Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge-Chapter 49: The Unspoken Cost

Living a lavish life where he craved nothing, yearned for nothing, Alaric didn’t know what greed was until she was right there, yet he couldn’t touch her, and wasn’t sure what to say.

It felt like just yesterday when he didn’t mind waiting a whole month just to get a glimpse of her. After meeting her, he wanted to see her every day. Now, he was craving for more.

If only he could freeze time.

If only he could erase the war she had to fight.

If only he had appeared in front of her before Damien.

Just as he’d forgotten to look away from Aveline, a hoarse voice sounded behind her. "CEO..." the cleaner greeted.

Before Alaric even turned to the cleaner, he noticed her reaction. The way her shoulders stiffened. The way her eyes widened. Jolted back to reality by a voice, yet frightened even if it was just for a moment.

Until that moment, he hadn’t been serious about finding the man supposedly trying to steal his Aegis software. It was just an excuse to keep her distracted, a better alternative than letting her sit in a hospital bed all day.

But now, watching her raw reaction to the mere voice of that cleaner, how could he not trust her, even if it made no logical sense?

Then it hit him. That cleaner had access to his advanced system room for maintenance.

It couldn’t be a coincidence yet again.

Then how does she know the future?

He didn’t have the answer, and he didn’t need it right now.

He straightened his back and stepped in, closing the space between them. His hand cupped her head in quiet assurance. His other hand signalled the man to leave. "I’ve got you," he said quietly, but the way he held her said much more.

Aveline remembered that voice because it was unique and so hoarse that it had woken her up from sleep. She didn’t know what Damien had been saying back then, and she hadn’t questioned it. She had never doubted him.

Now that she knew the cleaner would be meeting Damien and working with him, she didn’t dare turn around. She stood frozen, letting Alaric shield her without even realizing it.

The cleaner had left the server room quietly. Still, Aveline didn’t move.

She stood there with barely a breath between them, the warmth of his cologne grounding her as the memories clawed back through her mind, stinging her eyes.

’Knock, knock.’

The sound on the glass wall made her flinch. She turned to see Scarlett, standing outside with a silly grin and a teasing wink.

Aveline: "..."

How was she going to explain this to her friend?

Suddenly hyper aware of her actions, she stepped back from Alaric and created space. Looking up, a little embarrassed, she tried to sound unfazed. "Him. He’ll reveal where you’ve stored Aegis. Damien will pay him to steal it."

Alaric ignored Ezra’s narrowed eyes and focused on her.

She continued, "There was another man who met Damien to work against you. I didn’t see him here."

Alaric crossed his arms, eyes fixed on her. He understood, but he couldn’t keep up. She was talking about both the past and the future, things that hadn’t happened, yet she spoke of them as if they already had.

Had Damien already met someone? And this cleaner, he’d soon be used for the theft? But no one even knew about Aegis yet, except him and her.

"Sunshine," His gentle voice earned her head tilt, "Is there something you aren’t able to say?" He had to ask.

Aveline felt the weight of that question, but she couldn’t explain, not now, not ever. She pressed her nails into her palm to keep her composure.

"You just need to know that a man and another will steal your software. Take precautions while keeping an eye on him."

If the cleaner was fired, they’d lose the trail. Damien would just find someone else. But if they waited... Alaric could catch him red-handed.

Averting her gaze, she passed by Alaric, looking calm and steady, "I will write down the company name. Track it. That company might get acquired the day after the theft."

He caught the meaning. He has to let them steal something useful.

He followed her out of the server room. Scarlett’s teasing smirk didn’t go unnoticed, nor did Aveline’s awkward side glance.

Though it wasn’t logical, he was already forming a plan instead of dodging the bullet.

But one thing was certain. He wasn’t letting her go so easily out of his reach. "Then you’ll have to keep visiting NexGuard." To help him identify the other man.

Aveline paused in her steps. No sane person would believe her. Yet, Alaric hadn’t questioned her sanity even once. She turned slowly, finally meeting his unwavering gaze.

"Before that," she said, her voice flat and firm, "I need video proof of Damien and Vivienne. From Obsidian." Without waiting for a reply, she walked away.

Ezra stood beside Alaric, eyes fixed on the two women as he mused. "If you give her security footage, there won’t be an Obsidian." He warned what he needed to.

Obsidian wasn’t just a club. It was a sanctuary for the top 1%. Billionaires paid a fortune to be members because of one thing: discretion.

If it ever got out that footage from Obsidian was used against one of its members, Damien would sue, and the rest would withdraw their membership.

Obsidian would collapse overnight. It would become nothing more than an overpriced clubhouse.

But if Alaric didn’t give Aveline the footage, he wouldn’t just lose her trust, he would be breaking his unsaid promise.

Would Alaric betray his mother, who never let him have anything he liked?

Or would he betray Aveline to Obsidian?

Ezra didn’t speak. He didn’t suggest that they just explain things to Aveline. She might understand.

But if Alaric tried to explain and backed out, he would lose her trust, and more than that, her belief in him.

Alaric’s eyes darkened for a moment, but he blinked it away. Obsidian meant nothing compared to Aveline’s freedom.

"Get the footage of those two. From the past two months." He said and walked off.

Ezra stood stunned.

He understood Aveline mattered. But Obsidian wasn’t just any project. It was a shadow empire. If Alaric controlled it, it would be his shield in the business world.

A silent fortress.

And now he was ready to burn it all for her.

Watching Alaric step inside the elevator with Aveline and Scarlett, Ezra swallowed the words from the tip of his tongue.

Pulling so much footage would send an alert to the founder of Obsidian.

Alaric’s mother. Chairwoman of Obsidian. Isabella De’Conti.

She wouldn’t let Alaric ruin the prestige of Obsidian over a woman.

Now it wasn’t just Alaric and Aveline vs. Damien.

It was Isabella vs. Alaric.

Mother vs. Son.