Echoes of Vengeance: The Sweet Wife's Perfect Revenge-Chapter 99: Years of loyalty

Ezra entered Alaric’s office when Damien exited. He placed three files in front of Aveline and passed the iPad to Alaric, "Vivienne Sinclair uploaded a video. Massive attention in a short span."

Alaric didn’t bother to check as his employee had already updated him about Vivienne’s activities. He passed the iPad to Aveline.

Though it was just the start of Vivienne’s side of the story, Aveline wasn’t sure how much she should believe it. However, she understood one thing: Vivienne hadn’t even gotten the chance to see her or know her before Damien started pulling strings.

"I was expecting her to be smarter." Aveline placed the iPad away, disappointed that Vivienne was provoking Damien to kill her while giving him enough time for it.

Alaric voiced his deduction, "Think in her shoes. The attention brings her career back, and Sinclair’s lifestyle would be at an advantage."

Aveline nodded in understanding and turned to Ezra. The whole act was directed by Ezra. She didn’t have to think about anything, and he instructed her on everything before she reached NexGuard.

"Mr. Kane, if you ever need a break from your boss, I will hire you with double the bonus." She offered, despite knowing Ezra was about loyalty, not money.

Alaric: "..."

Ezra glanced at Alaric. He was already working for her on Alaric’s instruction. How does it matter who was paying? Anyway, "I’ll remember that." He left before Alaric got possessive.

Aveline flipped the file about Charlie Harmon when Alaric spoke, "Sunshine..."

She hummed in response as if it were very natural between them. He continued, "He is losing his control." Damien was becoming more suspicious and dangerous day by day.

Aveline paused and looked up at Alaric, hearing his warning in such a gentle tone. "I can’t push him to a dead end overnight."

Vivienne was playing their game, but at her own pace. Now she was seeking death. So she couldn’t depend on it. So Aveline had to follow her original plan.

They were staring at each other when Damien returned. He wanted to leave to track Vivienne, but didn’t want to leave Aveline alone with Alaric.

"Nina, did you complete the signing process?" He asked.

Alaric leaned back and flashed a provoking smile. "Damien, I just watched something very interesting."

Damien clenched his teeth and pressed, "Nina."

Aveline signed the papers, placed the check in front of Alaric, and stood up. "Thank you."

Alaric pretended to offer his hand, but Aveline ignored it, pleasing Damien.

After stepping out, Damien looked at his car and the flattened tires. "Err... Nina, could you go with your team? I need your car."

The three team members stiffened, hearing Damien.

Aveline clenched her teeth, hearing him asking her to use a car with three men she didn’t even know.

She couldn’t understand his possessiveness, which appeared in front of Alaric, but he couldn’t even take care of her.

Couldn’t he have arranged the car from the past hour?

However, she smiled and signaled Mike to give him the key, "Of course. You must be busy." And she watched Damien and his secretary drive away in her car.

She didn’t want to make the technicians of Laurent Industries or herself uncomfortable in a car, so she sent them away.

Mike spoke as he used his mobile, "I will book a cab."

"I’m changing the game." Aveline spoke, her voice icy, "Use Daniel Anderson to threaten Damien Ashford."

Mike: "..."

"He should feel trapped between Vivienne Sinclair, Alaric Lancaster, Daniel Anderson, and Charlie Harmon. I want him to suffer every breath he takes. He should panic the moment he sees me next time."

Alaric snickered behind her. He was proud that she wasn’t following the rules anymore.

"Manager Laurent, it’s not safe for you to go alone." Mike hesitantly spoke, "I’ll go to Daniel in the evening."

"No." Aveline refused. She wanted to strike while the iron was hot.

Alaric interrupted them, "I’ll go with you."

Mike felt assured of Aveline with Alaric around, so he didn’t wait. "Please take care of Ms. Laurent." He dipped his head to both and rushed out to take a taxi.

Aveline turned to Alaric, guilt overwhelming her the moment their eyes met. For the image Alaric had created, she hadn’t thought he would fall for someone he didn’t know well.

"Thank you, but I’ll manage alone." She wanted to keep a distance between them.

But Alaric caught her hand, his fingers slipping into hers as he walked into the building, "You can, but you don’t have to."

That wasn’t supposed to make her feel warm. She looked at their hands, smiled at the irony. Damien takes her comfort away for his ease, and Alaric delays his work just to accompany her. Yet she was married to Damien and couldn’t commit to Alaric.

She sat and quietly watched him quickly sign some documents and respond to some emails. But suddenly his fingers paused on the keyboard. He didn’t look at her when he said, "Sunshine, if you keep staring at me... I might kiss you."

Aveline blinked, but she didn’t look away. She told him, "Don’t keep your hopes up for me, Alaric. I’m neither ready for commitment nor looking for a rebound." She didn’t beat around the bush. That’s all she could do to avoid her guilt and save him if he had high hopes.

He leaned back and watched her. She was way too clear about what she wanted. But needs do change, and he was ready to wait. But, "Sunshine, I didn’t slow down my world for you just to win you."

Aveline felt at ease, but chuckled then. "Your words say no, but..." But she couldn’t help but admire his thoughtfulness.

"But!?" He probed.

She hissed, trying to find the right word, "Kind of tricky."

He wasn’t offended. Instead, he caught what she didn’t say, "You mean you are impressed."

Aveline bit back her smile and lied, "No."

"No!?" His tone carried a hint of mischief.

Aveline failed to put on a straight face. "Focus on work, Alaric Lancaster."

"I focus on what’s important, Sunshine." And he caught her blushing and made his day.

He got back to work when she narrowed her eyes, but the air was light and relaxed.

.....

That afternoon, at a restaurant near Ashford Holdings,

Aveline flicked her fingers in front of a man who was waiting for the valet to bring his car.

Charlie Harmon, the CFO of Ashford Holdings.

He lifted his head from his mobile and frowned when she walked away, dropping a note in front of him.

He picked it up and unfolded it. It had a string of numbers. It wasn’t even a phone number. He was about to throw it when his eyes widened. He checked the numbers again to realize it was his wife’s bank account number, the account where he deposits illicit money.

A chill ran down Charlie’s spine as the implications hit him like a sledgehammer. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

He rushed inside the restaurant and looked around, but he didn’t find her. Then a waiter approached him and handed him a note, "Somebody asked me to give you this."

Charlie’s hands trembled slightly as he opened the note quickly to find the private room number of the restaurant. His heart pounded against his ribs as fear crept in. He rushed upstairs and barged into the empty room. There was nobody there. Before he could walk away, he noticed a file on the table.

He grabbed the file and flipped it open. His face paled looking at the account transaction details. His blood drained from his face as if he had seen a ghost.

He desperately flipped through other pages, each one feeling like a nail in his coffin. He had been skimming profits and cooking the books for years right under Damien’s nose. The file had all the evidence.

Charlie’s breathing became shallow and rapid. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the air conditioning.

Years of careful deception, meticulous planning, and calculated risks were crumbling before his eyes. The secure future he had built for his family was turning into a nightmare.

Charlie desperately looked around, his voice cracking with terror, "Who are you? Come out." He roared, but his voice betrayed the fear..

A waiter stepped inside. Charlie was about to punch him in the face, but his eyes landed on another note.

He snatched it with shaking hands and flipped it open. [You have six hours. Transfer all the money you stole in my name. Or else be prepared to count the bars.]

Charlie read it again and again, each word burning into his mind like acid. He wasn’t sure who sent him the letter. ’My name? Damien?’ because he was stealing from Damien’s money.

Confusion mixed with terror as Charlie’s mind raced through possibilities. ’Had Damien known all along?’ The thought made his stomach churn violently.

He grabbed the waiter who was leaving and demanded, "Who gave you this?"

The waiter was taken aback, looking at Charlie’s uncontrollable behavior, "Err... Sir, that man was leaving." He rushed to the window and pointed at the Ferrari, "Owner of that car."

Charlie looked at the car as it drove out of the parking lot. His eyes narrowed at the number plate and froze.

’Damien Ashford!?’ He wasn’t able to believe his eyes, his world tilted on its axis. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound. ’Why is he threatening me?’

’Why should I resign?’

’Why should I count the bars?’

Rage began to bubble beneath the surface of his fear. If what he did was illegal, then what Damien was doing was also a crime. Why should he take the fall for Damien?

Charlie gripped the file like it was a ticking bomb, his knuckles white with the force of his grip. Years of loyalty, of dirty work done in Damien’s name, and this was how he was repaid?

He stormed out of the restaurant, his face a mask of bitter determination, as he muttered furiously, "If I’m going down... He’s coming with me."

The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l