In Sterling Villa,
At poolside, Damien's friends hurled a heap of questions about the secret wedding and his relationship with Vivienne. Lying against Vivienne would come at a price. So he blamed his parents for the arranged marriage.
Inside the house, Aveline quickly changed into a soft blush satin skirt that flowed gracefully. She paired it with a draped neckline blouse, both catching the light in every movement. She completed the look with delicate heels, a small purse, and minimal jewelry for an elegant, understated look.
She was descending the stairs just as the men were entering the villa, wrapped in bathrobes. That's when she noticed the cushions on the couch, her armchair beneath the skylight, the wedding and engagement photo frames near the wall, and her floral arrangements in the living hall and dining room were gone.
She shouldn't have been shocked by Damien's actions. But still, a twist formed in her gut.
Yet, she kept her expression gentle when Damien approached her like a henpecked husband.
"You look exquisite," he said. His voice was low and warm like a blanket wrapped around.
To keep it natural, her fingers brushed through his damp hair, "Take a shower and dry it. Don't catch a cold."
He merely hummed in response under many gazes.
Under the gaze of four men and housekeeper, Damien escorted Aveline towards the door. But she paused with her gaze fixed to the painting on the wall.
Damien had completely forgotten about the interior changes, too distracted by his friend's questions. He opened his mouth, scrambling to think of a way to stop her from reacting infront of his friends. But she turned to him first.
"Nina…" His voice was barely a whisper.
Her eyes shimmered due to the humidity. Her face was turning pink. She clutched her wallet tighter but still managed to force a smile. "I…" Her voice cracked, "I will get going."
And she walked away.
Damien stood there, stunned.
She was hurt. She quietly left without creating a scene or a question.
Unthinkingly, he imagined Vivienne in Aveline's place. A cold shiver ran down his spine. She would have unleashed hell.
Aveline's presence lingered, silent but overwhelming. One moment, she annoyed him, making him want to push her away. The next, she felt like the only person he could have ever asked for.
He didn't know what eased him more. How she made him feel, or how quietly she managed in front of his friends.
With the growing thoughts, he went upstairs to freshen up.
…
When Damien returned downstairs, only Alaric remained. The others had gone off to dance the night away in a club.
Alaric quietly studied Damien. He couldn't understand how Damien remained so composed when the truth about the wedding was out. His strike landed smoothly, but it didn't feel like a victory.
He stood. "Alright then."
"Wait," Damien cut in.
He didn't invite Alaric to just party. He wanted to meet Alaric with another motive.
Without a word, Alaric followed Damien's pointed gesture toward the study. Damien wasn't the type to celebrate someone else's success. So he knew this was coming.
Damien poured drinks before stepping inside the study. Alaric sat like he ruled the place, calm and uninterested, unlike anyone else who would have asked him many questions.
Where the hell did he get that patience from?
Damien set a rock glass in front of Alaric, then walked around the desk and faced him directly. "What do you say about working together?" His voice was firm and probing.
Alaric's lazy expression sharpened at those words. It reminded him of Aveline's riddle.
'An invite. An investment. A tech company. His position. You refuse. He schemes.'
An invite - Check.
Still, Alaric didn't want to jump to conclusions. He asked for clarity behind the previous question, "What do you mean?"
"It's about Ashford Holdings investing in your NexGuard." Damien slid a black folder across the desk.
Alaric didn't touch it.
"I know you don't want to depend on the Lancasters or De Contis," Damien added, carefully calculated with his words.
Alaric was sick of anyone who tried to control him in the name of family.
"I'll personally handle the investment process," Damien continued, "leaving majority ownership to you. With this merge, you'll also get access to resources from…"
Damien paused, meeting Alaric's green eyes turning dark and deadly. His jaw tensed, guessing Alaric was against his investments without even knowing the numbers.
An investment offer to his tech company - double check.
Alaric couldn't believe Aveline's words weren't just poetic but so accurate.
But what made his skin crawl was Damien. Damien wasn't just floating the idea, he was prepared with a report and all.
"Ric, I appreciate your vision." Damien didn't give up and pressed on, "but no business grows without the investments, resources, connections…"
Alaric studied him, waiting for the real pitch, waiting to hear, 'This will also help me secure the CEO seat.'
Because that's what this was really about. Because he could understand Damien's desperation to secure the position at his company.
But Damien kept up the charade, pretending he was just there to help Nexguard prosper.
Silence stretched.
Damien didn't mention his gain.
His position - check.
Alaric lowered his head for a moment. A brief flicker of something dark flashed in his eyes.
Damien wasn't just ruining Aveline's life, he didn't value anybody but what they could offer him.
Alaric wasn't new to it, but expected Damien to treat him differently.
Alaric looked back at Damien. The calm and nonchalance was gone. His lips curled into a knowing, sly smile. He leaned back, legs crossed, with a glass in hand.
"Investments and connections!?" He sneered, "Damien…" He spoke deliberately.
"I'm Alaric De'conti–Lancaster."
And that was enough to make Damien's blood boil.
Alaric wasn't just anyone. He was the son of the richest man in the country and of a former princess of Elaron. He didn't need anyone to build an empire. Just his name was worth more than anything.
Alaric chugged his whiskey and stood.
Refusal - check.
How the hell did Aveline know?
He didn't look back when he walked away. He never did business with friends and fake generosity? That was the worst offense of all.
Damien understood without another word. Alaric had always kept distance from those who clung to him for his name, his money, or his power.
His jaw clenched as the door closed.
He was on edge. His pride was wounded, his advantage slipped.
But Damien Ashford wasn't the one to chase someone down. He sat back down, fury simmering under his skin.
He had no time to lose. The CEO position had to be secured fast.
And NexGuard… was still his best shot.
He had been patient the whole day. He had offered with respect. He played nicely. And what did he get?
A reminder that he wasn't enough.
He grabbed his whiskey glass and smashed it against the floor.
'Crash.'
He offered an investment, not an acquisition. How dare Alaric act so untouchable?
He would show Alaric how difficult it was to manage a company. He dialed a number, and he hissed.
"Spread a rumor. An employee is in dire condition due to a Vantex malfunction."