Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge-Chapter 93: The Puppet

At Obsidian,

With frowns creasing her forehead, Vivienne stormed inside Obsidian without understanding why the CEO would call her back when she had been there just a few hours ago.

As soon as she saw one of the managers, she growled at them, "Do I look like I sit jobless all day long? You can’t just call me up anytime you like and demand I come here."

The manager simply pointed toward a hallway. "This way, please..."

Vivienne gritted her teeth and clicked down the corridor on her high heels. Even if she was going to lose her membership, she wasn’t going to let them treat her without respect.

The manager called out when she walked past a room. "Ms. Sinclair, enter here."

She spun around and barged into the room without knocking. "How dare..."

Her voice stuck in her throat when her eyes landed on Alaric. She instinctively glanced behind her, as if searching for an escape route, but the door shut behind her with a soft click.

When she looked back, she avoided Alaric’s intimidating gaze. She took in the spacious meeting room that could fit thirty members easily. The room was attached to a pantry with expensive cutlery neatly organized, and next to it was a bar counter designed to serve the self-obsessed chiefs of companies and heirs of reputed families.

When she met Ezra’s eyes, he pointed at a chair for her to sit. Swallowing her nervousness, she spat, "What now?" She remained standing, refusing to look at Alaric.

Ezra grabbed the iPad from the center table, and Vivienne scoffed. "Using the same old video to threaten me?"

Ezra clicked on the screen and displayed a video of Damien.

[Vivienne?] Damien’s voice from the video grabbed her attention immediately.

[Yeah, you were serious about Vivienne. Why did you marry Aveline Laurent?] It was Leo Silver’s voice.

Vivienne immediately snatched the iPad from Ezra’s hands, her heart pounding.

[Serious?] Damien laughed, his drunkenness clear in his unrestrained laughter. He grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the table and continued, [She’s like this whiskey. It’s cheap, but you get high easily. She’s cheap and gets high in bed and at the sight of luxury.]

The two men laughed as Damien threw the bottle to the floor with a crash.

Then Damien grabbed another bottle, an expensive one. [This is Aveline. Limited edition. You would keep the bottle for decor even after you drink the last drop.]

Vivienne’s face flushed crimson with humiliation. Her grip on the iPad tightened until her knuckles turned white as she continued watching the video, each word cutting deeper than the last.

[Then how did you manage to keep Vivienne Sinclair even after marrying Aveline?] Leo asked curiously after a beat.

Damien carefully placed the expensive bottle on the couch next to him and chugged his drink. [Keep? She thinks she’s a player.] He snorted with derision. [I manipulated her, and she forced me to get married to Aveline.]

Vivienne went pale, the blood draining from her face. Her hands trembled, and the iPad slipped from her grip.

If Ezra hadn’t been quick to catch it with his foot, it would have shattered on the floor.

Vivienne stumbled backward, gripping the chair for support as painful memories reeled through her mind. She had always heard about Aveline but never got a chance to see her. However, Damien had accompanied her for the first time to a fashion show.

There, she had seen Aveline entering the venue in that designer’s new season outfit. The guards had cleared the entire red carpet and instructed media houses to lower their cameras while Aveline walked past like a red carpet, and cameras didn’t matter to her.

Then she saw Aveline talking with the designer as if they were old friends. Aveline sat in the front row while Damien and she were in the back.

Later, she had heard at the after-party that Aveline had received five dresses from the event. Aveline wasn’t at the event yet everyone murmured about her.

The second time was when Damien had taken her on a beach holiday during his work trip. She was on deck, waiting for Damien to join her, when Aveline arrived in a mesmerizing beach dress with her overseas friends and boarded the most beautiful and expensive yacht, one that was named after her.

While Damien continued working on their yacht, Vivienne had used binoculars to watch Aveline diving into the ocean, soaking in the setting sun, and partying with her friends.

After that, she had seen Aveline in a café while Damien was running late.

Then she had seen Aveline shopping while Damien gave her his card and sent her off to shop.

Every time she got a glimpse of Aveline, Damien was the reason.

And she had suggested their wedding because she had heard rumors of Aveline getting married to a magnate from another country.

The realization hit her like a physical blow. Damien had been toying with her all these years. But... her eyes narrowed at Alaric, a mix of fury and desperation in her voice. "Why are you showing me this?"

Alaric’s voice was cold and measured when he finally spoke. "To show you how worthless he thinks you are."

Vivienne could only clench her teeth, humiliation burning through her like acid under her skin. Her hands shook with suppressed rage and wounded pride.

Meanwhile, Ezra used his phone, and the door opened. A tall, strongly built man entered the room. He was dressed in a black suit, and his sharp eyes lowered respectfully when he saw Alaric.

Ezra spoke matter-of-factly, looking at Vivienne. "He will protect you. Twenty-four seven. Until you get married to Damien Ashford."

Vivienne: "..."

That was tempting. Not because she could marry Damien, but because she would have round-the-clock protection for free. Then she could threaten Damien without fearing for her life.

"What’s in it for you?" she asked, suspicion lacing her voice.

Ezra lied smoothly. "What could be uglier than marrying the woman he never wanted?"

"You..." Vivienne gritted her teeth and swallowed her pride. So Alaric wanted Damien to suffer.

Well, good for her.

She nodded, almost agreeing to the deal. "He’s married."

Were they going to help her get rid of Aveline?

She looked at Alaric, who didn’t bother sparing her a single word, his attention focused elsewhere with deliberate indifference. She turned to Ezra, who merely raised an eyebrow.

"What if I refuse?" Vivienne tested, trying to regain some control.

Ezra said simply, "I’ll send a video of you meeting Aveline Laurent in Obsidian." After all, she wasn’t an official member anymore.

Vivienne’s eyes widened. If Damien learned she had met Aveline with video evidence, he would kill her, and nobody would be there to protect her. If she used the video against Damien, at least she would be protected.

"Why should I believe he’s strong enough?" She didn’t want to be fooled.

Alaric glanced at the bodyguard, who grabbed the chair and broke its legs like snapping ice cream sticks, the wood splintering with ease.

Vivienne swallowed hard when she saw his biceps bulge beneath his suit, the display of raw power both terrifying and reassuring.

A plan began forming in her head. ’I’ll threaten Damien under Alaric’s protection. Aveline will learn her lesson when she’s divorced. I’ll secure Ashford’s money by getting pregnant while the Laurents ruin the Ashfords. The Sinclair lifestyle won’t be jeopardized in this mess.’

’Perfect,’ she thought while adjusting her sunglasses with newfound determination. "Deal."

She voiced her agreement, signed the contract for hiring the bodyguard, and walked out with the man following her like a shadow.

Ezra exchanged a knowing glance with Alaric. "Still thinks she’s the one playing the game," he muttered with amusement.

Alaric didn’t look up from his mobile. His voice carried a hint of dark satisfaction. "She is playing." He paused deliberately. "Just not her game."

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