Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge-Chapter 208: The Wolf and His Queen

In Theodore's villa,

The air was thick with the scent of tobacco. Theodore lounged back on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, a cigarette pipe resting between his fingers, and a glint of glee in his eyes as he watched the news unfold on the screen before him.

On the television, Aveline stepped out of the Rolls-Royce with practiced grace. One hand held her hat, shielding her face, yet her clear and steady hazel eyes were visible. There was no hesitation in them, no flicker of anxiety, not even the faintest flinch as reporters hurled questions and protesters mercilessly screamed against her.

As she crossed the line of cameras, her hand shifted, and she placed the round hat properly on her head.

Theodore's grin faltered, the satisfaction draining from his expression.

His gaze drifted to the coffee table, where his own round hat lay forgotten. For a moment, he tried to dismiss it as a coincidence. But with Aveline Laurent, there were never coincidences, only precision, disguised as fate, until the trap snapped shut.

His hand trembled slightly as he grabbed his phone and punched in a string of numbers with barely controlled urgency.

"I don't care where you go," he snapped into the receiver, his voice sharp. "Disappear. Now."

He had just hung up the call when Giselle's voice echoed from the television, cutting through his thoughts.

[Lose? You should pose that question to the investigation team. Will they lose the culprit?]

Theodore froze mid-motion.

Culprit?

His brows furrowed deeply. Aveline was the culprit, or at least, that was the show. Giselle's team was supposed to be defending her. Then why...

Why would the police suddenly be looking for a new culprit?

Why had Aveline and Giselle arrived at the precinct on their own, without summons or force?

Theodore's pulse quickened, an uncomfortable realization settling in his chest.

Somewhere, his calculations had gone wrong... Again. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

He dialed another number on his phone. This time to Seraphina. The line cut before even the first dial tone faded. He called again.

The moment she answered, his voice dropped to a low growl, "Find out what's happening at the precinct."

He hung up without waiting for a reply, sinking into the couch with uneasiness tightening his chest. But all he could do now was wait, and he despised waiting.

....

At the Riverdale villa,

Seraphina swallowed hard, forcing a calmness through her veins. "Alright," she said to the disconnected call, her voice smooth but her throat tight.

When she lowered her phone, her smile masked her expression as she turned toward Isabella, who sat elegantly on the sofa across from her.

Edward had arrived an hour ago with Isabella. While he took Nicholas away from the villa, Isabella insisted on staying back, claiming she wished to spend the day with Seraphina.

It was the last thing Seraphina wanted on that day.

Every instinct screamed that Isabella's visit wasn't casual. Seraphina hadn't been able to check the situation or make discreet calls from her room. Isabella's presence lingered heavily, watching her every move.

If Isabella was suspicious, then there was only one explanation, Alaric must have sown the seeds of doubt in Edward and Isabella.

Still, Seraphina tucked her phone away and put on her best gentle tone, masking her inner turmoil. "Mom, won't you be bored here? Should we go out somewhere, perhaps do something together?"

Isabella observed Seraphina closely, her keen eyes missing nothing. The discomfort was clear, though the reason remained unknown to her... for now.

In truth, Isabella had no intention of leaving the villa. Not until her secretary called to confirm that Aveline was safe and out of custody without the involvement of Astors. If they were involved, she wanted to see how the Astors would maneuver under her watchful eye.

"I have a plan," Isabella said with composed warmth, her tone light. "I have invited your parents over. We should spend some time together to rebuild our bonds."

Seraphina's polite smile didn't falter, though her stomach knotted. Isabella was suspicious of the Astors, there was no other reason for this sudden family gathering.

Yet, she could do nothing but play along. "Of course," she replied sweetly, masking her unease perfectly. "That sounds wonderful."

....

At the precinct,

Alaric gently wrapped his arms around Aveline, his movements calm yet protective. But his eyes narrowed sharply when he noticed the officers exiting the interrogation room, their expressions troubled.

He already had reports on every officer, detective, and even the captain of the team. Each one of them had reached their position either by skipping the rules with the Astors' help or by conveniently pocketing the Astors' money to overlook their actions. Some were simply greedy for more.

He had arrived prepared to bring Aveline out, ready to pitch their misdeeds right into their faces if they dared to trouble her.

But the moment he got there, he realized something had changed. And he learnt, Aveline wasn't there to defend herself. She was there to hunt.

To attack the ones who dared plan against her.

He leaned down and pressed a brief kiss on her head, his sigh low and almost inaudible. "You should have told me, Sunshine."

After last night, he had been genuinely worried for her. Not that he had any problem taking care of her or the situation, but he wouldn't have been able to help her inside that interrogation room.

Seeing her now, calm, composed, and completely in her control, eased that worry in a way he didn't expect.

Aveline tilted her head slightly, her lips curving faintly with amusement. "You wouldn't have been impressed."

Her teasing was soft, almost playful, and he couldn't help the slight nod in acceptance. "True." He was indeed impressed that she didn't focus on clearing her name, instead, she was pressuring the team, turning the tables entirely.

The quiet moment between them was short. It was disturbed by the sound of the footsteps.

Alaric's eyes darkened, the air around him shifted, and the calm in his tone carried no warmth. "Let's meet the officers," he said. His voice was low and unhurried, yet it was a dagger into the gut.

Aveline: "..."

When the captain heard Alaric, his shoulders stiffened. The words that followed carried the unmistakable weight of warning.

"We have some unfinished business with them." Alaric added.

The color drained from the captain's face as Alaric's eyes locked on him with a predatory gaze.

And in that silence, where everyone froze in anticipation, Aveline broke the silence. She snickered softly, understanding that Alaric had something in his hands.

Her next words would decide who walked out of this precinct unscathed… and who didn't.

And she had no intention of mercy. "Now it's getting interesting."