At Sterling Villa,
Damien's jaw clenched, rage pulsing beneath his skin. Whether assertive or not, Alaric always had his way. Trying to stall or change would only work against his favor. And if he didn't act now, he wouldn't get a better chance.
He snapped at the housekeeper, "Remove everything that's hers."
Walter bowed and moved quickly. The wedding photo frame came down from the wall, the engagement portrait disappeared from the shelf. Even the subtle traces of her cushions on the couch, the armchair in the corner were gone.
Her car? Removed from the garage.
Satisfied, Damien considered his next move. He needed to keep Aveline busy, away from villa and also stop her running to Scarlett.
He dialed his mother, Cassandra Ashford.
[Damien, my son!] Came the motherly greetings.
"No time for that, Mom." He cut it. "Do you have plans today?"
[Why, Damien? What happened?]
"Send a car to Ivy Orphanage. Get Aveline for lunch. Make her understand she needs to stop wasting time playing charity. Tell her to start showing up for society."
[But…] Her voice almost panicked.
"She won't have to attend your parties. Just pressure her. She needs to be disciplined." He assured her.
[Don't worry, Damien.] Cassandra promised, her voice already turning sharp. [I'll remind her where she belongs.]
He ended the call, took a long look around the Aveline free space. He liked it.
As if the space inspired him, he ordered, "Prepare for a party. Just five guests."
He had not intended to throw a party. But since Alaric was reluctant to meet, he would do everything as a celebration. Make everything look normal.
He retreated into the study room, began calling the school group of friends. Each one was successful in their league.
––––––––
At Ivy Orphanage,
Aveline folded the damaged letters, slid them into the half-burnt envelope. Damien's name was burned everywhere, and the letter it was addressed to. She placed it in front of Mike.
"This needs to reach my father." She assigned him the task.
After taking a look at critical information of the letters, Henry would also be alerted about the person behind Daniel Anderson, the origin of the letter and everything in between.
"We will need a cover for how we got this letter," She added.
Without getting suspicious, her father has to get on his toes to search for Daniel. She also needs to know why Daniel sent her the letter, addressed to the orphanage instead of Charles or her father.
Mike wished for Henry to know Damien's true colors. But it won't just be a business emergency then but a family emergency too. So he accepted the task. "I will handle it. Manager Laurent, you should focus on…"
His words died when the phone on the desk rang. Aveline glanced at the screen and grimaced.
Mother-in-law.
A vicious woman who was hard to please. Aveline had done everything in the past, yet she had failed to appease that bitter woman.
She reluctantly answered the call, hoping she didn't have to hear Cassandra screaming at the top of her lungs, "Hello, Mrs. Ashford."
[Aveline, again with the formality of a stranger. You are family now. Call me Mom.] Cassandra's voice almost edged the real sweetness.
Aveline looked at her phone and blinked in confusion. Then she realized she was still a new bride, two months into her wedding.
Anyway, calling Cassandra as Mom?
In this timeline, she wasn't going to please Cassandra but draw a line between them.
"This is why I say, Damien shouldn't have rushed the marriage, Mrs. Ashford." Aveline sweetly refused to call Mom.
[Huh?] Cassandra stammered without an immediate comeback.
[Aveline, I understand. Why don't you come for lunch? Just us girls, at Ashford Mansion.] She sounded sweet as honey at the same time, overbearing.
In the past, Aveline would have jumped at the invite. Picked the perfect dress, chose a thoughtful gift only to be insulted for both.
Not this time.
"Err… I have work at the Orphanage today. I won't be able to make it, Mrs. Ashford."
There was a long pause on the other end.
Whereas Aveline was aware of what Cassandra was thinking, 'What will be even there to do at Orphanage?' Cassandra only appreciated something as work if it earned millions of dollars.
Since, Aveline was still a new bride so Casssandra didn't speak her thoughts out, [Fine. Come after. I will be waiting for you.] In other words, Cassandra was asking Aveline to be there as soon as possible.
Aveline would have preferred to decline but she has to play the role of power. Not run from it. The sooner she handled Cassandra, it was better for her future.
"I will come for dinner with Damien."
She would use Damien in her favor and he would be in a tight spot whether to support her or Cassandra.
Why should she bother doing messy work?
[Aveline, he's busy,] came the urgent voice. After a pause, Cassandra spoke softly but sounded more impatient, [As I said, it's just us ladies. I'm sending a car to an orphanage.] Then she hung up the call.
The more Cassandra spoke, the more she revealed her true colors.
Anyway, Aveline resumed the conversation about fetching the details of the vendors who learn who might have lost their business license.
….
At Sterling Villa,
It was half past one when the first guest arrived, Julien Fox, one of the top male celebrities in Velmora, a walking headline under his father's entertainment empire.
Shortly after came Kian Vale, heir to Vale Logistics, a beast in air, sea, and road transport.
They exchanged pleasantries with Damien before settling in. Julien leaned back, smirking, "How was the launch yesterday?"
Kian scoffed, "Ric walked in last. Left first. Couldn't even fake interest." He assumed Alaric was CEO in name.
Julien snorted, "His arrogance is taller than the Eiffel Tower."
Kian added, "Without his parents, he'd be nobody."
They laughed, punching lines at Alaric's expense.
Damien didn't join in. He looked at Julien, propped up by his father. Then at Kian, received a business empire from his father. He wasn't any different. All of them rode on their family names.
And all of them hated Alaric for the same reason.
Because Alaric didn't need to prove anything, and still outshone them all.
Just then, a dramatic voice rang from the hallway, "Make way for your prince!"
It was Leo Silvers, club mogul of Velmora. A big a**kisser in their group.
Behind Leo was Alaric Lancaster. He walked lazily in an ivory knit with navy stripes paired with dark trousers. He carried an effortless charm that screamed power.
The men in the living hall noticed that Leo was pointing at Alaric's wrist.
A Patek Philippe Grand Complication was wrapped around Alaric's wrist, worth more than most people's lives—but on Alaric, it looked like just another Sunday.
As Alaric walked in, he met Damien's eyes across the room, looking calm, yet somewhere deep, he manifested the one thing Damien had and didn't deserve.
Aveline Laurent.
Because he wanted the only thing that couldn't be bought.
And tonight, this was the first step in dismantling Damien Ashford's world, brick by brick.