into the office, panting. "Director Ashford..." He placed a file on the desk. "I tried my best, but..." He failed to convince Vivienne.

Damien opened the file. There was a check to pay the fines and a signed termination letter.

Anger surged in his nerves. His hands trembled with a mix of fury and something deeper. He didn’t care about Vivienne being a brand ambassador. He couldn’t lose her.

His secretary continued, "I tried to inform Ms. Sinclair that you were busy, but she didn’t wait." And he also failed to learn why Vivienne reached the police station.

He hesitated before adding, "She told her father she wants to leave everything and join the family business. CEO Sinclair immediately took action and terminated all her contracts."

Damien dialed again to reach Vivienne but she didn’t answer. "Where is she now?" His voice was low but hurried.

"Her apartment." The secretary reported.

Damien grabbed his coat and stormed out.

....

At NexGuard,

Ezra resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Scarlett had committed to annoying him with every possible question while she toured NexGuard HQ. He could only blame his boss, who sent Scarlett with him just to get some time alone with Aveline.

He should get paid for his patience and sacrifice. Shouldn’t he?

Aveline quietly walked through the building with a towering figure beside her. She was surprised at how focused the employees were. No one stared. No whispers. No side glances.

She had refused to leave the hospital, but Scarlett dragged her out, saying fresh air wouldn’t kill her. Now she was here, walking through all four floors, hunting for the man Damien would be using to steal the software.

They passed by the server room when Aveline spotted a man in a cleaner’s uniform. Her instincts flared. She opened the door, and Alaric was quick to drape his overcoat around her shoulders, making her freeze.

"It’s cold inside," he said quietly.

Her heart skipped a beat when he leaned in slightly, adjusting the coat so it covered her arms. Then he stepped back.

She immediately shook it off and walked further inside the server room, scanning the rows. And there he was.

The same man who visited the hospital to meet Damien and hide their tracks. A face she would never forget.

She turned around and froze.

Without her heels, she barely reached Alaric’s shoulder. He wasn’t wearing a jacket anymore, just a shirt, open collar, the edge of his collarbones catching the light.

Her mind betrayed her by reminding her of an image of him walking out of a pool, droplets rolling down his ribbed body.

She felt her face hot. ’Scarlett, you witch.’ Aveline cursed her silently.

Scarlett had teased her about dating Alaric after divorcing Damien.

’I’m not interested in relationships.’ She reminded herself that she had no space for feelings.

She signaled him to lower himself to whisper. He didn’t break eye contact as he leaned down to face her at her eye level.

Aveline: "..."

She tried to focus. She really did. But it was hard when his green eyes were right there to admire, his enviable long lashes casting shadows, gaze locked on her like she was the only person in the room.

Like she wasn’t a stranger.

Like he could watch her all day long.

She tried to speak. But the way he looked at her made her forget what war she was fighting.