At Sterling Villa,
The party began with a toast to Alaric for his successful product launch. Alaric lounged back, not bothering to join anyone's conversation or their blabber.
His eyes scanned the villa but found no trace of Aveline. As if she had never lived there. He dropped a few messages.
…
It wasn't long before a group of men, uniformed head to toe, entered the living hall. They bowed to Alaric and moved to the kitchen under Damien's dark gaze.
"Wasn't he the Michelin chef who just returned from the States!?" Julien Fox, always active on social media, was mind-blown, looking at the head chef.
Leo Silvers pointed towards the kitchen and turned to Alaric, stupefied, "You didn't utter a word when I asked you about him last month." He wanted that chef for one of his high-end clubs. Forget hiring, he didn't even get his contact info.
Alaric lazily stood up and went to the bar to pour himself another drink.
No, he wasn't showing off his connections or his family's wealth. He was just dragging time.
With the famous chef in the kitchen, they would stay seated for every dish he presented.
He sauntered back to the living hall, "Just teaching Damien how to party." He said at last.
Damien's face darkened, and the rest burst into laughter.
Ashford Holdings had been started by the Ashfords, but during expansion, poor planning and management led to more and more investors joining in. Eventually, the Ashfords were left holding just 41% of the shares.
Damien's uncle, holding 20%, was now aiming for the CEO chair.
So Damien had to fight his way up. That's why the man hardly ever partied or took a break. He worked day and night.
…
With delicious food served one after another, the clock ticked past half-past four.
Alaric caught the shift in Damien's tone. Before Damien could lay out his plan, Alaric spoke. "It's boring."
Everyone chimed in, demanding music, women, more guests, anything to hype the mood. Even jumping into the pool.
Damien glanced at Alaric, hiding his irritation. Whenever Alaric opened his mouth, he just caused more chaos. As if he were set on going against him every time.
Why would Alaric go against him?
So, Damien swallowed it down. Maybe he was just oversensitive.
He couldn't let them decide freely. They'd turn the villa into a nightclub. So he picked an option. Music was fine. But more guests would mean more mess, and Aveline might return before the party winds up. He didn't want to risk sending her elsewhere.
So he said, "Walter, prepare the pool."
It was fall, the water would be cold. Walter went to turn up the heater, layout robes and swim shorts for the men.
Alaric checked his watch. Closer to five. He pulled out his phone to check for Ezra's update.
[Tyres flat.]
After finding no traces of Aveline in the villa, he had asked Ezra to check on her.
There had been a car waiting for her.
And how could Alaric let Damien have his way so easily?
Just before Aveline left the orphanage, Ezra made sure to flatten the tyres of the Ashford family car.
Since Ezra hadn't updated anything more, she should be on her way to the Sterling Villa.
…
At the swimming pool, beside the villa,
The men dipped in the pool, sipped their drinks, drooled over the barbecue, and enjoyed themselves.
Damien reluctantly joined them, still trusting his mother could handle Aveline until dinner.
The clock hit half past five when a black Bentley rolled through the sterling villa gates.
Walter froze mid-step. Panic flashed across his face.
Lying on the lounge in a bathrobe, Leo and Kian turned to the gate.
Still in the pool, Julian sipped his drink and watched the car come to a stop.
Damien, doing laps, caught the sound a little late. He turned sharply and gritted his teeth when he saw the heels step out. He rushed out of the pool.
Only when the car entered the courtyard did Aveline deduce why Cassandra had insisted on 'ladies only.'
Damien had friends over and didn't want her around.
Unfortunately for him and luckily for her, Ashford's car tyre was flat. She had also felt like changing her outfit.
Now she had a chance to disrupt Damien's plan.
"Mrs. Ashford." That was just a whisper from Walter.
Aveline asked, "We have guests!?" And walked towards the pool, instead of the villa.
As instructed in the car, Mike stepped out and followed her at a respectful distance.
His presence would prevent Damien from dragging her inside the villa and covering up about her appearance with a lie.
Stepping into the golden haze of autumn, Alaric found it impossible to look away. Even though it was the second time he was seeing her that day.
Kian and Leo exchanged a look, asking silently if they knew her.
Julian thought she looked cute, but curiosity sparked when Damien rushed to block her from their view.
"What are you doing here?" Damien asked, barely holding himself back under Mike's watch.
Aveline watched Damien. He stayed calm only when things were under his control. Otherwise, he loses his cool like every other person.
And she had assumed he was coolheaded.
She snickered in her mind, then she looked innocently confused, as if she didn't understand him, "I- Damien, I'm home."
Where else should she go after work?
Unfazed, she tried to peek past him, but he grabbed her shoulder.
"I didn't know we would have guests. You should have called me. I could have returned early to host them." She said.
Damien corrected his words, still impatient, "I mean, Mom said you will be heading to the Ashford estate from the orphanage. She's waiting for you. I will get the driver."
He tried to move her, but Aveline stepped away from his hold. She pointed at herself, "Your mother doesn't like my fits."
Damien glanced at her outfit. A soft, knitted, ivory blouse, with voluminous full sleeves and a classic collar. It was layered with a fitted black knit vest adorned with a delicate gold brooch and buttons. A matching pleated short skirt, cinched at the waist with a statement belt. Knee-high socks and heeled boots completed the look. She looked too adorable with minimal makeup and a simple hairdo.
"Nina, you look pretty. You don't have to change." Damien tried to send her away.
His mother just finds something to criticise. Still, he got the reason why she came back. And he cursed silently at how his mother's small moves backfired.
Aveline pouted, shaking her head, "You don't understand, Damien. I have to impress my mother-in-law… It's your mother."
Mike wasn't stupid. He quickly spotted Kian Vale and approached Aveline, "Manager Laurent, our logistics partner, CEO Kian Vale is here. I will introduce you."
Aveline slipped right out of Damien's palm. "Definitely." She patted Damien's arm with a sweet smile.
Damien clenched his fist. His primal urge to seize control nearly overtook him. If only Mike Wilson wasn't there.
Raking through his wet hair, he ran through a dozen plans to send her away. But each had consequences, and he couldn't raise her or Mike's suspicions.
Aveline gasped, almost audibly, at the sight of Alaric suddenly stepping out of the pool.
Her eyes unthinkingly traced the water rolling down his well-built athletic frame. No one would think he hid a body like that under his suits.
She met his green eyes. A drop slipped from his lash, but he didn't blink. And the way he looked at her was something she couldn't decipher.
As an attendant helped him into a robe, Aveline greeted him, "CEO Lancaster." She never thought they would meet again.
Everyone expected him to ignore her like usual, but his deep voice came after a beat, "We meet again, Ms. Laurent." Then he smoothly walked past her to grab a drink.
Aveline turned to the two men who stood up. Mike began introductions, "CEO Vale…"
"I saw you yesterday at the NexGuard Event, Ms, Laurent." Kian cut in, "I have heard Chairman Laurent has a beautiful daughter, they weren't wrong." He extended his hand, "Pleasure to meet you."
Aveline smiled politely and shook his hand. She tried to focus on Kian, but a certain gaze from the bar kept tugging at her attention.
"Thank you, CEO Vale." She paused deliberately. "And I apologise for being a bad host. I wasn't aware Damien was having friends over."
Damien gritted his teeth.
If only she was an arrogant, self-obsessed lady who just focused on herself.
Why did she have to be kind and humble?
He turned around and saw 'his friends' clearly confused by her words. Before they could ask, and she spilled the secret, he stepped forward and played the role of a henpecked husband.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Meet my wife, Aveline Laurent."
He turned to her and returned her smile, watching her face glow pink.
'Clash'
Leo dropped his glass in shock. It shattered just like Damien's plans.
They stared at the couple in disbelief, except Alaric, who smirked, sipping his drink.
He and his Sunshine were indeed on the same page.
They had kicked the first brick.
And it wouldn't have been possible without Aveline and her assistant's smooth play.
He was impressed.
He just prepared a stage, she shone effortlessly.
So why did it ache, seeing her smile in someone else's arms, even if it was just for show?
Damien continued, "Nina loves privacy. So our events had only family members."
Aveline didn't correct him. It was his choice to keep the events private. Not hers or her family.
Still, she smiled. Even though he failed to hide her, she couldn't believe he was playing the role of a doting husband.
Anyway, she'd make sure the world would know her presence soon.
After quick introductions, Damien insisted she head to the Ashford mansion. So his mother could do what he couldn't.
Aveline walked toward the villa. Then turned to Mike.
"Damien's marital status should trend for days."